![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bassic-sax.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/11\/guitar-sax-7.jpg\" "\\"guitar-sax-7\\"")
<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a9 Bassic Sax 2008. Photo M. Margison; photo edits &\u00a0enhancements\u00a0by H. Kahlke.<\/h6>\n
In a previous\u00a0post<\/a>,\u00a0I\u00a0quoted Helienne Lindvall’s blog post written for the Guardian, titled Behind the music: where did all the saxophones go?<\/a>\u00a0While Helienne never speculated what caused the saxophone’s demise\u00a0by the beginning of the 90s, Steve Peake, 80s Music Guide for About.com<\/a>,\u00a0has lots to say on the subject. \u00a0<\/p>\n In his article:\u00a0’80s Instrument Spotlight – the Saxophone<\/a>, Peake makes the argument that the saxophone was really a victim of the overproduction and cheesiness of the decade.\u00a0Here are\u00a0the salient\u00a0excerpts:<\/p>\n …from the perspective of ’80s music, …sax solos often represented the pinnacle of overproduction and cheesy, sickeningly romantic arrangements. It was a time of excess in pop music, which unfortunately meant that some artists overused and misused the saxophone to gaudy if not comical effect.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n As overproduction became an ever-swelling reality with the advent of new wave and MTV, epitomized by synthesizers galore and a penchant for the biggest sounds possible, the saxophone quickly became just another ingredient of pop music. In fact, sax solos showed up so often during the decade that their presence became a cliche, not to mention a glitzy, romanticized exclamation mark for ballads and other pop music ear candy. Though not always used gaudily, the sax often succumbed to the worst impulses of ’80s music, many of which are responsible for the degree to which some of it sounds dated and even insincere.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Peake is of course right, in his comment that the sax became an ingredient of pop music, but to say that it was overused is rather ridiculous. You could make the same comment about guitar solos: that they were overused. They were used in the 80s just as much, more so really, than sax\u00a0solos. As a matter of fact, any solo instrument can be held up as an example, and said to be overused. However, the saxophone is the one to have been banished into popular music oblivion.<\/p>\n Our saxophones are interesting instruments. They can mimic vocals better than any other instrument. For example, I\u00a0often get asked to\u00a0do duets with vocalists, but then I obviously work in bands\u00a0& with singers\u00a0 who appreciate saxophones. When the singer and I get to the duet part of a song, it often takes the form of a call and answer, with the horn providing the answer. This is where the saxophone’s ability to bend notes is highly valuable, and central to the instrument’s vocal characteristics.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Saxes are a strong presence when they are given\u00a0space to play in song. Therefore it takes a strong &\u00a0confident performer to work with a saxophone player. When you combine this together with the saxophone’s inability to play more than 1 note at a time,\u00a0you get to what I feel is the root cause of the saxophone’s\u00a0current popularity problems in popular music.<\/p>\n Saxophones are the “disposable”\u00a0part of a band. The old adage: The last hired\/first fired\u00a0has never been\u00a0truer. Sax sounds can be duplicated by synthesizers\u00a0& other electronics, or\u00a0now you can sample your favourite sax solo from\u00a0by-gone days. No need to\u00a0have a live player on stage\u00a0& on the payroll. It’s rather\u00a0depressing really.<\/p>\n Most sax players who do work\u00a0in pop bands are utility players\u00a0who double on sax, while doing keys, percussion instruments, rhythm guitar, whatever, and then switch\u00a0off to the sax for their “quickie” horn line or solo, and then go back to whatever they were doing before.\u00a0<\/p>\n The most extreme example of this I’ve ever personally seen, was during\u00a0one of Cher’s concerts when she performed\u00a0It’s In His Kiss (The Shoop, Shoop Song)<\/em>, from\u00a0her movie Mermaids<\/em>. This song is the only\u00a0Cher song that utilizes a saxophone at all. For the sax solo in The Shoop, Shoop Song<\/em>, a guy\u00a0ran out\u00a0on stage, played\u00a0the solo, and exited the stage just as fast. I believe he was later introduced as one of the\u00a0tour managers. (Which would explain why he was the only\u00a0person on stage\u00a0wearing a suit.)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/bassic-sax.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/11\/guitar-sax-4.jpg\" "\\"guitar-sax-6\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a9 Bassic Sax 2008. Photo M. Margison; photo edits &\u00a0enhancements\u00a0by H. Kahlke.<\/h6>\n
<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a9 Bassic Sax 2008. Photo M. Margison; photo edits &\u00a0enhancements\u00a0by H. Kahlke.<\/h6>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a9 Bassic Sax 2008. Photo M. Margison; photo edits &\u00a0enhancements\u00a0by H. Kahlke.<\/h6>\n
<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a9 Bassic Sax 2008. Photo M. Margison; photo edits &\u00a0enhancements\u00a0by H. Kahlke.<\/h6>\n