Saxon (band)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Background information | ||
| Origin |  Barnsley, Yorkshire, England |
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| Genre(s) | NWOBHM Heavy metal Hard rock |
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| Years active | 1976 - present | |
| Label(s) | Steamhammer/SPV | |
| Website | www.saxon747.com | |
| Members | ||
| Biff Byford Doug Scarratt Nigel Glockler Paul Quinn Nibbs Carter |
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Saxon are a British heavy metal band, formed in 1976 in Barnsley, Yorkshire. As leading lights in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal they had a brief period of UK Top 40 success in the early 1980s, and also tasted success in Europe and Japan. They still tour regularly.
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[edit] History
Their original line up consisted of Peter "Biff" Byford on vocals, Paul Quinn and Graham Oliver on guitars, Steve Dawson on bass and drummer Pete Gill. Early in their career the band changed their name from Son of a Bitch to Saxon, and gained support slots on tour with more established bands such as Motörhead.
In 1979 the band signed to the Carrere record label and released their eponymous debut album. In 1980 follow-up album Wheels of Steel spawned two hit singles: the title track, and the crowd favourite "747 (Strangers in the Night)". The Strong Arm of the Law album, considered by fans to be one of their best recordings, was released later that same year, and chart success continued with singles from their next release, Denim and Leather. The title track to that album is seen as an anthem of the early 1980s metal movement. Later legal issues with Carrere negated most if not all of the financial gains seen during their early success. This may be one of the reasons Saxon was unable to gain momemtum breaking into the US market.
- Saxon - Sixth Form Girls excerpt (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- An excerpt from Strong Arm of the Law 's Sixth Form Girls
- Problems listening to the file? See media help.
A relentless series of headlining tours around the UK capitalised on this success, but Saxon were never able to break into the lucrative U.S. market. After 1983's Power and the Glory album, Saxon went in an increasingly commercial direction, but with little success despite signing to major record label EMI. Indeed, the move did little more than alienate their core fanbase. They were seen by detractors as the epitome of the heavy metal cliché. Recently, they have returned to their less overtly commercial roots, and still have a cult following.
Saxon recently did a 25th Anniversary of NWOBHM tour of Germany beginning in early March 2005. To celebrate the anniversary of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM), the band played songs they recorded during the 1980s.
Saxon's latest studio album, entitled The Inner Sanctum, was released in Europe on March 5, 2007, and North America on April 3.
[edit] Line-up
Throughout the band's history line-up changes have been common, but with Byford and Quinn remaining as constants. Gill left in 1981 after injuring his hand, to be replaced by Nigel Glockler, formerly of Toyah Willcox's band, who was himself replaced twice – briefly between 1987 and 1988 (by Nigel Durham), and, more permanently, following an injury of his own in 1998. Gill later went on to play for Motörhead. Dawson departed in 1986 – his replacement, Paul Johnson, lasted two years before leaving. Nibbs Carter has filled the position ever since. When Graham Oliver left in 1995, the band split into two different Saxon groups - one dominated by vocalist Byford and the other consisting of original Saxon members Oliver and Dawson. A period of legal actions ensued, resulting in both groups having the right to use Saxon in their name. The line-up of Byford's Saxon has been fairly stable apart from the departure of a few drummers. Following Glockler's departure, German Fritz Randow took up the position until 2004. His replacement was former Stratovarius man Jörg Michael.
The line-up that played on the recent Lionheart album consisted of Byford on vocals, guitarists Quinn and Scarrat, Carter on bass and Michael on drums. The German originally agreed to perform on the album as a session musician, but following his firing from Stratovarius was hired as a full-time member. Following the rapid reunion of Stratovarius, Michael departed after only a year in the job, opening the door for Glockler to return to Saxon.
Dawson and Oliver both went on to form a new incarnation of Saxon - Oliver/Dawson Saxon, who continue to tour and record.
[edit] Spinal Tap
Dawson has claimed that the character of Derek Smalls from the spoof-metal band Spinal Tap was strongly influenced by him, particularly his prominent facial hair and his penchant for playing to the gallery by fingering his bass with his left hand while throwing a mano cornuta with his right. This is Spinal Tap: The Official Companion says that Harry Shearer spent some time on tour with the band prior to making This Is Spinal Tap.
[edit] Line-up
[edit] Current lineup
- Biff Byford - vocals
- Doug Scarratt - guitar
- Paul Quinn - guitar
- Nibbs Carter - bass
- Nigel Glockler - drums
[edit] Original lineup
- Biff Byford - vocals
- Graham Oliver - guitar
- Paul Quinn - guitar
- Steve Dawson - bass
- Pete Gill - drums
[edit] Former members
- Fritz Randow - drums and percussion
- Jörg Michael - drums and percussion
- Graham Oliver - guitar
- Paul Johnson - bass
- Steve Dawson - bass
- Nigel Durham - drums
- Pete Gill - drums
- John Gallacher - bass
[edit] Official releases
[edit] Studio albums
- (1979) Saxon
- (1980) Wheels of Steel - #5 UK
- (1980) Strong Arm of the Law- #11 UK
- (1981) Denim and Leather - #9 UK
- (1983) Power and the Glory - #15 UK, #155 US
- (1984) Crusader - #18 UK, #174 US
- (1985) Innocence Is No Excuse - #36 UK, #133 US
- (1986) Rock the Nations - #34 UK, #149 US
- (1988) Destiny #49 UK
- (1990) Solid Ball of Rock
- (1991) Best of Saxon
- (1992) Forever Free
- (1995) Dogs of War
- (1997) Unleash the Beast
- (1999) Metalhead
- (2001) Killing Ground
- (2002) Heavy Metal Thunder
- (2004) Lionheart
- (2007) The Inner Sanctum
[edit] Live albums
- (1982) The Eagle Has Landed - #5 UK
- (1989) Rock 'n' Roll Gypsies
- (1990) Greatest Hits Live
- (1998) The Eagle Has Landed - part 2
- (1999) BBC Sessions
- (2006) The Eagle Has Landed - part 3
[edit] Videos
- (1983) Live in Nottingham
- (1985) Live Innocence
- (1989) Power and the Glory - Video Anthology
- (1990) Greatest Hits Live
- (2003) The Saxon Chronicles
- (2003) Live Innocence - The Power and the Glory
- (2006) To Hell And Back Again
[edit] UK hit singles
- 1980 "Wheels of Steel" #20
- 1980 "747 (Strangers in the Night)" #13
- 1980 "Backs To The Wall" #64
- 1980 "Big Teaser" #66
- 1980 "Strong Arm Of The Law" #63
- 1981 "And the Bands Played On" #12
- 1981 "Never Surrender" #18
- 1981 "Princess Of The Night" #57
- 1983 "Power and the Glory" #32
- 1983 "Nightmare" #50
- 1984 "Sailing To America" #81
- 1985 "Back On The Streets" #75
- 1986 "Rock 'N' Roll Gypsy" #72
- 1986 "Waiting For The Night" #66
- 1986 "Rock The Nations" #80
- 1987 "Northern Lady" #91
- 1988 "Ride Like The Wind" #52
- 1988 "I Can't Wait Anymore" #71
Did not have any US Top 40 hits.
[edit] Non Official releases
[edit] Live albums
- (1997) Live at Donnington
- (2000) Live at Donnington 1980
- (2002) Live in the Raw
[edit] Compilations
- (1988) Anthology
- (1997) A Collection of Metal
- (2000) Diamonds and Nuggets
- (2000) Burrn! Presents Best of Saxon
