Sailor ~ Quay Hotel (The Third Step)

🎵 “Quay Hotel” — Overview
“Quay Hotel” is a track Sailor’s 1976 album The Third Step.
The song sits within the band’s signature blend of cabaret‑pop, glam rock, and European music‑hall storytelling, a style that made Sailor stand out in the mid‑1970s.
This song is widely remembered for:
Its atmospheric, narrative-driven style
The band’s trademark “Nickelodeon” multi‑keyboard textures
A moody, cinematic feel that fits beautifully into the album’s eclectic palette
'The Third Step' album produced the hit song 'Two Girls on the Corner'.

🎼 Album: The Third Step (1976)
According to Discogs, the album includes 10 tracks, with “Quay Hotel” running 4:05.
It was released on Epic Records and produced by Jeffrey Lesser.

🌟 Sailor — Background Biography
Origins & Style:
Sailor were a British pop/glam rock group formed in 1973.
Their sound blended:
European cabaret
Music‑hall nostalgia
Glam‑pop
Novel instruments (notably the Nickelodeon, a custom multi‑keyboard device)
They became known for a theatrical, old‑world aesthetic modernized with synth basslines and quirky instrumentation.

Key Members
Georg Kajanus — lead singer, 12‑string guitar, principal songwriter
Phil Pickett — multi‑instrumentalist; later co‑wrote Culture Club’s “Karma Chameleon”
Henry Marsh — keyboards, Nickelodeon
Grant Serpell — drums; classically trained background

Career Highlights
Major hits:
“A Glass of Champagne”
“Girls, Girls, Girls”
Their early albums (1974–1976) established them internationally.
After the 1970s, members pursued other projects, but Sailor reunited periodically until 2014, when they stopped performing.
Creative Roots
The band grew out of the duo Kajanus–Pickett, who recorded Hi Ho Silver before forming Sailor.
Kajanus himself had a fascinating background — son of an exiled Russian prince and a Norwegian sculptor, with earlier folk‑rock experience.

🌙 Why “Quay Hotel” Matters
Within The Third Step, “Quay Hotel” is one of the more atmospheric tracks — a moody, storytelling piece that showcases:
Kajanus’s narrative songwriting
The band’s layered, theatrical instrumentation
Their ability to create cinematic worlds in just a few minutes
It’s a perfect example of the “music‑hall meets glam‑pop” fusion that made Sailor so distinctive.
I personally love the way the keyboards are used for the tuba parts of this delightful song.

Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research.