Sails & Safe Harbours

Sails & Safe Harbours^[1]^[2] also known as Mike Linner (* 11th November 1988 in Bad Reichenhall, Germany) is a german ein Singer/Songwriter and guitarist. His Songs combine the genres Folk, Jazz and Blues.

Career as musician[Bearbeiten]

By the age of 9, Linner started learning piano, followed by the guitar in 2000. Beside Bass he tought himself to play the drums as well. His first Band was founded in 2001, when he was 13 in . A Pop / Rock Coverband called A51 (formerly Area 51). They played a lot of Live gigs, and so could make themselves a name. After recording their first Demo, the local papers started writing about them, which got them the possibility to record their first professional Album at a local Studio. In 2009 the Band split up and shortly after, he was hired as Bassplayer with the Indie-Rock-Band "Yum Yum Typ Ente" for one Studio Session and several Live Gigs.

Between 2007 to 2009 He also got hired for several Festival gigs and Studio sessions by other bands and musicians.

Datei:Sails & Safe Harbours Just Music.jpg

Promotion at Music Store in 2018. Playing a Fender Jazz Master

Hired drummer for FvK Band in July 2006.

Hired drummer for FvK Band in July 2006.
Playing Bass Live at Street Festival. 21st July 2007

Playing Bass Live at Street Festival. 21st July 2007
Studio Recordings in March 2007

Studio Recordings in March 2007
Live at Upstairsbar, UK with A51 in 2009.

Live at Upstairsbar, UK with A51 in 2009.

In 2008 he received a call from a friend, who asked him to play live at a wedding fair, she was organising.

"One day I got a call from a dear friend. She asked me if I could play live on a wedding-fair, she was organising. I instantly confirmed, neither having any repertoire nor a Band. I couldn't do this on my own, as my profession and experience in singing was far from performing live, and playing instrumental was not a choice."

Within one weak he got things done and had the luck to win a female soul-singer, who was one of the best in this field to that time, to team up. He also made a phonecall with the former singer of A51, asking him to join. Some weeks after the first rehearsals, Linner got known to a guitar and bass player, who instantly joined the Band. Now "Autumn Bound" was ready to go.

During three weeks, they made it to play 20 Songs live in the way, Linner always wished to sound like, as a Band. From a thoughtless promise to play at a fair, my most loved and also educated Band, He's ever played with was born.

After only three months being a Band, the Band got a call to play support for a german Singer-Songwriter who was doing the rehearsal for a major Label Deal this night. The days after this gig, they've been contacted by the manager of an agency, who they then made a contract with.

"It felt like being on the top of everything you can reach as a cover Band. A professional agency, taking care about promotion and booking, Endorsement-deals for gear, and finally a deal with a producer that called us to come to his studio to record an album there." After recording the Album and one gig later, the Band split up, as their regular Jobs where demanding too much time.

After the break up of - Autumn Bound - Linner didn't touch even any instrument for six years. In his opinion Autumn Bound took too much to continue instantly. He just focused on my regular Job in Hospitality Industry. But one day, in 2015 he heard one guy in the kitchen singing. He asked him, if he would just sing for himself or if he would pay some more serious attention to it.

They met for some private jamsessions, but nothing more. "Except, that this guy gave me back what I obviously lost over the years... This guy gave me Sails to get back to my safe harbour."

From this day on in 2017 he now plays as a solo-artists known as Sails & Safe Harbours^[3]

Discography[Bearbeiten]

EPs[Bearbeiten]

A51 in Studio (As guitarist of A51) (2005)
Down by the moorings^[4] (2017)

Albums[Bearbeiten]

Autumn Bound Sessions (As guitarist of Autumn Bound) (2008)
Sails & Safe Harbours From the Studio^[5] (2018)
Why isn't it a capital your heart is beating for?^[6] (2018)
Thank you for asking^[7] (2019)

Live[Bearbeiten]

A51 Live at Upstairs Bar (As guitarist of A51) (2006)

Singles[Bearbeiten]

Gipsy King Blues^[8] (as Feature-Artist & Producer) (2018)

Instruments & Gear[Bearbeiten]

In his early career as a musician he already was endorsed by Musikhaus Fackler, a local Musicstore, where he got his guitars and gear from. When Autumn Bound was formed, he got familiar with a small Shop in Prien am Chiemsee, where he bought a Seagull Coastline Grand QI, which he still uses with Sails & Safe Harbours. On his first record Down by the moorings^[4] he played an Ephiphone Les Paul Standard Sunburst, which he likes for its smooth and spongy sound.

On the second release he also played an ES-335. All his guitars are stringed with JS112 E-Strings 12-50 Jazz Swing Flat by Thomastik Infeld. His Collection also includes a 12-String Archtop Guitar by Quintus, which he got from his Dad in 2001, an Ibanez 4-String Bass, A Les Paul Standard Cherryburst, and several other guitars and pianos.