In 1980, at age ten, I bought my very first LP record – “Living In A Fantasy” by Leo Sayer. I listened to it constantly – 20 years later I bought it on CD and today it’s always on my iPod. Leo has had several Number One hits around the world, “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” (a U.S. Grammy winner for the year’s best Rhythm and Blues Song), the romantic ballad, “When I Need You” (1977), which reached number one in both the UK and U.S.
He also had remakes of Bobby Vee’s “More Than I Can Say” (his fourth UK number 2 hit, and in the U.S., number 2 pop and number one in the adult contemporary chart), and Buddy Holly’s “Raining In My Heart” (1979) and “Orchard Road” in 1983. In the U.S., three of his singles – “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” (1977), “When I Need You,” (1977) and “More Than I Can Say” (1980) – were certified gold.
This morning he chatted with me for an hour from the city he now calls home – Sydney, Australia.
Check out his official site, LeoSayer.com, for updates on his touring schedule and to read his blog updates.
Buy his new album “Don’t Wait Until Tomorrow” and “Living In A Fantasy” from iTunes:
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Cam:
I thoroughly enjoyed your chat with Leo Sayer. The tracks you played from his life work are part of my personal life soundtrack.
Interesting man, great grasp of the potential of the Internet, and a great understanding of the need for free thinking.
Thanks, mate for sharing that one with us. As an aside – you sold at least one album for him. I am downloading Living in a Fantasy as I type.
Hey that’s awesome Rod! I wouldn’t have picked you for a fan! Glad you enjoyed it. I really had a great time, he was easy to talk to.
I realised how many Leo Sayer songs I love – I’ve had “You make me feel like dancing” stuck in my head since this morning. Great show – I loved hearing about all the goings on behind the scenes, though he did evade the question about getting laid 😉
Thanks Bron, glad you enjoyed the show. Yeah he did but Google Leo’s love life and you’ll see why I didn’t want to push the matter. He’s had a turbulent year. I can relate. And who cares, I want to know about the music! 🙂
Cam:
You wrote: “I wouldn’t have picked you for a fan!”
There you go – making assumptions about people :-).
Agreed. The quote of his I liked best was about his ups and downs and how every time he had a break after being off the scene for a while, it was like being discovered all over again. I really like that idea – I’m going to hold on to that one.
What a great show! Absolutely terrific! Many thanks!
Saw this on Twitter and it made me smile. As a young music writer for the Asbury Park (NJ) Press in the 1970s I also interviewed Leo. He was a delightful conversation partner and unlike many performers, not at all full of himself. I was very impressed that he was willing to talk to a local newspaper for as long as he did. Somewhere in my archives of magnetic reel-to-reel tapes, that interview still resides. I think I will pull it from the archives for a podcast! Thanks for taking me back!
Steven, that would be great to hear! Let us know when it’s up!
just catching up, and like Bronwen; surprised at how many of Leo’s songs are already in my head 🙂 It was a really enjoyable show, he seems like a very interesting man, and perhaps more to the point: interestED. Thanks for this!
Wow I loved this episode I’m a huge Leo fan. I don’t know how I missed this, I think I was moving house at this time and my internet was down. Nice to hear how nice he is and also that he’s a Chick Corea fan. Most people at work give me grief for liking Leo but they are mainly faschists. Moonlighting and Giving it all away are songs that stop me in my tracks every time.