I loved this piece. For your amazing writing for sure, but also because I’m a big Saga fan and before Substack, thought I was their only fan in my universe. Now I’ve met several fans! I didn’t know anything about this 12 inch/dub remix and I have to admit I like it a lot better than the original. Looking forward to Side B! Great, concise overview from Ken!
Thanks, Steve. It was a fun one to write because it had all the ingredients for a fascinating bit of research and a great story. And I’d wanted to collaborate with Ken for quite some time. I’m a big fan of his work!
Anyway, thanks for reading and for taking the time to react. I really appreciate it!
The first time I heard Saga, it was On the Loose. Being a prog kid, I was smitten. I really liked the Worlds Apart album. I remember reading that they believed there was a perception in Canada that they were a German or European band, so somehow CanCon didn't work in their favor until On the Loose broke here. I didn't really keep up with them, but this is one of those things where I think "a dance mix? Saga? For real?" So I am tickled that you not only shared it, but brought in Ken to give it some added context. I am really delighted with this one!
Being married to a Canadian, I was aware of Saga but not sure I’d heard this song. It’s a good one although I prefer the original having now listened to that. I’m looking forward to learning about the New Beat movement in Belgium on the B-Side!
This was great, Pe and Ken. I found Ken's intro to the band very helpful as I had no idea about them. Pe, your explanation about the 12 inch as a commercial decision was particularly insightful. I also love how you finished Side A with a cliff-hanger. Nicely done!
Always interesting to share in your insider's knowledge, in this case regarding the politics of the remix from the record company pov. In our age of streaming and micro-sized attention spans, when only the first 10 seconds of a track seem to count any more, even remixes seem to barely extend beyond 3 or 4 minutes these days; Generation Z must find it incomprehensible that there was once a time when men (it was always men, unfortunately) were actually paid to make tracks MUCH LONGER!
I can still remember my heartbeat quickening back in the eighties as I read a singles ad or the back of a 12 inch sleeve in a record store which listed a running time of 8 or 9 minutes, excited to hear how the already familiar had been stretched and tampered with. Even when the results were disappointing, these extensions always served as a selling point. I also wonder whether those mid 80s rock remixes helped elevate singles in the eyes of rock fans taught to look down upon the 3 minute pop song (remember in the early 70s when prog bands wouldn't even stoop to releasing singles?) but more likely to accept a reworking closer to the length of an album track?
Haha... I had exactly the same anticipation, Paul. Every time I studied the cover of one of the potential twelve-inches I was going to buy while browsing the record stores in Antwerp or Brussels. There was always that sense of: what exactly am I going to find on this one? 😁
And it’s true that current remixes are getting shorter. Only today I downloaded a Latin House “extended” mix of four minutes on Beatport. I thought, this must be a mistake, I’ve accidentally downloaded the single version. But no, the single was 2:30. 😂 The attention-span problem indeed.
As for your remark about rock twelve-inches, I think there were two reasons why so many rock bands and their record companies went for a remix or a twelve-inch release.
First, the dancefloor was basically a separate market, with sales that came on top of their regular audience. Most rock fans probably weren’t interested in a dance remix, but the band might gain a few new fans by entering a world where they normally weren’t present.
And the second reason is exactly what you described: people like you and me, and judging from the reactions, quite a few others, simply loved the twelve-inch format and those extended versions.
I suspect many of the artists themselves saw it more as a necessary evil. Something you did for marketing purposes and to remain relevant in a rapidly changing musical market. And thankfully they did, because it left us with some fascinating twelve-inches to hunt down. 😁
I loved this piece. For your amazing writing for sure, but also because I’m a big Saga fan and before Substack, thought I was their only fan in my universe. Now I’ve met several fans! I didn’t know anything about this 12 inch/dub remix and I have to admit I like it a lot better than the original. Looking forward to Side B! Great, concise overview from Ken!
Thanks, Steve. It was a fun one to write because it had all the ingredients for a fascinating bit of research and a great story. And I’d wanted to collaborate with Ken for quite some time. I’m a big fan of his work!
Anyway, thanks for reading and for taking the time to react. I really appreciate it!
Pé’s knack for researching his pieces is unreal! Glad to be the sidekick on this one.
The first time I heard Saga, it was On the Loose. Being a prog kid, I was smitten. I really liked the Worlds Apart album. I remember reading that they believed there was a perception in Canada that they were a German or European band, so somehow CanCon didn't work in their favor until On the Loose broke here. I didn't really keep up with them, but this is one of those things where I think "a dance mix? Saga? For real?" So I am tickled that you not only shared it, but brought in Ken to give it some added context. I am really delighted with this one!
Wow, thanks for this wonderful compliment Emm. Much appreciated!
Being married to a Canadian, I was aware of Saga but not sure I’d heard this song. It’s a good one although I prefer the original having now listened to that. I’m looking forward to learning about the New Beat movement in Belgium on the B-Side!
Thanks Mark!
This was great, Pe and Ken. I found Ken's intro to the band very helpful as I had no idea about them. Pe, your explanation about the 12 inch as a commercial decision was particularly insightful. I also love how you finished Side A with a cliff-hanger. Nicely done!
Thanks Andy. It was a fun episode & collab. Thanks for sharing
Always interesting to share in your insider's knowledge, in this case regarding the politics of the remix from the record company pov. In our age of streaming and micro-sized attention spans, when only the first 10 seconds of a track seem to count any more, even remixes seem to barely extend beyond 3 or 4 minutes these days; Generation Z must find it incomprehensible that there was once a time when men (it was always men, unfortunately) were actually paid to make tracks MUCH LONGER!
I can still remember my heartbeat quickening back in the eighties as I read a singles ad or the back of a 12 inch sleeve in a record store which listed a running time of 8 or 9 minutes, excited to hear how the already familiar had been stretched and tampered with. Even when the results were disappointing, these extensions always served as a selling point. I also wonder whether those mid 80s rock remixes helped elevate singles in the eyes of rock fans taught to look down upon the 3 minute pop song (remember in the early 70s when prog bands wouldn't even stoop to releasing singles?) but more likely to accept a reworking closer to the length of an album track?
Haha... I had exactly the same anticipation, Paul. Every time I studied the cover of one of the potential twelve-inches I was going to buy while browsing the record stores in Antwerp or Brussels. There was always that sense of: what exactly am I going to find on this one? 😁
And it’s true that current remixes are getting shorter. Only today I downloaded a Latin House “extended” mix of four minutes on Beatport. I thought, this must be a mistake, I’ve accidentally downloaded the single version. But no, the single was 2:30. 😂 The attention-span problem indeed.
As for your remark about rock twelve-inches, I think there were two reasons why so many rock bands and their record companies went for a remix or a twelve-inch release.
First, the dancefloor was basically a separate market, with sales that came on top of their regular audience. Most rock fans probably weren’t interested in a dance remix, but the band might gain a few new fans by entering a world where they normally weren’t present.
And the second reason is exactly what you described: people like you and me, and judging from the reactions, quite a few others, simply loved the twelve-inch format and those extended versions.
I suspect many of the artists themselves saw it more as a necessary evil. Something you did for marketing purposes and to remain relevant in a rapidly changing musical market. And thankfully they did, because it left us with some fascinating twelve-inches to hunt down. 😁