Let's go back to 1975 with words by me and music by Leo Sayer

Thanks to my Facebook friend Sonny Casale I now have a written record of the Leo Sayer concert I recorded in 1975 for WMMR.

We don't know WHERE my review ran -- he's still working on that * -- but I seemed to enjoy the show.

Here is my review, and here's my recording.

Hope you enjoy the show too!

* UPDATE: PHONOGRAPH RECORD MAGAZINE, APRIL 1975

Leo Sayer Live at the Trenton War Memorial: COMPLETE

Leo Sayer live at the Trenton (New Jersey) War Memorial March 12, 1975. 

• Original 1975 recording produced for WMMR by me, Dennis Wilen. 
• Recorded by Lance Strickler and John Buffington of Mom's Wholesome Audio. 
• Tape preserved by Ted Cohen (7.5 ips half-track stereo original dub).
• Tape transferred to digital by Erik Flannigan. 
• Digital transfer equalized, compressed and remastered by Leo Sayer June 2015. 
• 2015 release produced by Dennis Wilen.

Here's what Leo wrote about this show:

It was 1975, and I was touring America for the 2nd time, this time without the pierrot costume, and starting to play bigger shows. 

Here we supported the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. 

My band were keyboardist Chris Stainton (already legendary for his work with Joe Coker and The Greaseband and Mad Dogs And Englishmen), Charlie Harrison on bass, Steve Chapman on drums and Les Nicol on guitar. 

We were a pretty tight outfit and 'Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)' was heading up the charts and bringing in a whole new audience to our shows, so I was on a roll when we recorded this. 

SAHB had been around the circuit a year before us so were well established and Alex was a fantastic showman on stage, and it was a thrill to be supporting them and playing to their crowd into the bargain. 

It must've been a great gig to attend 'cos both bands were well known to give more than 100% onstage at the time. 

The energy really comes across here, and though a lot of people wrote me off as MOR, this show belies that - we rocked! 

I'm older and wiser now maybe, but when I heard this tape back it's like yesterday again. 

Hope you all like it too...

TRACK LISTING:

1. Introduction by Michael Tearson of WMMR. 
2. Giving It All Away 
3. Oh What A Life 
4. Tomorrow 
5. In My Life 
6. Train 
7. One Man Band 
8. Telepath 
9. Another Time 
10. Long Tall Glasses 
11. Show Must Go On

Leo Sayer Live at the Trenton War Memorial: TOMORROW

 

Leo Sayer performs TOMORROW live at the Trenton War Memorial on March 12, 1975. Radio concert produced for WMMR by Dennis Wilen. After we found and digitized audio from this original tape, Leo himself re-mastered this track for your pleasure. Thanks, Leo! Leo just posted his "liner notes" on Facebook:

It was 1975, and I was touring America for the 2nd time, this time without the pierrot costume, and starting to play bigger shows. Here we supported the Sensational Alex Harvey Band. My band were keyboardist Chris Stainton (already legendary for his work with Joe Coker and The Greaseband and Mad Dogs And Englishmen), Charlie Harrison on bass, Steve Chapman on drums and Les Nicol on guitar. We were a pretty tight outfit and 'Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)' was heading up the charts and bringing in a whole new audience to our shows, so I was on a roll when we recorded this. SAHB had been around the circuit a year before us so were well established and Alex was a fantastic showman on stage, and it was a thrill to be supporting them and playing to their crowd into the bargain. It must've been a great gig to attend 'cos both bands were well known to give more than 100% onstage at the time. The energy really comes across here, and though a lot of people wrote me off as MOR, this show belies that - we rocked! I'm older and wiser now maybe, but when I heard this tape back it's like yesterday again. Hope you all like it too...

Leo Sayer live at the Trenton War Memorial: TELEPATH

 

Leo Sayer live at the Trenton War Memorial, March 12,1975. Produced for WMMR by Dennis Wilen. Sound by Mom's Wholesome Audio. Just digitized from that original reel-to-reel tape you see in the photo.

Leo Sayer Live at the Trenton War Memorial (intro)

 

WMMR's Michael Tearson introduces Leo Sayer at the Trenton (NJ) War Memorial concert hall on March 12. 1975. The concert was recorded and later broadcast on the station. Radio concert produced for WMMR by Dennis Wilen. Sound by Mom's Wholesome Audio.