Leo Sayer reveals the one vital bit of career advice Paul McCartney gave him

20 September 2024, 06:00

"I'll give you one piece of advice..."

Leo Sayer is best known for three things: his own fantastic records, the songs he wrote for other stars, and that immediately recognisable shock of curly hair.

And it turns out that one of the most famous musicians in history played a vital part in making sure Leo didn't lose those locks.

• Watch the full interview here or on Global Player

Leo told Gold's James Bassam that he had the crucial conversation with none other than Paul McCartney by chance, when Adam Faith had taken him out to London haunt the RAC Club.

"Out of a side door, walks Paul McCartney," Leo said. "So he's trying to impress me, obviously. Paul came out. He said, 'Ask me anything you like'.

"So I said to him, I said, 'What microphone?'. He said, 'I'm not going to tell you that'.

"He said, 'You're going to find out'. He said, 'I'll give you one piece of advice. Don't cut your hair'. And I never did."

Leo's hair has helped make him iconic, and that was borne out by the very man who gave him the advice years later when they crossed paths once again, this time when Sayer was walking down Sunset Boulevard.

"I'm walking on down there and a car pulls up. It's a Mercedes. And the window winds down. I'm thinking, 'Who the hell is this? And it's, 'Get in, get in!'. And it's McCartney.

"He was there touring Venus and Mars with Wings at the time. And he said, 'I recognise you'.

"He said, 'You took my advice then'. Because he saw me from miles off with the big head of hair. He said, 'That's Leo'."

The pair then went on to Tower Records together and bought each other ten records to share each other's taste in music.

"He was so lovely to be with," Leo said."He's such a generous guy... It's just wonderful things, happenstance, and so circumstances that just fall in your lap."

Leo Sayer is back on the road after having to cancel a series of shows last year due to health reasons.