When the term “New Wave of British Heavy Metal” (NWOBHM) was coined in the late 70s, Saxon was firmly planted in the thick of it. Though the line-up has changed considerably over the 30 year career of the band, Biff Byford, founding member and frontman, has largely ensured that Saxon remained true to the formula which won them a place in the hearts of British rockers.
The band secured a record deal in 1979 and released the first of their 18 studio albums, Saxon (1979). It didn’t take long for the band to make a mark - the second album Wheels Of Steel (1980) resulted in two hit singles, including the thumping title track, and their third album, Strong Arm of the Law (1980), found its place in the hearts of the fans and is widely regarded as their best. During this time the band were touring relentlessly around the UK, enjoying their success, but it was not to last. They never managed to break America and as the mid-80s dawned it was clear that the heady days of the NWOBHM were fading and Saxon were getting left behind, a parody of a bygone age. They made some efforts to take a more commercial direction around the time of the Crusader (1984) album, in an attempt to recapture their fame, but it only served to alienate their core fanbase, so they returned to their fans, and their roots, with subsequent albums.
2007 found them releasing an album, The Inner Sanctum, which was widely considered to be a real return to form and undertaking a grueling tour date schedule
