Metal outfit Saxon are dedicated to rocking

Biff Byford is a genuine, old school, heavy metal rocker.He’s got the hair, the riffs, and, more than anything, the attitude.

As frontman of Saxon, Peter ‘Biff’ Byford has spent almost 40 years moshing and headbanging his way around the world, keeping alight the flickering flame of British heavy metal. And he is not going to stop any time soon.

“I can’t do anything else, so keep going forward,” he says in a soft Yorkshire accent. “It’s too late for me to retreat – only advance. There are no reverse gears!”

Formed in the South Yorkshire mining town of Barnsley in 1976, Saxon were at the forefront of what became known as the New Wave of British Heavy Metal – alongside fellow metallers Iron Maiden, Motörhead, Def Leppard and Diamond Head. And from the late 70s through to the mid 80s, they reigned supreme. Even when their sound fell out of favour at home. they were feted as heroes in mainland Europe.

Their permanent influence on rock can be heard in much of what followed – be it American glam metallers Mötley Crüe, Skid Row, or more extreme thrash metal acts like Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer and Metallica.

Since their formation under previous moniker Son of a Bitch, they have shifted more than 10 million copies of their 26 albums, eight of which have hit the top 20 – including 1980s’ top five opus Wheels of Steel.

They have barely been out of the studio since – nor away from the tour bus. I caught up with Biff after a sound check, on a tour which on Friday, February 6, sees the band playing the O2 Academy Oxford.

The band had been scheduled to play last month but were forced to cancel when drummer Nigel Glockler fell ill, mid-tour, with a brain aneurysm.

He has since had surgery and, says Biff, is recovering well, though is not well enough to play.

Joining Biff, guitarists Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt and bassplayer Nibbs Carter will be Sven Dirkschneider, son of German heavy metal singer Udo Dirkschneider of the bands Accept and U.D.O.

“It’s great to see Nige on the mend,” says Biff. “Now he’ll get the chance to see the band from out front for a change.”

Even after four decades of rocking, they promise an incendiary perform-ance. “We give it 100 per cent,” says Biff dryly. “We take it seriously.”

He’s right. While other metal bands are happy to laugh at the excess of life on the road, or make light of the Spinal Tap-style pitfalls of the rock lifestyle, Biff plays it straight. Yes, there have been ups and downs, he admits, lean times too, but he insists Saxon is a professional outfit.

They have never lost sight of their goal nor forgotten their fans, even when fame dwindled, such as in the late 80s when they were dropped by EMI, or during the extended battle from 1999-2003 between Biff and former bandmates Graham Oliver and Steven Dawson over ownership of the group’s name.

“Spinal Tap just focusses on the ridiculous, and the things that happen while spending long periods on the road,” says Biff. “It’s all funny but all professions have a daft side.

“There are still bands out there like that,” he goes on. “You can get carried away with it.”

So did he ever get carried away? “I had fun,” he says.

“I was lucky enough to travel the world. The 80s was the best time of our lives. It was very full-on.”

And what was best? “You know...” he says, turning uncharacteristically cagey. “Groupies?” I ask. “A bit!” he says with a smirk.

“It was the same for other young bands with young fans. You have to remember AIDS wasn’t around then, so it was all pretty much free sex. It was like that for all bands, but particularly our genre. It was rebel music; it still is.”

Survivors: Saxon, with Biff (centre) return to Oxford - minus drummer Nigel Glocker (second from left) 

And was he a rebel? “Definitely!” he says. “It was all about motorbikes, freedom, fast cars and loose women.

“There were lots of girlfriends on the bus. Crazy days!

“I once had a girl from a radio station who said she’d never been with a singer, so I said ‘now’s your chance!’ I wasn’t going to run away.”

Did he ever come unstuck? “I was careful,” he says conspiratorially. “When we did TV, things seemed to get out of control – but it was like that for all bands. It was like that even more for the new romantics; we were the bikers but they were the pirates!”

And what about comedy? Surely there must have been mishaps along the way? “There were lots of split trousers. When you’re jumping up and throwing poses, trousers tend to split – and not always in the best place.”

But, wardrobe malfunctions not-withstanding, fans are more likely to get an earful than an eyeful.

“We’ve released some great albums over the past years that have stood up to the standard of our 80s albums – and we get a lot of respect.

“It’s just rock music!” he says. “And it’s all about the music!”

Saxon
O2 Academy, Oxford
Friday, February 5
Tickets: £26 from www.ticketweb.co.uk