Six By Six have shared a second single from their upcoming self-titled debut, which is due out on August 19 via InsideOut. Save The Night features the collective talents of Ian Crichton (Saga), Nigel Glockler (Saxon) and Robert Berry (3) and follows on from Yearning To Fly.
The track was written towards the end of the record's completion, as Berry explains, "We still needed a big closing song to conclude the album and [with] which could also potentially close our live show. The lyric had to be positive and leave you on an emotional high, and the music needed to build to a powerful finale. Once the arrangement was developed, Nigel laid down a powerful drum track, and then after guitar and vocals were recorded, we were still seeking a special element to keep the song building and leave the listener wanting more.
"With the addition of an inspired guitar solo, we decided to try two female background singers just to spice it up. And there it was! The last song written, the last song recorded and a fitting end to the album and the live show… Save The Night.”
The trio's Six By Six project was announced unexpectedly in June 2022, but the roots go back several decades to when Glockler and Berry became part of Steve Howe's reformed GTR supergroup. Crichton and Glockler also contributed to Asia recordings.
Ian Crichton explains his decision to become part of this new project, “Throughout my career, I’ve been very selective about what to get involved in outside Saga and when opportunities have arisen, I have said ‘no’ far more often than I have said ‘yes’. When Robert's manager contacted me in 2020 and explained what Robert was seeking to do creatively and how my guitar could be central to the musical vision, I was intrigued.
"Now it’s over 18 months and many Zoom calls later, but crucially Robert, Nigel and I have also spent plenty of time together at Robert’s base in northern California. We’re three experienced players from three different countries, and with our six hands, we’re here to break the rock music mould. Six By Six is a band that we’ve built together and nurtured into a unique style that I'm very proud of.”
Adds Berry, “After working with the genius of Keith Emerson and losing that musical partnership in 2016 following Keith’s death, I faced a daunting question: whether to bring down the curtain creatively or seek something inspiring which would reach new musical heights. My intuition was to lean into a dramatically more guitar oriented direction. But which guitarist is as impressive as Keith was as a keyboardist?
"Was it luck, timing or destiny? I think it was all three because 3 is my lucky number. Ian and I were determined to keep this a three-piece band (there’s that number again) and needed a drummer with a similar mindset and who is a solid, heavy hitter. My friend Nigel Glockler was the perfect fit.”
Listen to Save The Night below.
