Saxon (band)

Saxon is 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 U.K. Top 40 success in the early 1980s, and also tasted success in Europe and Japan. They are still performing in the new millennium.

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.

A relentless series of headlining tours around the U.K. 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.

Throughout the band's history, line-up changes have been common. Gill left in 1981 after injuring his hand, to be replaced by Nigel Glockler, formerly of Toyah Willcox's band, who was himself temporarily replaced following an injury of his own in 1998. Gill later went on to play for Motörhead. Dawson departed in 1986; fellow founder member Oliver followed in 1995 and was replaced by Doug Scarrat. Since then the line-up has been fairly stable apart from the departure of several drummers (Glockler in 1998, Fritz Randow in 2004). The current line-up that played on the recent Lionheart album consists of Byford on vocals, guitarists Quinn and Scarrat, Jörg Michael on drums and bassist Nibbs Carter.

Dawson and Oliver both went on to form a new incarnation of Son of a Bitch, which later transformed into an alternative Saxon. A legal battle saw the rights to the name go to Byford's version of the group, with the other outfit performing under the name Oliver/Dawson Saxon.

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 cornuto with his right.

Albums

• Saxon (1979)
• Wheels of Steel (1980); #5 UK
• Strong Arm of the Law (1980); #11 UK
• Denim and Leather (1981); #9 UK
• The Eagle Has Landed (1982; live); #5 UK
• Power and the Glory (1983); #15 UK, #155 US
• Crusader (1984); #18 UK, #174 US
• Innocence Is No Excuse (1985); #36 UK, #133 US
• Rock the Nations (1986); #34 UK, #149 US
• Destiny (1988)
• Rock 'n' Roll Gypsies (1990; live)
• Solid Ball of Rock (1991)
• Forever Free (1992)
• Dogs of War (1995)
• Unleash the Beast (1997)
• Live at Donnington (1997)
• The Eagle Has Landed, Vol.2 (1998; live)
• Metalhead (1999)
• Live at Donnington, 1980 (2000; live)
• Diamonds and Nuggets (2000)
• Killing Ground (2001)
• Coming to the Rescue (2002)
• Live in the Raw (2002; live)
• Heavy Metal Thunder (2002)
• Lionheart (2004)

UK hit singles

• 1980 "Wheels of Steel" #20
• 1980 "747 (Strangers in the Night)" #13
• 1981 "And the Bands Played On" #12
• 1981 "Never Surrender" #18
• 1983 "Power and the Glory" #32

Did not have any US Top 40 hits.de:Saxon (Band) es:Saxon sk:Saxon fi:Saxon