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I am possibly one of
the younger fans from SAILOR's earlier career. I am 33 now, but
the one and only time I saw them was in 1975 on the 'Trouble'
tour when I was just 8 years old.
The story goes that
my Mother couldn't find a baby-sitter for me, so off I went with
Mum and her boyfriend Graham (now my Step-father) to see this
wonderful band at Bournemouth Winter Gardens on the south coast.
I recall at the time knowing Glass of Champagne and most of the
tracks from 'Trouble' as Mum often played the album.
The support I remember were fairly entertaining. They were a
young band called AlphAlpha. There then followed a long wait with
roadies repeatedly testing the microphones as there were problems
with the sound. I recall looking around as we waited and seeing
teenage girls sporting anchors on their faces like Georg.
Eventually, and I believe about two hours late, SAILOR took to
the stage. I recall being absolutely dazzled by the orange
flashing lights which framed the stage and the wonderful set.
We were sat in the stalls, about half way down the left hand side
of the Theatre, which provided a great view of the Nickleodeon
and I recall laughing at Henry and his antics with the drum,
which was positioned at the end of the Nickleodeon. I think he
had fun getting the timing right between bashing the drum and
returning to the keyboards.
I was itching to hear Glass of Champagne and when they finished
the show without playing it I was so disappointed. But, this
being my first concert, I didn't know bands left the best to
last, and they played it as part of their encore.
> From that night onwards, I was devoted to the band and none of that magic has gone today. I still feel that they are the most gifted and special band and I shall take immense pleasure in introducing their glorious sound to my daughter in years to come.
James McCarraher
2nd June 2000
Book: "A Glass Of Champagne - The Official SAILOR Story"
"A Glass Of
Champagne - The Official SAILOR Story" is an independent
assessment of SAILOR's history which has been exhaustively
and lovingly researched and written by James McCarraher, with the
full, frank and unbridled co-operation of the four founder
members Georg Kajanus, Henry Marsh, Phil Pickett and Grant
Serpell, current torch-bearers Peter Lincoln and Rob Alderton as
well as past members, Gavin and Virginia David.
The book was released in June 2004. Lavishly illustrated with
over 120 photographs (mostly unpublished!), bound in hard back,
running to 352 pages and limited to just 500 copies worldwide,
this sought after gem is selling out quickly.
With contributions from Georg Kajanus, Phil Pickett, Henry Marsh,
Grant Serpell, Peter Lincoln, Rob Alderton, Gavin and Virginia
David, Jeffrey Lesser, Bruce Johnston, Dee Dee Wilde, Steve
Levine, Robert Wace, Tim Dry, Ron Altenbach, Sir Cliff Richard
and Jeremy Irons.
Go to the Book-page or to the Merchandise-page for further details!
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Review: SAILOR in Linz (Austria) 26 September 2003:
I was very fortunate to be a guest
of SAILOR on their trip to Austria last weekend to witness one of
their most compelling performances in a very long time, made all
the more amazing by the fact none of the band had gained more
than a few hours sleep in the previous 24 hours. The purpose of
my trip was to witness SAILOR on tour in the 21st Century' as a
prelude to the forthcoming SAILOR Biography.
In front of an audience of 5,000 enthusiastic Austrians, SAILOR
took to the stage and comprehensively stole the show. The crowd
roared the band on in a manner which far exceeded the manic days
of the Seventies, when I witnessed SAILOR live in England. The
band responded to the enthusiasm and warmth of the crowd by
throwing themselves in to the set with every ounce of available
energy. They ripped through 'Champagne' and without pausing to
draw breath, hammered out a string of hits including 'Girls',
'Shakespeare' (with a creative new intro for the land of 'Mozart'
played by Rob) and 'The Secretary'. 45 minutes were over in the
blink of an eye and the set was wrapped up with the 'Full Monty'
routine witnessed on the DVD.
SAILOR left the stage to the sound of a hungry crowd desperate
for more of the same. The four figures slumped in the dressing
room after the show told a story. Exhausted but exhilarated, they
had given their very best and the audience knew it!
Back in the Arena, the audience clambered five deep around the
merchandise stall, looking for souvenirs of the show. The
complete sell out of SAILOR CDs was a testament to the affection
in which the band are still held.
Copyright by James McCarraher, 30 September 2003
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And yet another Austria-review by James from the Journal Of The Institute Of Legal Executives:
On the Road with SAILOR
by James McCarraher F.Inst.L.Ex.
One very hot day this summer, while I was perusing a particularly
mind-boggling lease, my thoughts drifted away to those halcyon
days of childhood by the coast in Hythe.
1976 was quite possibly the most memorable year of my young life.
It was, after all, the hottest year on record and my beloved
Southampton F.C had won the FA Cup. To cap an amazing year, my
mother had taken me to the Bournemouth Winter Gardens to see an
eclectic group of musicians, ‘SAILOR’.
I was amazed by what I saw. The lead singer, a Norwegian Prince,
played a plethora of instruments, which included a harp and a
charango (a kind of highly strung, hollowed-out armadillo). Henry
Marsh and Phil Pickett played an outrageous instrument, dubbed
the Nickelodeon, which consisted of two back-to-back Kemble
pianos, rigged to accommodate synthesisers and a glockenspiel.
Henry played the treble side and Phil the bass... ! And their
drummer, Grant Serpell, perched behind a 1920s style drum kit. It
was surreal.
I was to see them again. Last year, ‘SAILOR’ was
performing in High Wycombe so I made a pilgrimage to see them
there. Marsh and Kajanus had moved on, their positions taken by
Peter Lincoln and Rob Alderton but Pickett and Serpell remained.
It seemed that such was the timelessness of the music it could be
played by any collection of talented musicians. The Nickelodeon
remained, modernised for transportation purposes.
Not long after this, I found myself writing their official
biography. Striving to write a balanced and fair account of their
turbulent history, I approached each member in turn (both past
and present) and recorded somewhere near 100 hours of interviews.
When the work neared completion, I was surprised to receive an
e-mail from Phil Pickett with a very unusual offer.
"Would you like to come to Austria with us, as an honorary
roadie? We’re playing in Linz..."
How could I refuse?
Standing among them at Stansted Airport at 4.am on a Friday
morning, I wondered whether this was such a smart idea. As I
looked at their faces, I realised that I was very much the odd
one out. These were all hardened musos, musicians who had
travelled the world and entertained anything up to 25,000 people
at a time. They lived life in the fast lane! And here was I, a
humble lawyer, clutching a snare drum and masquerading –
badly – as a hardened roadie, and fooling no one!
Upon our arrival at Salzburg Airport, we were whisked off in a
people carrier to the city of Linz. I opened the car window and
gulped in the fresh air, clearing the muck of Surrey from my
lungs. Everyone slept except me. I was too excited and
didn’t want to miss a thing.
We arrived at Linz in an insanely quick time and were deposited
at the four star Landgraf Hotel, by the Danube. I was taken aback
by the sheer opulence, but everyone else took it in their stride.
Being a local government lawyer, the luxurious trappings of full
time rock star were obviously well beyond my ken!
To my surprise, everyone retired to bed for a few hours, prior to
meeting for lunch. I was still too excited to rest, so took a
long walk, returning to find glasses charged in the bar. We
enjoyed a hearty lunch together before being hurried over to a
brand new stadium on the far side of a mountain in Linz.
To my disappointment, there followed two hours of waiting, whilst
the sound and lights were rigged. We grew quietly bored as we sat
and watched, whilst Phil and Grant signed autographs for a few
fans.
It was an amazing feeling when I was issued with my ‘Access
All Areas’ pass – a piece of laminated plastic on a
cord that I had coveted at so many concerts in my youth. It meant
just what it said – I could go anywhere in the building
during the show – even the stage – unchallenged.
It was nearly 5 o’clock by the time the band were allowed on
stage and the sound check took just 15 minutes before we were
whisked back to the hotel to freshen up before the show.
Half an hour later, we were taken back to the venue. There was a
buzz in the dressing room as the band changed in to their stage
clothes. Beer and rolls were consumed as we chatted and laughed.
Last minute details about the set list were exchanged before the
ominous knock at the door. They were on!
In front of an audience of 5,000 enthusiastic Austrians, SAILOR
took to the stage. The crowd roared them on in a manner which far
exceeded the manic days of the ‘Seventies, when I witnessed
them first time around. The band responded to the enthusiasm and
warmth of the crowd by throwing themselves in to their music with
every ounce of available energy. They ripped through their hits,
including 'A Glass of Champagne' and 'Girls Girls Girls' and
after a thumping set, left the stage to the sound of a hungry
crowd desperate for more of the same.
The four figures slumped in the dressing room after the show told
a story. Drained but exhilarated, they had given of their very
best and the audience knew it!
Back at the hotel, we celebrated with fine wine and succulent
Austrian cuisine. By midnight, I was exhausted, and making my
excuses, headed for my bed. The band looked fresh from their
experience and dug in for a long night. Now I knew why they paced
their long days! That night, I slept well, elated by this strange
new experience, glad to have had a peak through the window of an
incredible profession and wondering whether they would accept an
offer to join me at my desk for a day!
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Last updated: 30 June 2004
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