Saxon interview, 29-05-00 @ JB's, Dudley
Interviewer: Andy Scott
Interviewee: Biff Byford
Questions by Andy Scott + Rob G
Andy Scott: I want to talk to you about your new album Metalhead.
Biff Byford: Yeah, a lot of peoples favourite is Conquistador, I think it harks back to a more classic era. We like to mix it up a bit now, classic and modern. We have to cater for our old fans as well as the kids who are getting into it.
AS: Is there a story behind the album?
BB: Its just a collection of songs we wrote really, no real story behind it or anything.
AS: Would you call it a natural progression for the band this being quite different than any of your previous albums?
BB: Yeah I think so, yeah its more heavier which is where we want to go but also more melodic in a sense.
AS: Like the song Sea of life you mean?
BB: Yeah thats right, we usually play that one live and I play bass but the bass is busted so we wont be doing that one tonight.
AS: Does it piss you off that record companies treat bands like a fashion commodity at the expense of good musicianship?
BB: Weve been very lucky that weve never had to shop around because weve always had a record deal.
AS: You were with Carrerre records for quite a while.
BB: Yeah, weve always had a recording contract luckily enough so all the different fashions never really affected us. Englands pretty faddy anyway, if youre not on TV or magazines very much you tend to be forgotton a bit, in England especially. We never really intended to be a commercial act, we always intended to be a rock band which is what we are. I wouldnt recommend to anyone who wants to be famous or rich, or anything really to take up a career in heavy rock. Youre not motivated by money. I mean, were a british band and we fly the flag all over the world but we certainly dont live and breathe for england musically, we have a much bigger fan base in the rest of Europe or South America. Weve just been to Greece and it was excellent, sold out tour.
AS: You usually play the Wulfrun centre in Wolverhampton when youre down this way, why now Jb's?
BB: Well this guy put on the other Saxon and they cancelled it so we promised them a gig.
AS: Oliver/Dawson Saxon?
BB: Well it might be this week, dont know about next week.
AS: Have you any comments to make about that situation?
BB: Well as far as we are concerned they can call themselves anything they want but we get a bit peed because we believe they are ripping off the fans and when they play venues and they book it as Saxon a lot of people go down there expecting to see us really and sometimes they even have us on, this band on their posters and its unfair because the kids travel a long way. Weve tried really hard these past ten years to pull in a new audience playing Dynamo, Vakka, all the big European festivals, theres now a lot of young kids into Saxon, and Maiden as well, and Motorhead. All these bands have been playing for a while now, getting a good audience, these young kids buy Wheels of steel and everything else and we just feel that a band going out calling themselves Saxon and only playing songs off the first four albums is nuts because we play all those songs anyway. If Graham Oliver was offered the job in Deep purple as guitarist im sure he would try and convince them to change their name to Saxon, thats just what hes into.
AS: If you were offered silly money to do an original line up reunion, would you do it?
BB: We actually have been offered a lot of money to do a reunion, and I wouldnt do it. One we do not need a @#%$in reunion, were actually selling a lot of records now and two I wouldnt work with Oliver again ever, never. I cant go on stage with somebody and pretend to be friends with someone, its just not in my nature, you understand. He's cut his own throat really because thats what he really wants is a reunion, thats what this is all about and I wont do it.
AS: Getting away from that can you tell me whats coming next?
BB: Well weve started the next album which should be out early next year, were doing a lot of festivals in Europe and were about to go back to America.
AS: I heard that even though you tried really hard you never really broke America.
BB: No, weve always done well in the states, never had a multi platinum record mind, I think the biggest album there was Power and the glory which sold around 850,000. Weve always had a good following in America, as does all british metal acts actually.
AS: Of that era?
BB: Yeah of that era really, you know the Maiden, Judas priest, Saxon era, those three bands are massive their mad for it absoloutly mad for it.
COPYRIGHT ANDY SCOTT 2000
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