Leo Sayer returns to his native country for a mammoth UK Tour celebrating the release of his brand new studio album ‘Restless Years’.
During 43 years since his first album, he’s had five worldwide No.1 hits and is a Grammy-winning songwriter. Leo’s 14th studio album, and first for six years, was recorded over 3 months and features 13 new compositions, all written and produced by Leo.
“I think I’ve been getting more prolific over the years with my writing. A few things were paid forward, like the four songs on here that I wrote with Albert Hammond about 10 years ago, and Sometimes Things Go Wrong comes from as far back as 1975,” Leo said.
His career started in 1972, when he met David Courtney through an audition in his home city of Brighton. Leo and David started writing songs together and took them to Adam Faith, who had been a legendary pop singing icon the 50s and 60s.
Adam saw Leo’s potential immediately. Producing his first albums with David, he steered the singer-songwriter to almost instant success with 1973’s ‘Silverbird’, Leo’s debut album release. On the cover, Leo was memorably dressed and made up as a white-faced Pierrot, singing ‘The Show Must Go On’.
A few months earlier, they masterminded a solo album for The Who’s Roger Daltrey. This introduced Leo to the world as the writer of “Giving It All Away,” which went straight into the US and UK Top 10.
The same song gave Leo the title for his second album ‘Just A Boy’ which became a major success worldwide with the hit singles ‘Long Tall Glasses’ and ‘One Man Band’ in 1974.
Leo visited the US, Australia, Europe, and the Far East as an international concert headliner. Back home, he released his third album, ‘Another Year’, featuring his third Top 5 single ‘Moonlighting’.
In 1976 Leo met producer Richard Perry in Los Angeles, who produced three chart-topping albums for Leo. Leo was living in the States, composing with co-writers like Barry Mann, Tom Snow, Albert Hammond, Michael Omartian, and Vini Poncia, and at the peak of his career.
“You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” was a US No.1 followed by “When I Need You” and “How Much Love”, from the multi-platinum album ‘Endless Flight’. Then came ‘Thunder In My Heart’ (1977) including “Thunder In My Heart” and “Easy To Love”, and ‘Leo Sayer’ (1978) from which ‘Raining In My Heart’ and ‘I Can’t Stop Loving You (Though I Try)’ were hit singles.
Leo stills feels like dancing
In the UK, Leo’s songs featured on movies and commercials, and he starred in his own TV series and played concerts for The Queen.
During the 80s, Leo also made the albums ‘World Radio’ with producer Arif Mardin, and ‘Have You Ever Been In Love’ with Christopher Neil.
Born in Shoreham by Sea, West Sussex, he now lives in Australia, but he has never stopped working, still frequently visiting the UK and Europe.
His 14th studio album ‘Restless Years’ is released in the UK on September 4, just ahead of his 25-date tour.
Having produced and written all the songs for the new album, Leo feels he’s as prolific now as he’s ever been, and has no thoughts of slowing down.
www.leosayer.com