SAGA (CA)

About

Saga built their reputation as one of Canada's sharpest progressive rock acts, blending muscular riffs with keyboard driven arrangements and a knack for melodic hooks that set them apart from the heavier end of the genre. Formed in Oakville, Ontario in 1977, the band broke into the North American mainstream with the 1981 album Worlds Apart, whose single "On the Loose" cracked the US Billboard Top 40 and earned a Gold certification in the States. A second single, "Wind Him Up", got heavy MTV rotation, and the band picked up a Juno Award for Most Promising Group of the Year in 1982 after opening for Jethro Tull on tour. Bassist and keyboardist Jim Crichton and vocalist Michael Sadler have been the creative core throughout, steering the band through lineup changes, label shifts, and stylistic detours without losing the fanbase they built across Canada and Europe. With more than eight million albums sold and gold and platinum certifications worldwide, Saga have proven unusually durable for a prog act, keeping their loyal audience engaged across releases like the concept album Generation 13 and the acoustic flavoured House of Cards, whose single "Money Talks" reached the Top 5 on Canadian video airplay.