A TOUCH OF THUNDER
Radiocafé met up with pop superstar Leo Sayer during his recent trip to London, when we adopted him as our honorary president of the CAMPAIGN FOR REAL MUSIC®.
IN DEPTH
The Leo Sayer Interview
> Do you support the Campaign For Real Music? It's good to know someone is campaigning for real music - I'm fully in support of anything that promotes proper musicians. There's always worthy artists who don't get the promotion and publicity, maybe because they weren't able to deal with the politics of music. However, the new iTunes generation gives an outlet to make this possible; as the internet empowers artists, there's less of a need for record companies and newspapers to create the hype. The bands will prove themselves live and the worthy ones will make great records - it's like it used to be, which is good!
> Tell us about Thunder In My Heart Again It's a song I wrote back in the 70s at the time when You Make Me Feel Like Dancing was at number one in the 'States. Essentially it was a song about a night of great sex... Meck found this track in a second hand shop, decided to remix it, and contacted me. I love what he's done with it. The Meck remix isn't actually all that different from the original - it begins in the third verse, but the vocal is basically the same. It's great to see people dancing to my music again. << MOUSE OVER IMAGE & PRESS PLAY
> Are there to be any more remixes? Watch this space... In the meantime, there's a a Best of Leo Sayer CD coming out soon on Universal.
> MECK
THUNDER IN MY HEART AGAIN Take a listen here to the Meck remix, then the original, and hear for yourself just how true the remix is to the original
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“Bands prove themselves live - the worthy ones will make great records. It's like it used to be, which is good!”
> Who do you admire today? Times have changed but there's fresh talent everywhere, from Chris Botti on trumpet to new singers like KT Tunstall and James Blunt. It's talent basically and passion, something that no A&R man can design!
> Is there any chance of a collaboration with the Bee Gees again, or a re-release of the brilliant Heart (Stop Beating Again)? I hope so, Barry Gibb is an amazing writer and it was a thrill to have him write a song for me. I hope it can come out again.
> Are there any artists or tracks you would like to see re-released? Yes, there are lots: Esther Philips - Good Black is Hard To Crack (this has nothing to do with drugs!) ; Michael Franks; Billy Cobham - Spectrum. Nina Simone - Baltimore.
> Are we set to see the brilliant Orchard Road as a show on Broadway.? Who knows... But it would be interesting to bring the stories out on stage. I once contemplated a musical with all my songs telling the story - it could just happen!
> Tell us about your new album, Voice In My Head. Did you write the tracks yourself? Is it the same, soulful Leo Sayer we know and love? It's self written and self produced. I think it's as powerful as anything I've done before and maybe even more soulful! >> LISTEN BELOW
> VOICE IN MY HEAD
LEO SAYER Leo's latest proves that he is as soulful as ever, on this smooth gem of a CD which deserves to be a huge hit. REVIEWS
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“The internet empowers artists, there's less need for record companies and newspapers to create the hype”
> Who were your main musical influences? Bob Dylan; Otis Redding; Muddy Waters; Robert Johnson; John Coltrane; and I'd have to also include the wonderful Billie Holiday.
> What are your five all time favourite CDs? 1. Kirk Franklin - The Rebirth of >> LISTEN BELOW 2. John Coltrane - A Love Supreme >> LISTEN BELOW 5. Billie Holiday - anything! >> LISTEN BELOW
4. Bob Dylan - Like A Rolling Stone 5. Nina Simone - Baltimore
> Which of your own tracks are your favourites? Giving It All Away from Just A Boy - mostly because of the fact I'm so proud of the song; Thunder in My Heart; and also Living in a Fantasy from 1980.
> Finally, as one of the true music stars we have admired for many years, will you be our honorary president of the Campaign? Yes, of course!
RADIOCAFÉ APPROVED Radiocafé would like to thank Leo Sayer for taking time to speak to us, endorsing the Campaign for Real Music®, and for the many years' worth of definitive music.
> BEST OF
LEO SAYER Hear some of our favourites from Leo's vast collection, all available and remastered on one superb CD. REVIEWS
Leo Sayer
Leo was born Gerard Hugh Sayer on May 21st 1948 in Sussex, England. Between 1973 and 1982 Leo had two world-wide number ones - You Make Me Feel Like Dancing and When I Need You - won a Grammy, had his own BBC television and radio series, and toured the world after top 10 records just about everywhere. He has worked with some of the world's greatest musicians and song writers, including Adam Faith, Carol Bayer Sager, Albert Hammond, Richard Perry and the Bee Gees. He's one of the true superstars of pop music, yet remains a particularly nice chap, and curiously doesn't seem to age.
WIN CDs NOW! Enter our free competition to win a superb stack of great music, including Meck's Thunder in My Heart Again loads of top CDs.
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SAYER SELECTIONS
LISTEN
OBTAIN
> THE REBIRTH OF
KIRK FRANKLIN Soulful, funky, marvelous performance by young gospel singer Kirk Franklin and a cast of dozens, playing a superb mix of styles. REVIEWS
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> A LOVE SUPREME
JOHN COLTRANE "Classic" does not do this CD justice - this is a definitive masterpiece and inspiration to all saxophonists. Want to get into jazz? Start here.. REVIEWS
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> THE LADY SINGS
BILLIE HOLIDAY A great collection, not just for the marvelous Ms Holiday, but for the brilliant bands who accompany her - listen for yourself. REVIEWS
> Leo Sayer website Link to Leo's very own website, packed with information and pictures
> BBC: Top Of The Pops Superb listing of Leo's incredible music - just about everything listed, all with sound clips. > Leo Sayer Tribute Fan website with some interesting information and pictures > Leo Sayer Fan Club Join up here, with lots of links and information about Mr Sayer
Voice In My Head
A new portrait of Leo Sayer by Tony Johansen
To accompany the fabulous new album, Voice in My Head, talented artist Tony Johansen has produced a superb piece of work using Leo as his subject. The painting (see left - clearly it's a lot bigger than Leo!) features a portrait of Leo Sayer hanging on a wall with a spotlight on it, while propped against the wall below is a Pierrot marionette. A closer look at this interesting piece of work can be viewed at the artist's dedicated website, www.voiceinmyhead.net.
