Scrapbook
1977

Taken from "Freizeit Magazin" issue 26 1977

The END for SAILOR?

There was no trouble, no angry words. In spite of this Phil Pickett left the band. His decission is serious. What will happen now?

This message shocked everybody: Phil Pickett (27) has left SAILOR. He was already missing on stage during the MOT-show on television in April this year. At that time nobody knew anything and he was excused with "being ill". But the fact was that it was already sure that Phil did not want to stay in SAILOR any more.
"We all hoped that Phil would think about his decission. That's why we pretended he was ill", explains SAILOR-boss Georg Kajanus. "We did not want to influence a possible return!"
But only a few days after this show Phil finally decided: Stop SAILOR and start a solo-career! "In SAILOR I could just not be as creative as I wanted to. This happens when you play in a band. Now I know it. That's why I must dare to go into a new direction on my own."
Phil, who has been the most inventive in the band, sees his future positive. Phil: "I have already worked together with Georgie Fame, Percy Sledge and Arthur Conley and composed several successful songs. Why shouldn't this success continue now? I know what I want and what my audience likes." That's all Phil wants to tell us about his plans for the future.
The mood in the rest of SAILOR is not that optimistic. "At the moment we don't know how to continue yet. It is sure that we can't continue with only three members. We might need a fourth man", explains Georg.
Phil's decission to leave the band came in quite a bad time. SAILOR were just about to start recording their fourth LP. These plans are delayed now. They also had to delay their tour which should start in autumn this year. Will SAILOR break up? Georg: "No way. We keep on playing together!" But at the moment there does not seem to be any replacement for Phil...

The text under the pictures of Phil says:
Phil at the Nickelodeon with the cap on his head, while Henry Marsh was standing on the other side of the instrument. This situation can't be seen any longer. "There is no way back for me. I have to be on my own in order to work on my solo-career!" says Phil in order to explain his decission to work as a solo-singer.

The text under the pictures of SAILOR says:
This photo is very rare. SAILOR will never be together again in this line-up for any photographers. Phil's decission is serious: "I stop working as a SAILOR." How do the other want to continue? SAILOR-boss Georg Kajanus: "We don't know it yet, but the place on the Nickelodeon must be filled somehow!" The decission won't be made before autumn this year.

The texts under the pictures of Phil, Georg, Grant and Henry:

Article by courtesy of Janette Herlinger (Wuppertal, Germany)

Scrapbook