Al Stewart - Year Of The Cat

[Swede]

&ab_channel=HeroesOfThe80s

[MiHale]

1. It's been the year of the cat since the internet went online.

[ProfessorGAC]

2. Love It

Did this in a band in the late 70s.
I was learning to be a guitar player so I had a guy a few years younger than me playing keyboards.
But, I played piano on this one. I love that piano theme that runs throughout.

[Pobeka]

3. Did you ever hear the live version on the "Blue Album" ?

recorded live at WKQK-FM in Chicago in October 1978. Really cool piano intro.

And did you ever hear the story about how the sax solo came about in YOTC (Alan Parson's idea)? I have that writeup somewhere around here if you are interested.

[ProfessorGAC]

4. I'd Love To Read About It

I did know Alan Parsons was involved, though.
That sax solo is super cool, and it's recorded such that it sound like it's coming from off in the distance.
Not sure however, you have the station right. There was a rock station here WKQX, though. They came in when WDAI went all disco. That was the event that led to Steve Dahl's infamous Disco Demolition.
There was also WCKG & WLUP. (Both now gone.)
I listened to KQX all the time.

[Pobeka]

5. Found the link for the interview about the sax solo

https://www.songwriteruniverse.com/al-stewart-interview-2021.htm

Pretty lengthy interview.

I have no specific idea about the station for the live recording which became the blue album. I actually recorded it as it was broadcast on WNAP in Indianapolis in 1978 or so. On the recording it mentions it is part of the "London Wavelength Concert Hour" and "Live recordings from America".

The cool piano piece is performed by Robert Alpert for that live recording.

I see spotify claims this was WKDX, Oct of '78. This is the exact version I recorded from WNAP so long ago...

https://open.spotify.com/track/1YcfNar0Pp5Ua77r1Pfl1E?si=10c82fba5f0242f6

Enjoy. I listened to YOTC and Modern Times during my walk this morning as a result of this trip down memory lane, it was a great walk

[ProfessorGAC]

6. Thanks Much!

That was a great read!
And, it reinforces why I just had to play piano, not guitar on that song.
BTW: I played the sax solo on a PAIA synthesizer we built. It didn't sound much like a sax, but more than an organ would.