Everett is responsible for first introducing the Beat to Saxa, a veteran Jamaican saxophonist who he had performed with in the past. The band was in search of a player to provide some extra depth on their recording of "Tears of a Clown" and he was quite happy to oblige. After experiencing a live show with the band, Saxa declared that he wanted to be a part of what he felt was something special. Both in Jamaica and in England, Saxa (a.k.a. Lionel Martin) backed many prominent talents including Prince Buster, Elvis, and the Beatles. At the time that he joined the Beat, Saxa was in his fifties and he had immigrated to England about twenty-five years earlier. His was the voice of experience in the band and the other members respected him greatly. Saxa was a heavy drinker and suffered from severe bouts of indigestion. When combined with his age and the stresses of touring, a great toll was taken on the saxophonist's health. As a result he took a less active role in the band toward the end. However, he was certainly not done performing. Along with Everett, he formed the International Beat years after the Beat parted. Later he would even play an occaisional gig with Twist And Crawl. |
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