Saxon on BBC last night

arkitex

New Metal Member
Sep 8, 2004
22
0
1
Hi
Did anyone else catch a feature on the BBC programme 'Insight' last night, I nearly fell of my chair when Rick Wakeman started talking about 5 lads from Barnsley, As i knew it must be Saxon.. well he was, and it showed interviews with biff, tour footage, and how basically celebrating 25 years of Saxon. also clips of the band in the studio singing 'Lionheart' . there were also old footage of the band on TV, some not on the Chronicals. he was also saying that Lionheart would probably sell well in places like germany and the rest of europe and south america,, but not here in England, and thats a shame as we invented heavy metal, and it seems that peole around the rest of the world get the point of heavy metal! and we the brits dont and are happy to be into boy bands etc!! ,, hehe.. anyway,, it is good to see SAXON getting some publicity on TV, and prime time too I cant remember the last time i saw them on the box!

Ciao
:headbang: :wave: :headbang:
 
Bloody Hell! Thanks for that Arkitex! If I would've caught that on TV it may have justified the BBC's demand of licence money! But, alas, I missed it and did not even know the great Rick Wakeman (he's a pretty funny guy!) even had his own show!
I think there may be a Rock connection here - did Rick Wakeman play the keyboards on an early demo of 'Frozen Rainbow'? This seems to ring a bell...
It's great that Lionheart is getting media support, no matter how small the show/program is.
Regarding English respect - it is sad to see. The UK is the spiritual home of Metal and Saxon have cultivated a distinctive 'English' sound like no other band. It's ironic that the majority of fans are from Europe when Saxon's music and lyrics relate to a distinctly 'English' vibe.
But, then again, isn't that what the Saxons were initially? A race of Europeans that laid there home in England - over numerous invasions - and then went on to develop the English Bulldog spirit we know today?
I'm no historian, so I may be wrong... But aren't the English a mixture of European cultures mixed into one over a massive period of time?
That sounds like the Saxon vibe to me!
Anyhoo - is this Rick Wakeman show a regular thing? It sounds interesting.
 
Like many other saxon fans on this board and else where, mist saxon on the bbc the other night, because more or less nobody new that saxon where going to be on the programme cause it wasent advertised on the saxon web site or the bbc dident list that saxon where going to be on the programme so i sent a email to the bbc saying that the ballsed up not advertising that saxon where going to be on i havent got a reply back yet they said it would take about three days to get a reply back.

But maybe if we all sent an email to them complaining they just might repeat the programme for us fans go to www.bbc.co.uk/feedback and you can get the email address from there.

THANKS TO THE BBC FOR A RIGHT BALLS UP.
 
hi, i think i was just lucky i was tuned in to BBC 1 at the time, i was about to switch over, but the anouncer said mentioned that there was going to be a feature on heavy metal on the next programme... so i stayed tuned to my luck. i have never watched the show before, but can see its a regional programme, so i guess only people in the yorkshire/lincolnshire area could watch it. Never the less good on the BBC to recognise that SAXON are important enough to make a feature about them. Rick wakeman was a guest presenter. so he hasnt got his own show!.lol although it would be great!.. anyone ever see him on 'Grumpy old men'....lol also on that was the late john Peel (RIP) . by the way on the saxon feature, Lemmy was also on,,, and he said , waht a great band saxon are.. lastly,,, i agree lets complain to the BBC,,,, then they will see how popular SAXON are now, hmmmmmmmmm and maybe we will see BIFF guesting on 'Never mind the buzzcocks!!!! that would be great!!!!!
rock on
 
I caught the programme by sheer luck. Great to see Saxon on BBC1. Thought it was a nice little feature.Good exposure (if only regional). Was interesting also cos i didnt realise an old friend from Boston was on the road crew! (Biff also used to live in Boston)
 
Good idea, 747 - maybe enough feedback will provide evidence that repeating the show is a good idea for viewing figures. That is the way they will look at it.
To be fair, it is good enough that the BBC gave some time to Saxon - I reckon we all ought to have a little moan to the Saxon Official Website. They do a great job, but do have the responsibility of promoting the band and keeping in touch with the fans. I think it would be fair to say that 100% of us would have tuned into that program, or got a friend/relative to record it for us if the Website had simply informed us that a Saxon related article was to be aired at blah, blah time and day on the BBC. This is one of the main reasons why we have Fan sites, isn't it?
Arkitex - I was only thinking of how cool it would be to have Biff on Buzzcocks a few weeks back! He definately has the sense of humour for it, and I'm sure he could come out with some decent anecdotes of his Rock n Roll life!
Lemmy was on it a few years ago and, although it was fun to watch, I think Lemmy lacks the humour that's needed. If I'm correct in remembering, they had to edit the show because he stormed off stage for awhile because of the sarcastic comments.
But, if you think about it, Biff is a pretty scary guy - intimidating.
With his imposing presence, piercing stare and Yorkshire wit, Biff could keep that Lamarr bloke in his place!
By the way - noone has come back to me about Wakeman playing on 'Frozen Rainbow'! Did I dream this or what?
 
nightwar said:
To be fair, it is good enough that the BBC gave some time to Saxon - I reckon we all ought to have a little moan to the Saxon Official Website. They do a great job, but do have the responsibility of promoting the band and keeping in touch with the fans. I think it would be fair to say that 100% of us would have tuned into that program, or got a friend/relative to record it for us if the Website had simply informed us that a Saxon related article was to be aired at blah, blah time and day on the BBC. This is one of the main reasons why we have Fan sites, isn't it?
Arkitex - I was only thinking of how cool it would be to have Biff on Buzzcocks a few weeks back! He definately has the sense of humour for it, and I'm sure he could come out with some decent anecdotes of his Rock n Roll life!
Lemmy was on it a few years ago and, although it was fun to watch, I think Lemmy lacks the humour that's needed. If I'm correct in remembering, they had to edit the show because he stormed off stage for awhile because of the sarcastic comments.
But, if you think about it, Biff is a pretty scary guy - intimidating.
With his imposing presence, piercing stare and Yorkshire wit, Biff could keep that Lamarr bloke in his place!QUOTE]

I think the website is the last place to find out any new information about Saxon! But as Vince would say, he can only put on information when the band tell him. But when the drummer of Saxon leaves the band, you would think that we would hear about it on here wouldn't you?!! I may be wrong, but I don't think there ever was an announcement on here about Fritz leaving. The first thing we knew about it was when someone put a link on from another website saying that he had left!

I remember Biff being on that show that Mike Reid used to host in the 80's (I can't remember what it was called, something like Pop stars I think). Biff was quite amusing I seem to remember.
 
Paxo - I think the Mike Read show was called, (in a cockney accent) 'Run Around', yeah?
I agree with you completely that the official site SHOULD be the place where we receive all information relating to the band and its members, and I know this just has not been the case, which is strange, particularly as many interesting things have been happening recently.
I reckon the only way we can change this is kick up a fuss on the forum, send emails to the Webmaster etc. as I'm sure Biff and Co would prefer newsflashes and such to come initially from their own website. After all, I'm sure that most people attending the gigs are regulars on the forum and website, and therefore major customers.

Lets put some post in saying what we would like featured on the Official Website. This can be invaluable Feedback for the Sites designers. If we say what we would like from the site, it may provide - in a constructive manner - some direction and indicate where they are going wrong for the fans.

I will start it off:
My request to improve the official site:

All broadcast material relating to the band Saxon - and its members - being transmitted on all levels of media (TV, Radio, Internet etc.) should be advertized on the Offical Site to the best of the designers abilities. These promotions should be produced with good notice and provide a sensible description of what the broadcast involves and contains. Instructions of where to find the broadcast is required. This will assist in the promotion of Saxon and, therefore, the long-term success of the official Website.

Maybe a comment from a Rep at the Official Website would be beneficial at this stage?
 
nightwar said:
Paxo - I think the Mike Read show was called, (in a cockney accent) 'Run Around', yeah?QUOTE]

No! That is the wrong Mike Read. I mean the other one who was a DJ on Radio 1, and who was in 'I'm a celebrity, get me out of here' earlier on in the year. I think his surname might be spelt 'Reid' actually, and not 'Read'.

Vince is the only person who runs this Website as far as I am aware, so any complaints should be directed at him. But like I mentioned before, he can only put on information that the band give him. So basically, it is down to the band (well Biff) about how much (or rather, how little) information that they put on THEIR own OFFICIAL WEBSITE.
 
Your old friend from Boston is not road crew (theyre German for the most part). He actually did some percussion on the album Lionheart and his mate(Chris Stubbley) from Swineshead played keyboards on the title track....y know the voices n stuff
 
Mr Addiction - Thanks for that. I knew some keyboard guy got onto an early version! Cheers!
Paxo - All I can say is 'DOH!'

I know which Mike Reed your on about now. That's the Celebrity Jungle guy, yeah? I was more of a Steve Wright and Tommy Vance kind of guy in the old days, so I know this Mike was a DJ but never really had anything to do with him. I think he presented 'Top Of The Pops' during the Eighties and, like a sensible fellow, I always used to switch the channel when that crap came on!
To me, Mike (EastEnders) Read, is a much cooler kind of guy! But thanks for sorting out my confusion!