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Saxon (band)

Saxon

Background information
Origin Flag of England Barnsley, Yorkshire, England
Genre(s) NWOBHM
Heavy metal
Hard rock
Years active 1976 - present
Label(s) Steamhammer/SPV
Website www.saxon747.com
Members
Biff Byford
Doug Scarratt
Nigel Glockler
Paul Quinn
Nibbs Carter

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 heavily and regularly. Their latest (in support of The Inner Sanctum album) is their largest in the UK since the early 1980s.

Contents

  • 1 History
    • 1.1 Line-up
  • 2 Line-up
    • 2.1 Saxon (1976-present)
      • 2.1.1 Son of a Bitch (1976-1978)
      • 2.1.2 Original lineup (1978-1981)
      • 2.1.3 Second lineup (1981-1986)
      • 2.1.4 Third lineup (1986-1987)
      • 2.1.5 Fourth lineup (1987-1988)
      • 2.1.6 Fifth lineup (1988-1994)
      • 2.1.7 Sixth lineup (1995-1999)
      • 2.1.8 Seventh lineup (1999-2004)
      • 2.1.9 Eighth lineup (2004-2005)
      • 2.1.10 Present lineup (2005-present)
  • 3 Discography
    • 3.1 Studio albums
    • 3.2 Live albums
    • 3.3 Videos
  • 4 UK hit singles
    • 4.1 Non Official releases
    • 4.2 Live albums
    • 4.3 Compilations
  • 5 External links

History

Saxon began with a lineup 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.

  • Saxon - Sixth Form Girls excerpt ( 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. Glockler rejoined the band in 2005 being completely cured from his injury. 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 (replaced by Doug Scarratt), the band split into two different Saxon groups - one dominated by vocalist Byford and his cohort Quinn 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 (although former member one must be indicated as "Oliver/Dawson Saxon"). 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 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. Saxon recorded The Inner Sanctum after the release of the live album The Eagle Has Landed - part 3, which features Glockler and Micheal on drums, as well as former drummer Fritz Randow.


    Line-up

    Founding members listed in bold

    Saxon (1976-present)

    Son of a Bitch (1976-1978)

    Original lineup (1978-1981)

    Second lineup (1981-1986)

    Third lineup (1986-1987)

    • Biff Byford - vocals
    • Graham Oliver - guitar
    • Paul Quinn - guitar
    • Paul Johnson - bass
    • Nigel Glockler - drums

    Fourth lineup (1987-1988)

    Fifth lineup (1988-1994)

    Sixth lineup (1995-1999)

    • Biff Byford - vocals
    • Doug Scarratt - guitar
    • Paul Quinn - guitar
    • Nibbs Carter - bass
    • Nigel Glockler - drums

    Seventh lineup (1999-2004)

    • Biff Byford - vocals
    • Doug Scarratt - guitar
    • Paul Quinn - guitar
    • Nibbs Carter - bass
    • Fritz Randow - drums

    Eighth lineup (2004-2005)

    • Biff Byford - vocals
    • Doug Scarratt - guitar
    • Paul Quinn - guitar
    • Nibbs Carter - bass, keyboards
    • Jörg Michael - drums

    Present lineup (2005-present)

    • Biff Byford - vocals
    • Doug Scarratt - guitar
    • Paul Quinn - guitar
    • Nibbs Carter - bass, keyboards
    • Nigel Glockler - drums

    Discography

    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 - #102 UK

    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

    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
    • (2007) To Hell And Back Again

    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.

    Non Official releases

    Live albums

    • (1997) Live at Donnington
    • (2000) Live at Donnington 1980
    • (2002) Live in the Raw

    Compilations

    • (1988) Anthology
    • (1997) A Collection of Metal
    • (2000) Diamonds and Nuggets
    • (2000) Burrn! Presents Best of Saxon


    External links


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