DVD: Saga - Silhouette

Saga is still on the loose, almost a quarter of a century since they first gained any mass popularity, and went into chart decline. Yet they perservere, as strange neo-prog meets pop-metal mutant. Imagine Winger meets the less wankish side of Dream Theatre, with some Cock Robin and Trevor Rabin (either solo or with Yes) thrown in. It can at times be surprisingly good, and sometimes (especially with their ballads) utter wheels of moldy cheese.

This is a collection of videos, live footage and documentary interview material, and its decent. I actually have a considerable soft spot for much of Saga's back catalog, particularly Heads or Tails, House of Cards, and the suprisingly excellent and almost totally ignored The Beginners Guide to Throwing Shapes.

For the most part, one can either enjoy the low budget nature of most of their 70s and 80s videos, of which Saga's epitomize many of its most cringe-worthy elements. Case in point with the following images, we have: mullets, women in day-glo body paint, big poseur rawk dood stances a la Freddie Mercury (only with better teeth and no extra-large Village People roadie mustache), big blinding wall of stage lights (later reprised by Linkin Park it would seem), schlocky re-enactmenst of album covers as random codas to video segments, and tuxedoed frontmen with their silver Camaros. But much of the videos are still oddly fun. And fun is good, even if its bad-good. The standout would have to be their last chart hit from 1983's Behaviour album, What Do I Know? which stands up well enough as typical of the period, but well done.

As far as the substantial amount of interview footage, some of it even interesting and listenable. Then-drummer Steve Negus is the least engaging of the lot, and comes off about as fun as getting stuck to a naugahyde couch in summer. Keyboardist Jim Gilmour --with a surprisingly raspy speaking voice for someone with an otherwise airy and smooth singing tone-- is probably the most down to earth. Apparently they remain quite large in countries like Germany and Puerto Rico (instead of the requisite final bastion of many washed out bands, Japan)* while largely ignored in their home nation of Canada. They also appear to not take themselves terribly seriously, which may explain why they are willing to keep doing what they do, regardless of being largely out of vogue for over 2 decades. Bully for them. And the do not try to ape popular trends, keeping in line with a style that is oddly their own.


The last video was for the song Money Talks from their next to latest album, and looks like it was a decent enough production, with a lot of tongue-in-cheek cameos by the band in the narrative sequence, and special appearance by a suited version of their long-time "mascot" a humanoid insect like creature. It is better than a lot of the fluff I have seen as of late in that it is simple, well directed, and suits the song.







The part that is really annoying is the gear section, where they basically try to mask the fact that they are doing product endorsements in an almost infomercial like manner.

I was let down that none of the Keith Olsen material was not covered (I would guess because Negus and Gilmour were not involved during that period), since it has some of the very best material they recorded both in terms of production and performance. Oh well.

As an aside, I personally think vocalist Michael Sadler would bethe perfect replacement for James LaBrie in Dream Theater. Actually, a sponge mold would be an improvemnet over LaBrie, but that is another rant.

* long past their prime outfits like Asia and Toto continue to pack houses there.