Saxon Releases New Video; Give Me Your Questions

Saxon just released a video for their new single "Battering Ram" from the upcoming album of the same name. The band is playing in Dayton next month and I'm interviewing Biff Byford for the Dayton City Paper. If you have some questions for Biff, please leave them for me in the comments section!

Comments

[Badland]

They really havent put out anything good since around 1981. 15 minutes was over a long time ago.

[Metalboy!]

Though I could see why you might say that, Badland, for me, it all stopped after their magnum opus and finest hour, 1988's "Destiny" which contains my favorite song, "Where The Lightning Strikes".

Since that album's release, there have been moments that approach past glories, the last one being the anthemic "Live To Rock" from 2009's "Into The Labyrinth".

Unfortunately, "Battering Ram" does not come anywhere near the majesty of those moments.

[Ace Steele]

I guess, given the total apathy to them shown here, Ask Biff why he feels that after being a relatively big band in the U.K. , Saxon was never able to ever really put a dent in the U.S. market.

P.S. I really liked "Princess of the Night" & "Denim and Leather" , but beyond those, Saxon was pretty much a yawn.

[Metalboy!]

Ask him about when he met Lady Gaga and if he could describe the circumstances... Was it at a Saxon gig or a Lady Gaga performance, and what did she have to say? Thanks!

[Bob]

wow, this is not the reaction I had expected to see. No, this isn't the greatest thing they've ever put out, but it certainly isn't bad at all. I actually think their last few albums were very good with the best of them being "the Inner sanctum" from 2007. "atila the Hun" is an amazing piece of music from that album. Plus, Biff still has a hell of a set of pipes, especially given his age.

[Him]

I think that Saxon fandom provides a pretty steady measure of the differences between UK and US appreciations of metal of the NWBHM variety. As a larger commentary, I won't venture. But that is just my two cents.

[Metalboy!]

Whoa!, HIM! There you are! I was worried you were pis*ed for not receiving your prize. Just give Al the okay for me to ask her for your email address so you can answer a few prequalifying questions in order to receive it.

And right you are about the NWOBHM ever really catching on here save for Iron Maiden and Def Leppard, the latter having to reinvent their formula, effectively distancing themselves from any association with the "movement", in order to be successful to compete in a U.S. market awash with the Pop Metal sheen of Crüe, RATT, Dokken and the like.

[Metalboy!]

By 1988, Saxon desperately tried reinventing themselves to capture the imagination of the U.S. market with "Destiny", effectively removing virtually any trace of NWOBHM from their sound.

As most of you may know, the album even included a shockingly incredible cover of Christopher Cross' "Fly Like The Wind".

Predictably, the album flopped with a big loud "thud" though I could never figure it out as it's one of my favorites of all time, their magnum opus, in my mind.

Beyond everything, I'm going to speculate the real reason these guys never made it is simply because Biff Bifford's voice, as much as I love it, is an acquired taste and of limited vocal range when compared to the likes of Bruce Dickinson or Rob Halford.

Fun Fact: As many of you may know, Saxon was the inspiration for the cinematic classic, "Spinal Tap" as Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer toured with the band for 2 months collecting source material for the screenplay.

[Him]

Never mad, Metalboy! Sometimes busy though, with business and personal travel. In those instances, I check in as much as I can and write very little. I will always (and I mean _always_) assume my prize is in the mail!

You are right about Saxon drifting a bit, though I like some of the songs off of 85's _Innocence is No Excuse_. In fact, the level of polishing on that album might have paid off in the US if they had stuck to it. Regardless, a solid band that seems to have recaptured a bit of luster in recent years and on recent albums for sticking to the sound for which they are best known.