Scrapbook
1979

Taken from "Bravo" issue 6/1979

SAILOR let their "beast" go

New start with a new instrument - Goodbye to the harbour background and to the SAILOR look - The Nickelodeon is redesigned

It looks like a shark with frightening teeth and a fishtail, but it hangs tame around the shoulders of Phil Pickett. "The Beast" is the name of the new monster in SAILOR´s instrument collection - and this name seems to fit. It is a combination of a mini- keyboard and a guitar. "I just couldn´t stand standing behind the Nickelodeon on stage anymore", says Phil in a satisfied voice. With the help of the "Beast" he is now able to move much more freely and on the loose, but in spite of this he is still able to produce the usual multisound.
After a break of almost one year the four guys are now planning some new surprises for 1979. A new SAILOR sound with a tendency to rock´n roll shall be created and a new live show with many special effects has to be rehearsed.
Now it is clear that the old harbour- background of the old SAILOR days won´t be necessairy any longer. SAILOR are full of ideas for their new show. But at first they want to check out whether everything is really working before they present their ideas to the fans. They also have to be aware of the "new waves" that the music business has made during the last few months.
SAILOR can´t ignore the influence of punk- rock and disco- sound. Their new single "Give Me Shakespeare" with the funny lyrics of Georg Kajanus has been the first proof for this: We have never seen the four English guys like this before.
It rocks and rolls quite a lot on the new SAILOR album "Hideaway" that will be released soon. This LP is a production including songs of Phil Pickett, Henry Marsh together with Grant Serpell on the one hand and songs of the "old master" Georg Kajanus on the other hand. But it is really time for a new hit of SAILOR.
In spite of the huge success with "A Glass Of Champgne" and "Girls Girls Girls" the gentlemen of the pop- scene are almost out of money. The trouble has started on year ago with the "Checkpoint"- failure. This album, produced by Ex- Beach Boy Bruce Johnston, was a great commercial flop for SAILOR.
From then on things became worse and worse. At first Phil Pickett left the band in order to pursue a solo- career. Eight months later he remorsefully returned to the band - with new conditions in his contract. But the recoils continued: SAILOR had to get rid of their manager and their press- agent.
Afterwards they were threatened by punk-rock and disco-sound and were slowly but seriously forgotton by the fans. But Georg, Henry, Grant and Phil keep on working on their new plans with a strong doggedness. They want to start again. Even the good old Nickelodeon is redesigned so that it fits the new trend. How? - This will remain a secret. SAILOR rehearse their new live act, with which they want to come to Germany in spring or summer this year, since the beginning of January. Only the private lives of the four guys have not changed during the last time. Georg, Phil, Henry and Grant are still happily married:
Grant, who is a passionate golf player, loves the secluded live with his wife Michelle and the children Edmund and Charlotte.
Philip and Ann Pickett spend their whole time with their little child.
Henry and Susan Marsh are very proud of their oldest son Thomas, who shows much interest in music. Henry: "He always uses my wife´s cooking pots as drums...." Henry´s second son Oliver has got his first birthday within the next days.
Band-boss Georg Kajanus has still got a passion for antiques. His wife Christine says: "Georg always brings new things with him from his trips. He mostly buys old clocks...."

The text next to the photo says:
They want to continue their success: (left to right) Grant, Philip, Georg and Henry. That´s why SAILOR have just started to rehearse for their new live show. Bravo has watched them: (photo:) Georg, Henry and Phil with the "Beast", a new instrument.

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