Katrin Wagner

SAILOR - Grant, Georg, Phil and Henry - together with the Wagners after a performance at the "Hessentag" in Gross Gerau (Germany) 10 June 1994

Katrin together with SAILOR - Grant, Rob, Peter and Phil - in Roermond (Holland) 02 December 2004

Katrin together with SAILOR - Grant, Phil, Henry and Peter - in Volendam (Holland) 30 April 2006

The Wagners together with SAILOR 2006 - Katrin, Phil, Oliver, Grant, Henry and Karsten in Munich (Germany) 14 October 2006

Katrin together with SAILOR - Phil, Nick, Grant and Henry - in Unterschleissheim (Germany) 24 July 2010

Katrin together with SAILOR - Oliver, Phil, Henry and Tom - in Lauterbach (Germany= 17 December 2011

Sometime in the summer of 1991 my own personal SAILOR story began. I was eleven years old then, and my brother Karsten, 26, came to see us on a Saturday morning and was all excited because of a strange and surprising incident: His girlfriend had woken him up the other morning because she'd happened to discover a new song from his old favourite band SAILOR on the radio. Karsten seemed to be very surprised by that, having thought that there are no new recordings since the separation of SAILOR more than ten years ago.
And then - twelve years after the separation - SAILOR had reformed in the original line-up and had just released a new album.
Karsten was totally enthusiastic. Having bought the new CD he came to us again in order to show it to our parents. While dad was busy recording the CD on a tape for himself, I was rather unimpressed by Karsten's stories about his favourite band that, according to him, was really famous some years ago. But what in the world could he so great about some old English musicians...?
During the next time I saw SAILOR on television on several occasions. There they always performed a song named "La Cumbia", which was also played on the radio quite often. Our parents seemed to be very impressed by the fact that they are back together again, but I was busier laughing about their strange white suits and the huge odd blue instrument with two keyboards named Nickelodeon that two of them were playing.
It took nearly one more year until my attitude towards SAILOR finally changed. During the summer holiday in 1992 my father had taken a cassette of the 1991 SAILOR album with him which he played in the car quite often. Suddenly I started to listen to the music more carefully. At first it was more or less out of boredom while we were driving. But then I began to like some of the songs, especially "Knock Knock" and "The Secretary".
Back from holiday I surprised my brother by asking him to record some more SAILOR songs from the 70s for me. Having listened to those I noticed that I really like them, too.
In the meantime Karsten had become member of the official English SAILOR fan club and received a band biography, a fan club t-shirt, an autographed picture and a (bad) copy of an old German television special from 1976 from the fan club secretary Jean Murray. In addition to that, the parcel also included a nice letter from band member Henry Marsh himself.
Karsten gets me a copy of the 1976 video, as well as another video from a performance at an Oldie Night in Bad Segeberg, Germany, from 1991 where SAILOR play their two greatest hits "Girls Girls Girls" and "A Glass Of Champagne". Having watched the video I now like those four English musicians even more. And they don't look that bad either.
A short time later I have got all SAILOR songs on tapes and busy myself with the SAILOR boys more and more. I decide to improve my English a bit, so I can read the English biography that we've got from the fan club. Also I'm always painting small pictures of the SAILOR logo, the Nickelodeon and so on.
In September 1992 the new SAILOR album "Street Lamp" is released. I like it even more than all the others, and especially the track "Precious Form" becomes one of my very favourite songs.
A few weeks later I finally decide to grab all my pocket money in order to join the fan club in England. In the letter I also include some of my SAILOR paintings and a tape with a medley of my favourite songs that I have mixed.
In other situations the new SAILOR life is not that funny sometimes. It's hard to believe what problems you can get at school in class 7 just because you like the music of an "older" band. Many people make fun of me and don't understand me at all (and don't want to). There is a whole book to write about this too...!
It takes nearly half a year until I finally receive my membership details from the SAILOR fan club in England in spring of 1993. The big parcel includes my club-card, an official letter from the band to all fan club members, a merchandise list and the band biography.
While browsing through the biography I suddenly notice that one page differs from the others. To my surprise it's a handwritten letter from Henry Marsh, in which he writes that he received my drawings and my mix and truly enjoyed them. He also mentions that SAILOR would like to meet us when they are in Germany again.
I'm totally surprised by this letter and have to read it again and again to believe that it's really true. Karsten can't believe it either and come to us straight after work, reading the letter again and again and shaking his head in disbelief and surprise for not less than about 40 minutes.
During the next time SAILOR have many television appearances and have now changed from the white suits to black outfits. Amongst others they perform their new single "Precious Form" at the German talk show "Gottschalk Late Night" on RTL television. I'm not allowed to watch this particular show as it's on very late, but at least I can record it wand get up half an hour earlier the next morning to watch it a couple of times before I have to go to school!
In July 1993 the German channel "Hessischer Rundfunk" broadcasts a 30 minute SAILOR special hosted by Heinz Günter Heygen, in which the boys perform several songs and do some interviews.
In September 1993 there's a show named "Kollegen Kollegen" on German RTL television that deals with a company that produces champagne. Suddenly the host of that show announces SAILOR with "A Glass Of Champagne". It's the first time that they perform with a new black Nickelodeon and a street lamp on the stage and also in stage outfits which look like the ones they wore in the 70s. It's really fantastic, although Karsten doesn't want to believe me at first and asks whether I'm sure this hasn't been an "old" video!
From then on they always perform in the old "Trouble" outfits and with the wonderful new black Nickelodeon.
A short time later Karsten discovers that SAILOR are going to perform at an Oldie Night together with several other bands in Dortmund at the famous big concert hall "Westfalenhalle" on the 30^th of December 1993. We decide to drive to this concert in order to see the band for the very first time. So my brother gets me a special SAILOR t-shirt for my 14^th birthday, and three weeks later he gets me a ticket for this concert for Christmas. It's all very exciting!
And from then on the adventure has only really started...

There were many personal highlights during those 100 SAILOR concerts so far, probably too many to mention in detail. But here are some of my very favrourite moments in photos - for example the DVD recording in High Wycombe, my birthday-surprise during the Holland tour, my 100th concert in 2010, the Nickelodeon in the garden etc. etc. etc...

With the old black Nickenlodeon which now belongs to us and stood in our garden for some time (It was used in SAILOR from 1993 - 1996).

The birthday surprise on stage during the 2004 Holland tour - special thanks to Peter, Rob, Grant and Phil!

The birthday surprise on stage during the 2004 Holland tour - special thanks to Peter, Rob, Grant and Phil!

The birthday surprise on stage during the 2004 Holland tour - special thanks to Peter, Rob, Grant and Phil!

Greetings from the old crew... ;-)
Georg Kajanus, Rob Alderton and Katrin & Karsten Wagner - London - 05 December 2005

My 100th SAILOR concert

My 100th SAILOR concert

At my 100th SAILOR concert - together with Henry, Nick and Grant.
(Phil couldn't be there for the 100th anniversary photos, so the other SAILORs decided to replace him with the wooden thing in the middle!)

Karsten and I try to make as much promotion as we can in the area where we live, so that SAILOR are not only known as one of the bands who only perform at Oldie Nights. With their marvellous music the boys should really be appreciated by every listener, instead of being remembered as a band who was only successful in the 70's. For me, SAILOR is the best band in the world. Their songs are completely great and each one is different from the others. This does not happen very often nowadays!

Anyway, I hope to see all you nice fans soon at one of the next SAILOR-concerts!
Special greetings to all the great people that have shared the whole fun with us before, during and after the SAILOR concerts throughout the last few years!

I saw SAILOR at the following concerts:
in the line-ups
KMPS: Georg Kajanus, Henry Marsh, Phil Pickett, Grant Serpell
LMPS: Peter Lincoln, Henry Marsh, Phil Pickett, Grant Serpell
LEPS: Peter Lincoln, Anthony England, Phil Pickett, Grant Serpell
LAPS: Peter Lincoln, Rob Alderton, Phil Pickett, Grant Serpell
MMPS: Oliver Marsh, Henry Marsh, Phil Pickett, Grant Serpell
PMPS: Nick Parvin, Henry Marsh, Phil Pickett, Grant Serpell
MMPM: Oliver Marsh, Henry Marsh, Phil Pickett, Thomas Marsh
At the two concerts marked with _* Grant Serpell was replaced by Thomas Marsh due to an injury!

Last updated: 31 December 2011

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