Drummer for the tour

[Frank Aufmoog]

Steve, we are as much suprised as you are! We also dislike the way you were treated by the SAGA family, not telling you the truth We all know, that there are a lot of drummers and musicians in general that are good in playing someone else's tunes, but when it comes to create their own stuff they suck! We know what you have done for the band and the unique style of SAGA and a lot of fans know each part and hit you were playing and enjoyed always hearing it live on stage.

[Roar]

What's going on???!!!?!?!
This is totally insane!!!
Some official word, please!!!

[Andy]

a friend of mine (he is a professional musician himself) told me once that "friendship doesn't exist in the music business"... maybe he is right, isn't he?

[Roar]

Steve's dumped!!! I can't BELEIVE what I'm reading!!! And NO official word from the band!
Steve - the original drummer - has helped them out on several occations - and THIS IS HOW THEY THANK HIM!!! It's a disgrace! We NEED some official word on this issue, FAST!

[Andy]

@Roar: maybe Steve is too expensive... who knows... and finally: does it really matter? He won't join them, Brian is obviously out and I wonder whether this Chris have had enough time to rehearse... I guess he had if you know what I mean... Maybe Brian's successor?!

[Mrs.C]

WTF!!!!

[Roar]

@Roar: maybe Steve is too expensive... who knows... and finally: does it really matter? He won't join them, Brian is obviously out and I wonder whether this Chris have had enough time to rehearse... I guess he had if you know what I mean... Maybe Brian's successor?!

Steve - expensive??? I bet he would have done it for free! He was nice to have around for the two Canadian dates - wich raised hope over here in Europe that we were to see the original line-up for the final time! And what a treat THAT would have been!
And if this Chris is Brians successor - why wasn't he brought in right away? And why can't Saga wait until Michael's gone to bring in a new drummer? We would have respected that big time!
And why couldn't they've been honest/decent to Steve and tell him that they were bringing in a new face? Seems to me that Steve was all set to go to Europe...
And why no official announcement on the web-site!!!? This sucks!

[Bertho]

:o Steve's dumped!!! I can't BELEIVE what I'm reading!!! And NO official word from the band!
Steve - the original drummer - has helped them out on several occations - and THIS IS HOW THEY THANK HIM!!! It's a disgrace! We NEED some official word on this issue, FAST!

Be careful, you never know what's going on behind the scenes. But I agree, an official word is overdue!

[Roar]

Be careful, you never know what's going on behind the scenes. But I agree, an official word is overdue!

You're probably right... I just got VERY emotional... I actually thrashed my garden furniture in frustration They were covered in 10 cm of snow anyway
Let's wait for the official word on this before we/I say something regrettable.

[Social Orphan]

:o Steve's dumped!!! I can't BELEIVE what I'm reading!!! And NO official word from the band!
Steve - the original drummer - has helped them out on several occations - and THIS IS HOW THEY THANK HIM!!! It's a disgrace! We NEED some official word on this issue, FAST!

Be careful, you never know what's going on behind the scenes. But I agree, an official word is overdue!

Yes, people be careful. None of us know what has gone on behind close doors. While most of us would like to see Steve fill in. There is more history there than we know. Afterall Steve did leave Saga for a reason. I myself feel for Steve and also for Saga. Give them all benefit of the doubt.

[dmeehan]

I shouldn't even be writing this,, but I'm biting my tongue while reading everyone's comments..

Steve wasn't dumped,, nor was he treated badly..

Because of Brian's recent health issues, the European promoter would not insure Steve, as he too had health issues in the past. They needed a great drummer with a clean bill of health! quite simple.

And Chris Sutherland is an amazing drummer who can fill the drumming shoes perfectly.

NO shows will be cancelled.. hahaha it's crazy how rumours & acusations get out so quickly.

as far as the other question about the official site not always seeming to put up the news first... as we all learned from premature postings of the canadian dates by other people... The official site only posts news when it is 100% confirmed & written in stone.

Hpefully I'm not in trouble for posting this either. I was just driving me crazy.

[Ole]

Steve wasn't dumped,, nor was he treated badly..

Because of Brian's recent health issues, the European promoter would not insure Steve, as he too had health issues in the past. They needed a great drummer with a clean bill of health! quite simple.

Hmmm, clean bill of health, sounds really odd to me...it's very clear from what I read so far that Steve was not informed about anything, if they had planned for Steve to join and had to cancel because of this "lack" of clean bill of health from a promoter, wouldnt they have informed him all of this as it happened? But they didnt, did they?

[Ole]

And Chris Sutherland is an amazing drummer who can fill the drumming shoes perfectly.

NO ONE can play as STEVE - NO ONE! I think Christian and Brian did a good job, but it was never the same. Steve is unique in what he has created, as for Steve playing Brian's material, that is something else, they have different styles and groove. But dont tell me that another drummer can just step in and fill the drumming shoes perfectly, that is just plain ridiculous.

[Roar]

I shouldn't even be writing this,, but I'm biting my tongue while reading everyone's comments..

Steve wasn't dumped,, nor was he treated badly..

Because of Brian's recent health issues, the European promoter would not insure Steve, as he too had health issues in the past. They needed a great drummer with a clean bill of health! quite simple.

And Chris Sutherland is an amazing drummer who can fill the drumming shoes perfectly.

NO shows will be cancelled.. hahaha it's crazy how rumours & acusations get out so quickly.

as far as the other question about the official site not always seeming to put up the news first... as we all learned from premature postings of the canadian dates by other people... The official site only posts news when it is 100% confirmed & written in stone.

Hpefully I'm not in trouble for posting this either. I was just driving me crazy.

Yeah - "hahaha" Why didn't you write this info on the web-site immediately!? It was obviously 100% confirmed & written in stone prior to the last two Canadian shows! Then you could have avoided all these rumours & acusations! And wasn't this Chris - person available to step right in? And why wasn't Steve informed about this right away - or even during/after the last show?

This is what Steve's telling me;

Hi Roar,
I am extremely disappointed that not one member in the band would have the guts to tell me face to face what they had done. Instead they wait until the gigs are finished and then have Daryl call me the next day. Meanwhile the drummer from Kim Mitchell's band had already announced it on his website.
I feel used and abused, and it is a shame that I didn't get to finish Mike's last shows with the band. It would have been the right way to end 30 years of music together.
All the best,
Steve

I rest my case...

[Roar]

And Chris Sutherland is an amazing drummer who can fill the drumming shoes perfectly.

NO ONE can play as STEVE - NO ONE! I think Christian and Brian did a good job, but it was never the same. Steve is unique in what he has created, as for Steve playing Brian's material, that is something else, they have different styles and groove. But dont tell me that another drummer can just step in and fill the drumming shoes perfectly, that is just plain ridiculous.

I couldn't have said it better myself, Ole! There's only ONE Steve Negus - and his drumming shoes don't fill easily!
And if drumming shoes fill easily/perfectly, the same goes for vocalists, right?
So there won't be any trouble filling the gap after Michael...