Memories of Mayhem: SAXON Frontman Recalls Early Touring Days
During a recent interview, SAXON frontman Biff Byford shared one of his most vivid memories from the wild world of metal, transporting fans back to 1979. This early memory involves a legendary tour with none other than Motörhead. Back in their fledgling days, SAXON hopped aboard the Motörhead tour bus, catapulting the Yorkshire lads into a whirlwind of travel, music, and a newly revealed perspective on rock and roll.
“It Was A Big Eye Opener”
“I think that one of my early memories was touring with Motörhead in 1979,” Byford recounted. “It was the first tour we ever did, the first time we ever went on a tour bus. They invited us on the bus to travel with them; we were very naive Yorkshire lads then, and still are, probably, but back in the day, we hadn’t seen that kind of glam side of things.”
The tour took them through London, where they witnessed firsthand the deafening roar of Motörhead’s dedicated fan base. For the members of SAXON, it was a trip into the heart of a rock ‘n’ roll world they hadn’t yet experienced.
“We traveled to London because they were doing Top of the Pops, and obviously we weren’t. We had to hang about there watching the show and everything. They came out of the Top of the Pops studio with about seven girls.
It was the first time we’d ever seen that many groupies, I suppose you’d call them. And it was a bit of an eye opener.” Their time with Motörhead wasn’t just about glam and girls,quecque it’s entirety.
They were a valuable asset. They were big friends of ours and remained friends forever. “That tour we did with Motörhead was like a big eye opener,” Byford added.
“We were up in the front of the bus and they were at the back. And yeah, it was a great time,” Biff recalled. Motörhead helped us a lot in our early career,” he continued, wishing to illuminate just how important that initial exposure was to their future very importantly. “It was like a big eye opener because that was, like, 30 dates or something, no days off and every day on the bus and the hotel.” He went on to say, “They were doing multiple nights everywhere. At the beginning of the tour there’d be one [show in] Birmingham, one in London, and by the end of the tour, we’d have done like three of those. And it was a real help to us.”
Forging Their Own Path: New Album, Classic Hits and Looking Back
Fast forward over four decades, and Byford now finds himself leading SAXON on a European tour. Aptly titled
“Hell, Fire And Steel,” the tour promises a diverse setlist encompassing tracks from their latest album, “Hell, Fire And Damnation,” as well as their iconic “Wheels of Steel, the entire
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“Hell, Fire And Damnation,” struggled their latest hit platinum outing with an impressive new album released in January. It showcases
How did Motörhead’s performance style and stage presence influence SAXON’s approach to live shows?
## Interview with Biff Byford of SAXON
**Interviewer:** Biff, thanks for joining us today! You recently shared a fascinating anecdote about your early days in SAXON touring with Motörhead. Can you tell us more about this experience?
**Biff Byford:** Absolutely! It was back in ’79, our very first tour ever. Motörhead, being the absolute legends they were, invited us to hit the road with them. We were just naive Yorkshire lads back then, hadn’t seen much of the world, let alone the wild side of rock ‘n’ roll.
**Interviewer:** What stands out most from that experience?
**Biff Byford:** It was a real eye-opener, [1(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbolt_(album))] you know? Seeing the power of Motörhead live, the sheer energy they brought to the stage, and the deafening roar of their fans in London… It was a whole different world for us.
**Interviewer:** Did that tour influence SAXON’s music or approach to performing?
**Biff Byford:** Oh, absolutely! It showed us what rock ‘n’ roll could truly be. Motörhead’s passion and dedication to their craft was infectious, and they pushed us to raise our game. We learned a lot from those guys.
**Interviewer:** It’s incredible to hear how that early experience shaped SAXON’s journey. Thanks for sharing those memories, Biff.
**Biff Byford:** My pleasure!