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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZSAYER, Leo(b Gerard Hugh Sayer, 21 May '48, Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex) Pop singer, songwriter. Encouraged to sing in church choir by his father; formed band Terraplane Blues at Worthing Art College; moved to London to work as designer, also busked in the street with Lol Coxhill, others; formed band Patches with songwriting partner David Courtney: they got record contract with help of Adam Faith and Keith Moon of the Who, but LP on WB flopped. He went solo, took name Leo at Faith's wife's suggestion. Began recording debut solo album at Roger Daltry's Sussex studio; the Who's vocalist was impressed and began making his own debut solo LP with Sayer/Courtney material, having no. 1 hit with 'Giving It All Away'. Sleeve of Sayer's Silverbird '73 depicted him as Pierrot, guise in live act getting media attention; LP charted immediately incl. no. 2 single 'The Show Must Go On' for first of ten UK top ten hits '73--82. Discarded clown gear for Just A Boy '74; of top ten singles, exuberant 'One Man Band' recalled busking days, dented US chart slightly, while 'Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)' also made top ten USA; after Another Year '75 he made Endless Flight '76 in USA, prod. by Richard Perry, who also prod. Thunder In My Heart '77, Leo Sayer '78. Ten US Hot 100 entries '75--81 saw 'You Make Me Feel Like Dancing' and 'When I Need You' '76--7 both at no. 1, three more top 40 hits '77, but he made Here '79 in UK, expressing disillusion with USA in title track. Living In A Fantasy '80 incl. cover of Bobby Vee's 'More Than I Can Say' (no. 2 UK/USA), World Radio '82 continued move into smoother, less lyrically acute pop; TV-advertised Have You Ever Been In Love? '83 did well, title track a top ten UK hit. He had gone into tax exile '81 and came back irrelevant. A disco-flavoured album '90 stiffed; he regained control of his old material; had another album ready '97 just as the Spice Girls asked him to be in their movie: in fact he had been an influence on subsequent British pop and was remembered fondly. |