Chart entered : 22 March 1980
Chart peak : 20
Number of hits : 15
I always felt a bit sorry for this lot. They were the early pace-setters of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and certainly had the best songs - Def Leppard and Iron Maiden have yet to write a song as good as "747 ( Strangers in the Night )" - but had to settle for a distant bronze medal.
Saxon started out as Son of a Bitch" in South Yorkshire in 1976. Singer Peter "Biff " Byford, a binman by day and guitarists Graham Oliver and Paul Quinn had all been in a band called Coast prior to that. The rhythm section were both from Sheffield. Drummer Peter Gill had briefly been in The Glitter Band in 1973 before they made any records in their own right. Bassist Steve "Dobby" Dawson had no previous form.
The band soon changed their name to Saxon , made an impression locally and started getting support slots with the likes of Motorhead. In 1979 they became one of the first signings to the Carrere UK label. Their eponymous debut album was released in May that year. It's mainly a run of the mill metal album influenced by Judas Priest and Led Zep although the odd proggy section and "Still Fit To Boogie"'s Sweet harmonies hint at other influences. There were two singles "Big Teaser " ( not , I suspect, the original title ) which celebrates laddish lairiness and "Backs To The Wall" a blustery , unfocussed shout of defiance. Both are routine headbangers of little interest.
"Wheels of Steel" was their third single, trailing an album of the same name. AC/DC appear to be the main inspiration now with the song hung on a monumental riff and Biff doing a convincing impersonation of Bon Scott's vocal style. The lyrics declare him to be an anti-social driver though they seem a little confused about which country he's cruising in as the car's a "68 Chevy" and he's getting harassed by the "motorway pigs". After two minutes he shuts up and a long if not particularly interesting guitar solo kicks in after which the record runs out of ideas, lamely repeating the riff and title to get up to the four minute mark. It got them on Top of the Pops and gave them a head start over their rivals but doesn't sound very impressive today.
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