News Archive 2011

 

Thankyou all for your support during the whole of 2011. We hope you continue to enjoy the SAILOR club website. Please keep coming back to us here at www.sailor-music.com in 2012!

This is our way to say *Happy New Year* to all SAILOR fans out there. The video shows the original line-up of the band with "Let's Go To Town", first song at their first ever TV performance in 1974 and the same song played live by the present band line-up as the last encore of their latest big concert in December 2011. Enjoy!

 

 

22 December 2011:

  Merry Christmas from the band

A message from Phil Pickett:

SAILOR wishes all the fans a very merry Christmas and are now - especially with Tom & Ollie on board - more than ever looking forward to playing throughout Germany and Europe in 2012.
The Lauterbach show arranged by Werner and Renate in their own home town was a real joy for us and seemed to 'cement' Tom and Oliver into SAILOR's fraternity and history. It's probably easier for me - now being the only "non- Marsh" in the band! - to state that in my opinion, this is probably the greatest line-up (obviously apart from the original) that the group has enjoyed, and the power, enthusiasm and sheer vigour Henry's sons have injected into our music is incomparable! (Whether Henry and I can keep up is another matter however!) Having said, that of course we will always miss and appreciate the uniqueness and great company of Grant and Georg - but hey, none of us can go on doing this forever!! Can we?
We've all heard the clichés such as a 'shot in the arm' and 'youthful resurgence' that younger players bring to a band's music - but this really does feel like a brand new SAILOR to me - so much so that for the first time in a very long time, we have added songs to the repertoire - like 'Lets Go To Town' and 'Cool Breeze' - as are feeling so confident about the future for SAILOR now that Ollie and Tom are part of it all. Growing up as they did surrounded by the SAILOR 'vibe' and literally being a part of our family is a very special experience for me.
Everyone felt on the way home - through a lovely 'Christmassy' drive in the Black Forest in the snow - that Werner's event was a new landmark in the band's history, the longest show we have ever played (1 hour 45mins) and probably the most enjoyable - and we were very happy and delighted to note that so many of our most loyal fans made it to the show.
So, Happy Christmas everybody.
See you all again next year!
Phil

A message from Henry Marsh:

Last Saturday was a celebration of all that is great about being in SAILOR. We had a chance to play exclusivley to our fans, many of whom had travelled a very long way.
The return of Oliver with his magnificent voice and stage presence and Tom with his powerhouse drumming have definitely put the band into Turbo!
For Phil and myself revisiting two songs "Let's Go To Town" and "Cool Breeze" was a refreshing experience and thanks to Werner and Renate we had the best environment to perform these.
Many thanks to the Mayor and the people of Lauterbach for their wonderful hospitality. It was a very special evening and I hope we can do it again next year.
Love to All
Henry

And here's our Christmas gift... some real rarities, performed live last Saturday in Lauterbach:

Videos:
  • Here's a video of SAILOR live in Lauterbach, Germany, on 17 December 2011...
    Check out Oliver, Henry, Phil and Tom playing a very rare song, "Cool Breeze":
    filmed by Karsten Wagner © www.sailor-music.com

  • And here is another rare bit for the fans: Check out Oliver, Henry, Phil and Tom playing "Let's Go To Town" (encore):
    filmed by Karsten Wagner © www.sailor-music.com

You can also see more photos, reports etc. of the SAILOR concert in Lauterbach at the Concert Photos-section.

Merry Christmas and all the very best,
~ Katrin
your webmaster

 

 

05 November 2011:

The SAILOR ScrapbookBook: The Scrapbook
Release date: November 2011

The SAILOR Scrapbook has arrived!
(By James McCarraher with a foreword by Henry Marsh and Phil Pickett.)

"A rare and valuable photographic archive charting the rise of one of the most innovative and creative bands of the Seventies."
In 2004, Sarum Publishing released 'The SAILOR Story', charting the career of a band who succeeded in conquering Europe with their original sound. Despite 'The SAILOR Story' running to over 300 pages, literally hundreds of photographs liberated from the Sony vaults in Aylesbury, England, could not be included in the original publication due to lack of space.
At last, seven years after the release of the original book, its companion has arrived, charting the history of the band in words and photographs from their signing to CBS Records in 1974, through the heady days of hits and headlines, and concluding with their first split towards the end of the decade. The vast majority of the images in this book are previously unpublished, making this an absolute must-buy for SAILOR fans.

Order your copy of the SAILOR Scrapbook now through the website of author James McCarraher - www.jamesmccarraher.com
or get it on www.lulu.com/product/paperback/the-sailor-scrapbook/17981223
The book will also be available via Amazon from December on.

Best wishes and SAILOR-greetings,
~ Katrin
your webmaster

 

 

08 October 2011:

 

New blog

After my old blog had been rather silent for quite a while, due to the fact that I had to pay more and more to keep it add-free and spam-free, I decided to move it and start to write about my SAILOR and SAILOR-related news more regularly again.
You can now find my blog on Facebook - www.facebook.com/#!/pages/sailor-musiccom - and either "like" the page and become a member, or you can also simply read the entries on the wall without being a Facebook-member or a page member.
The old blog is still there as an archive, but if you'd like to occasionally check out what we are up to in the SAILOR-world, check out the link above!

Best wishes and SAILOR-greetings,
~ Katrin
your webmaster

 

 

08 October 2011:

 

New single by The Sweet
with Peter Lincoln

The new single of The Sweet "Join Together" - their first new studio recording in almost 10 years - featuring ex-SAILOR Peter Lincoln on lead vocals is now available on I-Tunes, Amazon and other online stores. Download it now!
More information at
www.thesweet.com

Best wishes and SAILOR-greetings,
~ Katrin
your webmaster

 

 

19 August 2011:

*In Concert* plus Meet & Greet


in Lauterbach (Schwarzwald)
Germany

17 December 2011

SAILOR - Phil Pickett, Henry Marsh, Oliver Marsh and Tom Marsh - will play an exclusive solo concert in the German town Lauterbach (Schwarzwald) on 17 December 2011.

Don't miss this rare opportunity to see and hear SAILOR with all their hits and live favourites, and also to meet the band at the after-show-party.

You can book an exclusive package which includes a concert ticket, stay at the hotel Landhaus Lauble and a ticket for the After-Show-Party (including buffet) with the band.
The price for this package per person is
- 88,00 Euros for a single room
...or
- 83,00 Euros for a double room.

If you only want to buy a concert ticket (without the hotel plus meet & greet package), the price is 19,00 Euros plus p&p.

Tickets can be ordered by via sailor-shop@web.de.

Click on the poster on the right to see a bigger version (PDF).

We hope to see as many of you there as possible. Let's make this the big 2011 fan-meeting and a very special occasion!
Tell all your friends and see you in town...

Best wishes and SAILOR-greetings,
~ Katrin
your webmaster

 Click here for a bigger version!

Now you can also buy the exclusive programme for this solo concert on www.sailor-shop.de - a beautifully designed collection of information and photos about the band (in German):
Get tickets and/or programme at www.sailor-shop.de !!!

And... promotion is going well.
Here you can see Werner in his hometown
Lauterbach with its brand new banner:

 

 

07 August 2011:

Weekly 6 hour radio special...

Believe it or not, but the "Freies Radio Kassel", a local radio station in our hometown where my brother Karsten has his own weekly radio show "Handmade" (now celebrating 10 years) repeats our 6 hour SAILOR special including all songs from 1974 to 1991 (and partly 1992) every week, in the night from Thursdays to Fridays, from midnight to 6 am CET. The show includes all album songs, as well as B-sides and rarities and some nice jingles by various old and new band members.

If you'd like to listen you can use the new live-stream at www.freies-radio.org. Just click on the "LIVE-STREAM" button on the top right and... enjoy!

Best wishes and SAILOR-greetings,
~ Katrin
your webmaster

 

 

01 July 2011:

Summer Special at the

You can now get a big 'summer special' at the SAILOR Shop from Werner Blessing:


www.sailor-shop.de

Best wishes and SAILOR-greetings,
~ Katrin
your webmaster

 

 

26 June 2011:

live in Bad Salzungen (Germany) 24 June 2011
*** Welcome back Oliver!! ***

As you all probably know by know, Oliver Marsh is back as SAILOR's lead singer, as well as his brother Tom Marsh who replaces Grant on drums from now on.
We were lucky enough to see SAILOR's amazing concert in Bad Salzungen (Germany) last Friday, where the band was back stronger than ever. And so we'd like to share a few video bits with you all, so you can enjoy the feeling too. See below.

You can now see new photos and some video impressions of the SAILOR concert in Bad Salzungen (Germany) on 24 June 2011 at the Concert Photos-section.

Click here for the new SAILOR concert photos and videos from Bad Salzungen

Videos:
  • Here's a video of SAILOR live in Bad Salzungen, Germany, on 24 June 2011...
    Check out Oliver, Henry, Phil and Tom playing the greatest hits and live-favourites: "    A Glass Of Champagne", "Girls Girls Girls", "The Old Nickelodeon Sound", "Vera From Veracruz", "La Cumbia", Give Me Shakespeare", Karma Chameleon" and "The Secretary":
    filmed by Karsten Wagner © www.sailor-music.com

  • And here's SAILOR's finale live in Bad Salzungen, Germany, on 24 June 2011...
    Check out Oliver Marsh singing "    Con Te Partirò" and the "Champagne Reprise":
    filmed by Karsten Wagner © www.sailor-music.com

Best wishes and SAILOR-greetings,
~ Katrin
your webmaster

 

 

23 June 2011:

 

New CD by Peter Lincoln

The new CD "Under Cover" by Peter Lincoln

- a brand new collection of eleven acoustic-driven classic tracks, showcasing some of Peter's favourite covers -

is available now at

www.petelincoln.com

The CD includes the songs:
Tempted, Boys Of Summer, Handbags And Gladrags, Walking In Memphis, Hey Soul Sister, Missing You, Higher Ground, The Frozen Man, Long Train Running', Sledgehammer, I'll Be Back.

How to order the album:

And here you can also get an impression of Peter Lincoln live at a recent solo-concert in Friedberg (Germany) - filmed by Karsten Wagner ©. It also includes some SAILOR songs and other marvellous stuff... enjoy:

Video:

Peter Lincoln - The Human Jukebox - live in Friedberg (Germany) on 27 May 2011:

Best wishes and SAILOR-greetings,
~ Katrin
your webmaster

 

 

29 May 2011:

A message from Phil...
about SAILOR's first concert in the new line-up in Waren an der Müritz (Germany) this Saturday:

I have just walked off stage in Müritz harbour, North Germany to one of the most amazing audience reactions I have ever witnessed as a member of SAILOR over the last 40 years. The power and majesty of Oliver's voice, which although already superb a couple of years ago when he was first with us - is now in 2011, truly world-class.
Backed by his elder brother Thomas Marsh's sensational drumming, with extreme prejudice - and firing on all rock n' roll cylinders - I am very proud to announce that SAILOR is back where it belongs - with a vengeance!
If I'm honest, with the many commitments one takes on in the changing times and fortunes of being a musician these days and just how challenging it can sometimes be, I hadn't taken on board, not only that I'd perhaps become a little tired of the format, but frankly, how gradually diminished the band had become with some of its performances recently.
So much so, that when Grant Serpell left suddenly without notice last New Year's Eve, I'd actually thought of throwing in the towel myself.
But now I am so glad I didn't!
All the cliche's of revitalisation and 'shot-in-the-arm' adrenaline don't come anywhere near the feeling of being on stage with these guys! What I'm talking about is driving, relentless raw power & precision, youthful energy and musical passion. Henry and I enjoyed it too!!
Seriously though, not only do I now yearn for the next gig, but for the first time in many years, am inspired to write songs and record again with SAILOR.
With this in mind, I have nothing but praise and appreciation for the dedication of my partner, elder statesman of the band and dear friend Henry and his painstaking attention to detail whilst guiding his two talented sons so ably through the intricate SAILOR performance archives, thus enabling the band to enjoy yet another innings - and, (some may have felt unlikely!) a late-flowering of SAILOR's fortunes all over again.

Songs performed at Müritz were:
A Glass Of Champagne
One Drink Too Many
Give Me Shakespeare
The Old Nickelodeon Sound
Vera from Veracruz
Mack The Knife
Girls Girls Girls
Karma Chameleon
The Secretary
La Cumbia
Full Monty Medley
and finally (with a background of fireworks across the harbour) a heart-stopping rendition of "Con Te Partirò" from Oliver Marsh.

The SAILOR Beat Goes On!
See you at one of our shows soon!

Phil Pickett

 

 

20 May 2011:

Oliver Marsh rejoins

SAILOR is thrilled to officially announce to fans, followers and friends that Oliver Marsh is rejoining the band as lead vocalist and guitarist with immediate effect.
Having devoted the intervening period to honing and perfecting his sensational operatic vocal skills whilst enjoying huge acclaim in the contemporary and classical field, Oliver is returning to render SAILOR's hits in his own inimitable style - with the added promise of show-stopping moments from opera, which in the past have provided such great finales for SAILOR concerts.
We must also convey our sincere gratitude to the wonderful Nick Parvin, whose musical contribution, dedication and enthusiasm was a huge asset for SAILOR and we genuinely wish him all the very best for his future plans and career. He will also be writing to you all shortly (see below).
In the meantime Oliver will be on stage with Phil, Henry and Tom on 28 May 2011 in Waren an der Müritz (D). Be there!
Henry, Phil and Tom


Oliver Marsh


(left to right:) Tom Marsh, Phil Pickett, Oliver Marsh and Henry Marsh

Here is a message from Nick Parvin:
" I would like to thank all the dedicated SAILOR fans for their acceptance and generosity they have shown me over the past two years during my time in the group. I have had enormous fun and met some wonderful and interesting people along the way. It has been a privilege to play these songs with these fine musicians and friends. SAILOR is a unique and special band, both musically and socially and the pulse of camaraderie (and humour) that is often lacking in other groups beats strongly at the heart of this one.
I wish the boys the very best as they sail off into new waters and know that Ollie will once again step into the Captain's role with enormous power and enthusiasm.
Special thanks must go to Katrin for her unfailing dedication to all things maritime!
Sail on, SAILOR.........
Nick xx "


Nick Parvin

Your welcome, Nick. ;-) Huge thanks for everything on and off stage and for all those great shows. We wish you all the best!
Best wishes and SAILOR-greetings,
~ Katrin
your webmaster

 

 

18 May 2011

SAILOR-brating
(celebrating)
20 years since SAILOR's big comeback show
in Bad Segeberg (Germany) on 18 May 1991:


If the YouTube link doesn't work
(unfortunately, in some countries),
please try:
/www.myvideo.de/watch/8143500

 

 

11 May 2011:

 


The Epic Singles Collection

This new release from May 2011 by Cherry Red Records features all of SAILOR's singles - A and B sides - from the 1970s.
For all you collectors out there, the catalogue number is "glamcdd120".

The double-CD includes the following songs:
CD 1: Traffic Jam / Harbour / Blue Desert / Blame It On The Soft Spot / Sailor / Open Up The Door / A Glass Of Champagne / Panama / Girls Girls Girls / Jacaranda / Stiletto Heels / Out Of Money / One Drink Too Many / Melancholy
CD 2: Romance / Istanbul 6.25 / Down By The Docks / Put You Mouth Where Your Money Is / All I Need Is A Girl / Copacabana / The Runaway / Give Me Shakespeare / I Wish I Had A Way With Women / Stay The Night / Pyjama Party / Stranger In Paris/ Jamaica Girl

You can order the CD at

Best wishes and SAILOR-greetings,
~ Katrin
your webmaster

 

 

27 April 2011:

Charity Song

Henry Marsh has asked me to share the following link with you.
It's a charity single in aid of the charity 'Killing Cancer' to coincide with the Royal Wedding on Friday which is also available on iTunes.
Check out "Royal Wedding Parody - One's The One that 'One' Wants" by SAILOR:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tDShDVkbZU

"SAILOR releases "Grease" hit parody (purely coincidental to the Royal Wedding :-))
SAILOR have recorded a one-off charity single that toasts the Royal wedding of Kate Middleton and HRH Prince William. The wonderfully humorous, tongue-in-cheek, song and accompanying animated video (on YouTube) - "One's The One that 'One' Wants" - is a spoof of the Grease hit from Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta from the summer of 1978 "You're The One That I Want" becomes "One's The One that 'One' Wants" as might be performed in regal / royal speak..!
In support of www.killingcancer.co.uk
Produced by Henry Marsh and Charles McCutcheon. Mixed by: Pete Schwier."

Best wishes and SAILOR-greetings,
~ Katrin
your webmaster

 

 

February 2011:

Grant Serpell leaves

Announcement from SAILOR - 25 February 2011:

SAILOR are extremely sad to announce the retirement of founder member Grant Serpell, although of course we fully understand his reasons for leaving at this time.
(Please see below a personal message from Grant to all SAILOR fans.)
We shall all greatly miss him and especially his unique contribution to the band over the years.
However we are also very excited to announce that for the rest of this year, Tom Marsh will be returning to the drum stool - as many will remember he did so spectacularly well last year during Grant's leave of absence.
Phil, Henry & Nick

A message from Grant:

After considerable deliberation, I have made the decision to vacate the drumming stool in SAILOR.
I was privileged to be a founder member of the band in 1974, and am proud to say that I played on all live concerts except during the difficult time in 2009 when I had an operation on my injured right hand.
Over the years, being a member of the band has brought me great joy and satisfaction, as we have shared a wealth of experiences. One of the many strengths of the band has been the consistently high standard that I believe we have maintained in our live performances. In this context, I would like to express my respect and admiration for those wonderful professionals with whom I have had the pleasure to share the stage.
SAILOR is, and always has been a unique musical entity, initially inspired by the creative imagination of Georg Kajanus. But its uniqueness owes an equal amount to the enthusiasm and expertise of Henry Marsh and Philip Pickett. I believe that particular mention is required with respect to Henry, in making the instrumental sound not just a reality, but a feature of the band, and to the expertise and intuitive understanding of vocal harmony that Philip provided. These factors, allied to the amazing instrumental and vocal abilities of these three enabled SAILOR to capture the hearts of so many people. It has been, I hope they will agree, a team project, and I hope that I will be remembered by my colleagues as a good team player.
Thanks are also due those people who have also been members of SAILOR over the years. I thank them all for their friendship and professional commitment. It is an immensely difficult task to replace the lead singer in any band, but we have been so lucky in finding, in turn, Peter Lincoln, Oliver Marsh and Nick Parvin, who have fitted into the band both professionally and socially. I owe particular thanks to Oliver Marsh for providing me with, by far, the most moving moments that I ever experienced on stage during his immaculate renditions of "Con Te Partirò". I never let them see my tears!
I am now the ripe old age of 67, and need the freedom from professional commitment to enable me to pursue my desires to travel and also to play more competitive golf ----- so many SAILOR gigs are at weekends, which conflict with the competition calendar at Temple Golf Club!
I must also express my thanks to Mark Portlock, who has been our Sound Engineer for many years. A good sound engineer is an essential for any band and Mark has always maintained the highest standards in his work.
Katrin! What can I say? You have been such a wonderful supporter of SAILOR for over 20 years. The website is your baby, and we could never express enough our appreciation of the work that you have done for the band both on the website, and also in your enduring support of live performance. I'm so glad that I managed to hang on for your one hundredth gig!
SAILOR would not have lasted for so long if it had not been for the enthusiasm of our fans. If there is one aspect of performing that I will never forget, it is the appreciation shown by our fans during live performances. There is so much joy in SAILOR's music and this was always reflected in the faces of our fans wherever we played.
Finally, my thanks are due to my darling wife, Michelle, who has supported me emotionally and at times financially during my career as a professional musician. She has, so many times, risen at some unearthly hour to deposit me at the airport, and infallibly been there the next day to pick me up.
Thank you all so much.
Grant Serpell

As, at the moment, I don't know what to say, just this:
We'll horribly miss you, dear Schlagzeuger... Thanks for so many shows and years of music and fun and special memories.
All the best and LOVE
~Katrin X

 

 

19 February 2011:

Presenting:

Landing Party
A celebration of Britain’s rich musical heritage…

I'd like to introduce you to this extraordinary new band founded by former SAILOR member Rob Alderton. Their first album was just released, and I was lucky enough to witness their first concert in Tring last weekend.
The webmaster recommends:

"Landing Party - A celebration of Britain’s rich musical heritage…
Local musicians Rob Alderton and Ian Robertson are joined on stage by accomplished musicians from the worlds of folk, rock, musical theatre, classical and jazz. This eclectic ensemble produces a new and exciting sound which sees British tradition cleverly merged with other styles.
Rob (known from the band SAILOR and as a West End keyboard player) and Ian (well known in the world of Scottish music) have written a catalogue of traditional sounding tunes (from reels to airs) which have been arranged with influences including Latin, Rock & Roll, even Calypso!"

www.landingparty.co.uk

Their CD includes 13 instrumental tunes, all written by Rob and Ian.

If you're interested in a copy of the album, please e-mail me to info@sailor-music.com.

Landing Party
Landing Party: (l-r) Andy Pearce, Mark Lloyd, Ian Robertson ,
Rosy Le Good, Rob Alderton, Chris Woodham, Mike Taylor

You can also become a fan of Landing Party on Facebook and also watch some video bits of their first concert last Friday below:

Videos:

Calypso Bay:

Beat To Quarters:

Dance In The Dark:

Joie De Vivre:

More videos: www.youtube.com/LandingPartyTheBand

Best wishes and SAILOR-greetings,
~ Katrin
your webmaster

 

 

13 January 2011:

Radio Special...
Karsten on the radioNot really SAILOR news at first sight, but wait and see (below)...
Tomorrow is my brother Karsten's 10th anniversary special of his weekly radio show "Handmade" at the Free Radio Kassel (www.handmade-frk.de) - usually on at Wednesdays from 6-8 pm. The special Handmade anniversary night will start at 10 pm tomorrow and will also feature some special contributions - which you can listen to here:

Many thanks to Georg, Peter and Rob for those exclusive little bits!

Best wishes and SAILOR-greetings,
~ Katrin
your webmaster

 

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