Do you miss Paul Franklin's steel guital and/or Chris White'sax ?

[Rollergirl]

I like sax 

[Tally]

Alchemy is fantastic, though there are some unnecessary keyboards too, right? But to hear Chris playing sax while Mark plays the best solo ever, I could never get over that.

[goldenheart96]

No, I don't miss them. Their contributions to the songs that had a sax / pedal steel in the first place ("You and your Friend", "Your Latest Trick" etc) are fine but those instruments overload all other songs. I HATE the sax on Sultans and Romeo & Juliet (Urrgh! Come on!) and I can't stand Mr. Franklin's wailing pedal steel at the end of "Walk Of Life". Horrible.

[Tally]

Can't say there's anything wrong with pedal steel on Walk of Life. It's just a fun rock 'n' roll tune. But in TR, Heavy Fuel, BIA, it doesn't fit at all.

[herlock]

Can't say there's anything wrong with pedal steel on Walk of Life. It's just a fun rock 'n' roll tune. But in TR, Heavy Fuel, BIA, it doesn't fit at all.

I agree. I can't understand why Basel'92 is so many people favourite's version of TR. The version has some great qualities, it is energetic, I love the sax solo (yes, yes), but the pedal steel + the lack of introduction guitar solo makes it far from being my favourite.
As for BiA, same remark, I prefer a lot more the 85/86 or Mandela version: powerful synth, great guitar, and no pedal steel to ruin it. The Montserrat version is nice, but not as powerful IMHO.
As for Heavy Fuel and Walk of Life, I coul'nt care less, they belong to the very small set of MK songs I don't like... overcommercialized ! The same could be said of MfN, but MfN was a milestone in rock history

[herlock]

Alchemy is fantastic, though there are some unnecessary keyboards too, right? But to hear Chris playing sax while Mark plays the best solo ever, I could never get over that.

CW is not playing sax WHILE Mark plays the solo; He WAITS for Mark to finish a "sentence", then replies - hence there is a dialogue, and a pause that makes the song just a bit slower, but also sweeter.
Anyway... I am glad that the Live Aid version was released on a good quality DVD; this makes up for the lack of the song on "On the Night". The Live Aid version is not as good as the Wembley concert one, but close enough to make it a fascinating experience everytime I watch it; in fact, I like the mess on stage on Live Aid, it makes things less formatted, more humain these were the days...

[Slavi]

I miss both...Loved Romeo & Juliet when heard it with Chris' sax and I miss the sax on every live version after that...but can listen it without sax  Can't imagine my all time fav You and Your Friend  without PF...Love SOS with sax but it is OK without it too. Miss CW with MK a lot ( not sure if CW miss DS for a long time).

Well, IMHO we are lucky to have such a great versions of all these songs -  SOS with sax or not, with/without pedal steel, with fiddle or not...etc. So many different versions, so many different instruments for all people's tastes. It's wonderful for me.

@herlock, if you like CW sax addition to the DS songs I'm your mate 
Have you seen my site about CW?

[tobi777]

I think the sax sometimes sounds a bit cheesy and over the top. SOS or R&J don't need this addition. Certainly some songs wouldn't work without. Saw him with Jon Illsley in Berlin and "Two Young Lovers" was just great.

As for Paul Franklin: "You And Your Friend" is one of my all time favourites - and the pedal steel adds up to the spooky atmosphere of this song. But during the OES tour they obviously didn't want to give Paul a rest and so he ended playing on too many songs. He certainly did a good work but too many cooks...

By the way: Do I miss Jim Cox on keys? Yes, I do!!!

[herlock]

@herlock, if you like CW sax addition to the DS songs I'm your mate 
Have you seen my site about CW?

Very nice site indeed, congrats !

[Pottel]

i like both. yes, the outro on Ride across the river, always loved that, or the sax on Sultans during the basel show, but my altime favorite chill moment has to be YOu and Your friend on the On the night album...volume on 11!!

[Love Expresso]

Yeah it is really great. Even better than the album version in my opinion.

LE

[dmg]

I think the sax sometimes sounds a bit cheesy and over the top. SOS or R&J don't need this addition. Certainly some songs wouldn't work without. Saw him with Jon Illsley in Berlin and "Two Young Lovers" was just great.

As for Paul Franklin: "You And Your Friend" is one of my all time favourites - and the pedal steel adds up to the spooky atmosphere of this song. But during the OES tour they obviously didn't want to give Paul a rest and so he ended playing on too many songs. He certainly did a good work but too many cooks...

By the way: Do I miss Jim Cox on keys? Yes, I do!!!

Sorry but Mr. Cox is one gentleman I certainly do not miss at all.  He was in my opinion a jazz musician and although very talented he didn't suit Mark's music at all and over elaborated with his piano especially on the break in Sultans.  This always has me reaching for the fast forward button!

[herlock]

Sorry but Mr. Cox is one gentleman I certainly do not miss at all.  He was in my opinion a jazz musician and although very talented he didn't suit Mark's music at all and over elaborated with his piano especially on the break in Sultans.  This always has me reaching for the fast forward button!

Strange how feelings can differ among fans... For me, Sultans '96 versions are among the very best (I can't decide between these and the BiA tour, such as Live Aid), ESPECIALLY because of the piano break which sounds almost as beautiful, if not better, than the sax. Can't understand those who prefer Sultans as a bare-bone 4-piece, although I totally respect this opinion of course...

[Tally]

Alchemy is fantastic, though there are some unnecessary keyboards too, right? But to hear Chris playing sax while Mark plays the best solo ever, I could never get over that.

CW is not playing sax WHILE Mark plays the solo; He WAITS for Mark to finish a "sentence", then replies - hence there is a dialogue, and a pause that makes the song just a bit slower, but also sweeter.
Anyway... I am glad that the Live Aid version was released on a good quality DVD; this makes up for the lack of the song on "On the Night". The Live Aid version is not as good as the Wembley concert one, but close enough to make it a fascinating experience everytime I watch it; in fact, I like the mess on stage on Live Aid, it makes things less formatted, more humain these were the days...

Well, there is a dialogue though that helps little. It's still unnecessary. But, he also plays simultaneously as Mark, e.g. during the twiddly bits. Unforgivable.

You and Your Friend is fantastic on On the Night.

[sweetsurrender]

I love SOS with the piano solo part.  To me it's the ultimately divine piece of music that my ears ever have the priviledge of listening to.  Every time I hear it , I swear my heart just melts into a million nano pieces.  I love it to death do me part really.  And when CW came in with his sax, that too is heaven.