What's the deal with SAW?

[Ian_W359]

One early SAW outfit I used to enjoy was 'Mel & Kim' who started off with 2 great singles 'Showing Out' & 'Respectable'

But after that, SAW would work with just about anyone.... I mean - Cliff Richard?!

Ian

[buckaroo]

Yeah...

Who could forget Sonia :P And The Reynolds Girls?
Ultimate Kaos, Bananarama ...and Joyce Symms??????? Uh? Why did she entangle herself with them?

Did SAW have anything to do with the outragiously bad London Boys? :lol: :lol: :lol:

[KayJayEm54]

The only involvement with the London Boys was when Pete Waterman and Michaela Strachan plugged them to death on their Saturday TV show 'The Hitman and Her'. Requiem was plugged and plugged and plugged to death - it was OK first time round but even I got tired of it and have resigned the 12" vinyl to the loft!

[buckaroo]

Originally Posted by KayJayEm54

...Saturday TV show 'The Hitman and Her'. Requiem was plugged and plugged and plugged to death - it was OK first time round but even I got tired of it and have resigned the 12" vinyl to the loft!

Yes!!! Remember the black guy in the blonde wig?
"Be'ave Michaela!"

Top class viewing after a night at the club.

[Phoster]

Originally Posted by Eurodancemix

Within the last few weeks I've seen several negative references concerning Stock-Aitken-Waterman, and I'm curious to know why they seem to be disliked so much. I, myself, happen to like them so I don't understand why they're disliked.

I guess back in the days (and even today) they' ve been critisized a lot because they mixed up "underground" and club oriented music like hi-nrg, later chicago house and acid house with pop-music. Some people may think they stole their ideas from other musicians who never got the succes like SAW did then...
some say it's betrayal to use club-sounds to make pop-hits, because the "underground" is suddenly "overground" :lol:

But that's not true, mike stock was a really talented songwriter, it was better than a lot of pop-music is today.

I really recommend the book "the hit factory" by mike stock, anyone interested in SAW, should read this! unbelievable what those guys have done...

[Energyguy]

Some of the early SAW tracks are pure gems . I especially love the work thay did early on with Divine, Hazell Dean, Princess and the greatly underrated OChi Brown. I agree that as the yaers developed much of the stuff they released tended to sound very much the same. You have to hand it too them - They found a winning formula and it worked !! -Pete Waterman has admitted he was greatly influenced by UK hi-nrg producer Ian Levine and you can see a connection...Many od the tracks that people originally slated seem to be re-surfacing and music fans are now quite nostalgic about them...

[remicks]

*****

Q: "What does Pete feel about the producers today who try and copy the PWL formula?"

A: "You know, many people said that what I did as part of Stock Aitken Waterman was easy; however if it was so easy how come nobody has yet managed to re-create our success? We were very disciplined; all three of us had a total respect, love and understanding of over 40 years of songwriting...we didn't just love one particular style or try to write in one particular genre. The only way you'll get a new Stock Aitken Waterman song today is to go to Stock and Aitken, or myself, and get us to write it (laugh)!"

from :

http://www.pwl-empire.com/qa_pete.html

*****

[buckaroo]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Prefab Sprouter]

Some SAW stuff was IMHO rubbish but some of it, especially the work done with Donna summer is excellent.

[Energyguy]

Originally Posted by Prefab Sprouter

Some SAW stuff was IMHO rubbish but some of it, especially the work done with Donna summer is excellent.

It tended to go from being "pants" to pure classic !

[Ida Sessions]

I adore SAW. I have an iTunes playlist devoted to over 300 of their productions. :o

Even their flops are gems:

Haywoode's "Getting Closer", "You Better Not Fool Around"
Mandy Smith "I Just Can't Wait", "Positive Reaction"
Three Degrees "Heaven I Need", "This is the House"
The Twins "All Mixed Up"
Lonnie Gordon "How Could He Do This to Me?"
Girl Talk "Can the Rhythm"
Kakko "We Should Be Dancing"

the list goes on. SAW is my crack. :D

[Energyguy]

Originally Posted by Ida Sessions

I adore SAW. I have an iTunes playlist devoted to over 300 of their productions. :o

Even their flops are gems:

Haywoode's "Getting Closer", "You Better Not Fool Around"
Mandy Smith "I Just Can't Wait", "Positive Reaction"
Three Degrees "Heaven I Need", "This is the House"
The Twins "All Mixed Up"
Lonnie Gordon "How Could He Do This to Me?"
Girl Talk "Can the Rhythm"
Kakko "We Should Be Dancing"

the list goes on. SAW is my crack. :D

The material they recorded with HAYWOODE was great !!

[Paulo]

I can't remember one place in Brazil that did not play SAW. So why deny it now?

For a time, it represented the ""disco'" sound of the 80's.

[SandraDee]

I've noticed that they seem to be particularly disliked in the UK where most people got sick of their onslaught on the pop charts with Kylie, Rick et al, but people from elsewhere in the world (with the exception of videoskooter! ) seem to love their music for its uplifting good-time quality. I think me & Energyguy must be exceptions to that rule!

[Davicillo]

I agree that most of there stuff was good pure pop,
but some, and all production teams go through a pants stage,
(The Reynolds Girls and Sam Fox spring to mind in this case) were dire.