Interview
(Progressive Newsletter Nr.43 03/03)
excerpts from an interview with Ian Crichton (Guitar), Jim Gilmour (Lead Keyboards, Vocals), Steve Negus (Drums, Percussion), Michael Sadler (Lead Vocals, Keyboards), Jim Crichton (Bass, Keyboards)

You just in the finishing steps of your 15th studio album "Marathon". Can you tell a little more about it?

MICHAEL SADLER: The new album contains 11 songs, including 3 new chapters. As far as musical direction and new elements are concerned, we pretty much always go with our instincts in terms of musical and lyrical content.
JIM CRICHTON: This album is a continuation of the last 2 albums, completing the 2nd set of chapters and sonically sounds very similar to the last 2 albums. I think of the 3 albums as a set.
JIM GILMOUR: 11 songs prog & rock elements & some more "modern influences" similar but stronger to House of Cards.
STEVE NEGUS: It‛s a new SAGA CD, and there are lots of songs, and it sounds like SAGA, there are some new chapters so, buy it when it comes out and find out!! (Laughter)

Do you have any favourite song on the album or a song with a special story behind it? And if yes which one and why?

MICHAEL SADLER: For me, the last track on the album, "World‛s Apart", is my favourite. To me this track has all the elements that make up the "Saga sound". The main theme has been around for a very long time and after inspiring countless other songs over the years it finally found a "home" in Chapter 16.
JIM CRICHTON: I really like the vibe of ‟How are you?‟ It's basically about if you are into thinking negatively - Stay the "F" away from me. And musically it reminds me of some of the songs on our early albums.
JIM GILMOUR: No special stories just a lot of plain hard work!! I really like all of the songs in different ways.
STEVE NEGUS: I like ‟Marathon‟, there are some cool drum grooves going on in that one.

Finally "Marathon" includes the missing chapters 12, 14 and 16. Are there any plans of playing all the chapters on the next tour, like you've did with the chapters 1-8 during the "Misbehaviour" Tour back in '86?

MICHAEL SADLER: Gosh! I never thought of that! (Laughter)
JIM CRICHTON: The chapters are definitely going to be a part of the next tour.
JIM GILMOUR: I wouldn‛t want to give away any surprises! Find out soon!
STEVE NEGUS: We haven't discussed that yet. We won't decide that until we get closer to the rehearsals for the Marathon tour.

With the last three albums you have returned to your old logo and artwork. Do you see these albums as a continuation of the past, maybe even returning to the "old" spirit and songwriting of Saga?

MICHAEL SADLER: We‛ve found a way to return to forever!
JIM CRICHTON: Absolutely, on the new albums you hear Saga being Saga and doing the thing we used to do that makes the band unique.
JIM GILMOUR: I never personally try to relive the past. Always looking forward even thou some obvious elements will always be there.
STEVE NEGUS: Well, "yes" and "no" they have the spirit of some of the old songs, but they still have a new slant to them.

You're also releasing a DVD entitled "Silhouette" in February. What will be on it and which extra features are included?

MANAGEMENT: The DVD Silhouette will feature 10 music videos including a new one never before seen. It will also feature live videos, and a ‟behind the music‟ style interview with the band and info on all the equipment they use.

What do you enjoy more: composing new songs and see them develop or playing live, having interaction with your audience?

MICHAEL SADLER: I personally love both. The creative process is always exciting, watching the songs develop from the germ of an idea to finished product. But if I had to choose, I would have to say that performing is my greatest passion! The energy and excitement in the room when we perform for our "friends" is indescribable! I can‛t wait for the next tour!
JIM CRICHTON: Both are enjoyable. When one is finishing you look forward to the next one.
IAN CRICHTON: Well its 2 kinds of enjoyment, there's the enjoyment of composing and recording, but for me I love a combination of both. I love playing live, you get to try different things out playing-wise and it‛s physical rather than mental. I need both.
JIM GILMOUR: Both, when you‛re in studio for along time you cant wait to get out there for your fans and the same is true the other way around.
STEVE NEGUS: I think we need a good balance of both live and studio. One without the other is not quite enough.

Last year you've "reunited" with Styx touring together in Canada like both bands did in back in the late 70's. Who had the idea for this, are there also plans for touring in Europe together?

STEVE NEGUS: The Styx tour came together more by chance than anything, they happened to be touring in Canada and we were looking to do some Canadian dates at that time and it all made sense. So, we did some shows together. At present, I know of no plans to do more dates with Styx in Europe. We are looking forward to doing our own tour over there, as we have in the past.

Some years ago you've released "Phase One", a CD with demos and unreleased material from 1979. Is there also other unreleased material from the 70's until today available and will it ever be released?

MICHAEL SADLER: No immediate plans.
JIM CRICHTON: I have closets full of tapes from every stage of Saga. You may see more Phase One type records.

When you look back to your long career and all the albums you've recorded until now, is there something you're truly proud of and also something you should've done, you look back with regret?

MICHAEL SADLER: I‛m proud of everything that we have accomplished so far. If there were any regrets, we probably wouldn‛t be here today! One of my favourite vocal performances is "Goodbye". Probably because it‛s the most personal Saga track that I have sung so far.
JIM CRICHTON: I regret some of the contracts we had to sign but overall I'm just proud of the guys for sticking it out this long and continuing to make it fun.
IAN CRICHTON: Well, there are a lot of things I'm proud of. No absolute favourite. The guitar solo's on ‟The Security of Illusion‟ album, but then there's the ‟Throwing Shapes‟ album also, I never liked songs like ‟The Nineties‟, that was on ‟The Beginners Guide To Throwing Shapes‟.
JIM GILMOUR: I'm proud of most things but I wish I was able to do more outside projects.
STEVE NEGUS: No regrets. The CD's are what they are. I played to the best of my ability on each and every one of them. Some songs turned out better than others, a natural course of events!

How do feel, when you take a look at the current music-scene? Isn't it kind of sad that the media and record companies are just hunting for the newest trends, searching for pretty faces which can hardly sing and true musicianship seems to count almost nothing?

MICHAEL SADLER: It can be frustrating sometimes, but I try not to dwell on the negative these days. Life‛s too short for that!
JIM CRICHTON: Having the 2 studios I see this on a daily basis. For the price of one well produced band record you can make ten Hip Hop records, so if you want to make money in the music business you own a lot more material if you go with the computer driven music. UNFORTUNATELY.
IAN CRICHTON: This is true. It‛s always been sort of like that, but has gotten worse and worse over the years. Daryl (Jim Gilmour) and I want to do a real playing album now but I think without some kind of hit on it, it won't have much leg.
JIM GILMOUR: It‛s always been like that, remember disco? But there used to be alternatives to commercial pop fluff that were the mainstream now it's very underground.
STEVE NEGUS: This is not something new. Record companies were doing that long before I even thought of playing drums. Their purpose is to make money just like any other business. Hopefully, they make lots of money for us too! We like money!!