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SAXON
- 1976
COUNTRY:
UNITED KINGDOM
GENRE(S):
HARD ROCK, HEAVY METAL, MELODIC HARD ROCK, MELODIC METAL
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SIMILAR BANDS:
DEF LEPPARD, SINNER, HERMAN FRANK, U.D.O., HALFORD, ACCEPT, JUDAS PRIEST, MICHAEL SCHENKER, MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP (MSG), IRON MAIDEN
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Saxon are one of the most emblematic bands of NWOBHM, and is still releasing albums after 30 years.
PASCALJ
- 08.01.2024
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Formed in 1976 in Barnsley, between Leeds and Sheffield, Saxon was made up of Peter "Biff" Byford (vocals) and Paul Quinn (guitar), both from Coast, and Graham Oliver (guitar), then a member of Sob, along with Steve Dawson (bass), with Pete Gill taking over as drummer. The band tried to break into the club circuit in the north of England.
In 1978, Biff and his band continued to scour the clubs, opening for such big names as Ian Gillan. Saxon found favour with a French record company, signing their first contract with Carrère. This was followed by the release of their eponymous debut album, featuring tracks written over the previous three years.
The punk movement was running out of steam as the NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) wave gathered momentum, and bands such as Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Diamond Head, Angel Witch, Raven, Tygers Of Pang Tang and of course Saxon were surfing on it. After a tour opening for Mötörhead, Saxon went from strength to strength, releasing albums and touring. In 1980 they released the album "Wheels Of Steel". Two singles reached the Top 20: "Wheels Of Steel" and "747 (Stranger In The Night)". The same year saw the release of "Strong Arm Of The Law", two of whose tracks proved to be big hits ("Strong Arm Of The Law" and "Dallas 1.pm"). Tour after tour followed, and Saxon even took part in the first edition of Monsters Of Rock on 16 August 1980, in the company of Rainbow, Judas Priest, Scorpions, Riot, April Wine and Touch. 1981 saw the release of their fourth album, Denim And Leather. It was then that Pete Gill was replaced by Nigel Glockler.
In 1982, Saxon released an album recorded live: "The Eagle Has Landed Live". This album reached the top 10 in the UK. The following year saw the release of "Power And The Glory", considered by some to be the band's peak. The band left their Carrere label to join the EMI stable. "Crusader", the first album released on this label, was decried by critics and die-hard fans who found it too tailored to the US market. It was not to be a success. Despite the release of the excellent "Innocence Is No Excuse", Saxon failed to break through in the USA. Steve Dawson left the band and was replaced by Paul Johnson. "Rock The Nation" was released in 1986, featuring Elton John on two tracks. Niegel Glockler was replaced by Nigel Durham for the album "Destiny" (1988). Although Saxon were no longer successful, they retained a core group of fans.
After the flop of "Destiny", Nigel Glockler returned to the fold and Nibbs Carter replaced Paul Johnson on bass. From then on, Saxon slowly worked their way back up the slope, releasing some good albums: "Solid Ball Of Rock" (1990) topped the list, followed by "Forever Free" (1992) and "Dogs Of War" (1995). But 1995 saw the departure of Graham Oliver. His replacement was Doug Scarratt. "The Eagle Has Landed, Part 2" was released in 1996, followed in 1997 by the album "Unleash The Beast". Saxon returned to the front of the stage and some fans and the media rediscovered the band when they thought it was finished. Nigel Glockler once again left Biff's band and was replaced by a German drummer by the name of Fritz Randow.
Saxon confirmed their good health with the release of "Metalhead" in 1999, surely the heaviest album of their career. The band went one better in 2001 with "Killing Ground". This was followed by three years of high-profile concerts (notably at Wacken Open Air 2001 and Bang Your Head 2002). The Wacken concert was immortalised on the excellent DVD "The Saxon Chronicles" released in 2003.
2004 saw the release of 'Lionheart', an album featuring Jörg Michaels (on leave from Stratovarius) on drums. Saxon hit the road again... Nigel Glockler, once again, returned to the ranks in 2005. One album followed another with varying degrees of success, notably "Thunderbolt" in 2018 and "Carpe Diem" in 2022.
2023 saw the retirement of Paul Quinn, one of Saxon's two founding members. He was replaced by Brian Tatler, leader of Diamond Head. "Hell Fire And Damnation" was released the following year, in the same vein as the band's debut, and proved to be another success.
More informations on https://www.saxon747.com/
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DID YOU KNOW?
 The band's first name before becoming Saxon was Son Of A Bitch.
Singer Biff Byford was a miner and textile worker before Saxon became famous.
Saxon lost their contract with EMI in 1998 after failing to break into the US market.
Saxon won Best British Band at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards, more than 30 years after their first recording.
Saxon's name was inspired by a combination of factors, including their British identity and the desire for a strong, memorable name that reflected their music and image.
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DERNIERS ARTICLES ASSOCIES
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DERNIERE INTERVIEW
SAXON (DECEMBER 12, 2023)
Having made the most of the present, Biff Byford and Saxon are wasting no time in promising us hell on this new delivery...
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