Leo’s longevity

It has been between two to five years since Leo Sayer visited Tassie but he remembers his very first visit here fondly, and with some humour, at that time he travelled to Tassie in regal company with the Dame herself, ie Dame Edna Everage. the Dame and the Leo had some cheeky fun playing plane ‘paper bags’ on their way to perform at Wrest Point Casino and although Leo was a star in his own right he was treated with top notch service because he was a friend of Dame Everidge. Other fond memories of Tasmania include Leo hiring a seaplane and investigating the world class wilderness.

So Mr Sayer is no stranger to Tassie and indeed no stranger to Australia, his association with Australia goes back to 1974 when he was the first performer to appear at the Alice Springs Casino and the close association with Australia has continued with Leo having taken out citizenship in 2005. When speaking to him, I could see he was clearly relishing his not so new home in Sydney, and having an energetic year to date on his mammoth 40th anniversary tour. Last weekend was a brief rest before getting back travelling.

It seems next year is going to be just as busy with a new album planned. This one is vying away from the Leo we know, it won’t include the romantic songs like ‘I Need You’, ‘Thunder in My Heart’, but instead Leo is becoming more attracted to the idea of writing songs with meaning, with a strong social conscience to reflect Leo’s anti-war and anti-violence stance. Leo also has a lot of respect for Julian Assuage.

Leo’s also thinking of getting back to writing, perhaps a combined art book with lyrics. Something along the line of his book ‘Just a Boy’. Although we know Leo primarily for his singing and performances, he started his young adult life has an artist, an illustrator of magazines and record covers. Although he hasn’t designed his own record covers, he did work on inside illustrations of the just a boy album however, he does oversee his album artwork and now works with a promising young artist Rita Chung on designing his album covers.

One of the amazing things about Mr Sayer is his writing talent. He is able to compose songs in his head and is not one to need the notebook and pencil standing by.
We talk briefly about his early career and his wearing of the Pierrot costume. I wonder if the sad clown had any significance, as of the isolated soul, an image that is still as vital and relevant today, although the image of the clown has moved on to other relevant images for young people that give voice to their feelings of being different. We talk of the pops stars of today and Leo suggests how they may be ‘good looking cars going nowhere‘.

Our modern world is quick to replace one model with another once its gloss has worn off. The whole idea of personality becomes manufactured and easily recycled, perhaps that’s why performers like Leo are so appealing, they have a true talent that lasts and is unique and irreplaceable.

Things have come full circle. Leo was on a plane recently, sans Dame Edna, but found he was the object of a young lady’s attention. He realised the stares were prompted by his recent popping up in a Wiggles video singing his hit ‘I feel like dancing’. It seems Leo is continuing to attract new fans as he continues to evolve in his art and Leo has achieved credibility with children having worked with the double powerhouse of the Muppets and The Wiggles.

You can see Leo Sayer at the Wrest Point Casino 21st October and the Launceston Country Club 22nd October (sold out).
Paula Xiberras