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Artist
Saxon
12+ albums
heavy metalNWOBHMhard rockmetalNew Wave of British Heavy Metal
about
Saxon are an English heavy metal band formed in Barnsley in 1975. As one of the key acts of the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM), they achieved significant commercial success during the 1980s, including eight UK Top 40 albums, four UK Top 10 albums, and two Top 5 albums. The band also released numerous hit singles on the UK Singles Chart and achieved international success in Europe, South America, Japan, the United States, and Canada. They have sold more than 23 million records worldwide and remain an active touring band. The band formed from the merger of members of two Yorkshire bands, S.O.B. and Coast. S.O.B. originated as Blue Condition in 1970, featuring Graham Oliver on guitar, Steve "Dobby" Dawson on bass, and John Walker on drums, performing blues rock and hard rock. The group later became S.O.B. in 1974. Coast included vocalist and bassist Peter "Biff" Byford and guitarist Paul Quinn. In 1975, members of S.O.B. and Coast combined to form a new band initially named Son of a Bitch, with Byford as lead singer. The band recorded a demo titled "Tapestry" and performed extensively between 1975 and 1978. Walker was later replaced by Dave Cowell in 1977, and subsequently Pete Gill became the drummer. In 1978, the band signed with Carrere Records and changed their name to Saxon, as the previous name was considered unsuitable for radio airplay. Their debut album, "Saxon", was released in 1979. They initially gained recognition by supporting acts such as Motörhead and
