Saxon , led by Biff Byford , returns to Brazil next month, just under two years after their last visit to the country in November 2023 .
The British heavy metal band will perform at Bangers Open Air on May 3rd, which takes place at the Memorial da América Latina in São Paulo. Tickets are on sale here .
After the festival, the group will head to Porto Alegre and Belo Horizonte . For these dates, the group will perform the classic album Wheels of Steel in its entirety.
Wikimetal spoke with the band's vocalist and co-founder about their return to Brazil, their fanbase in Latin America, the legacy the band wants to leave behind, and more. Check out the full interview.
Biff spoke about his current state of health
Wikimetal: Last November, you underwent hernia removal surgery. How are you feeling now?
Biff Byford: I'm fine. I'm currently in England. It's a bit cold today. The weather has been nice all week, but it's a bit chilly today. But yes, everything is fine.
Bangers Open Air
WM: What's it like to be part of such a highly anticipated festival as Bangers Open Air ? What can fans expect from the band's setlist?
BB: Yes, we're currently playing shows at festivals and it [ Bangers ] will be one of them. We're looking forward to playing there. [upon learning that Saxon is the most anticipated band by fans, according to a poll on the website .]
Regarding the setlist, we're mostly doing "greatest hits" performances. But we'll also be playing tracks from Wheels of Steel during our set.
Full performance of classic matches in the capitals of Rio Grande do Sul and Minas Gerais
WM: Besides Bangers Open Air , you're also playing in Belo Horizonte and Porto Alegre. What can fans expect from these shows, especially with the performance of the Wheels of Steel in its entirety?
BB: Well, people should get ready, because when we play it, we go straight through, without pauses. I don't talk either, it's like 45 minutes of continuous music. So it ends up being really cool.
Saxon and its fanbase in the Americas
WM: Saxon has a large fan base in Latin America. How do you see this relationship with the Latin American audience, and what differentiates this audience from others?
BB: We always get along very well in South America. We have an extremely loyal fan base there. The metal community in South and Central America is fantastic, actually.
So, we've never played Rock in Rio or anything of that magnitude, but since then, all the exposure we've had has been through our albums and social media. But yeah, we love going to play there. The sound is great. And the crowd is very enthusiastic, and as you know, the vibe at festivals and shows is really excellent.
Classic track tells the story of a historic and pioneering English festival
WM: “And The Bands Played On” is very special to the band, right? It’s about the first Monsters of Rock in the UK, in 1980. What are your memories of that time? Do you still remember that festival? Is it special to play it?
BB: Yes, I remember everything, you know. You don't forget these things, especially special festivals like this one. I remember the first time we played in South America, it was in Argentina. We left here [England], flew in and did three shows there, in the late 80s. So, yes, always good memories, especially when it's the first time, you know? Like the first big festival, which was Monsters of Rock back in 1980.
Byford gave his opinion on the rise of AI in the music industry
WM: The use of AI for composing and creating covers has been a growing trend. What is Saxon's view on the increase in professionals using this technology?
BB: We're old school, you know. As for AI and its subsequent advancement, it can be a way to create new music and even write lyrics, something similar. But we still do it the old way. I think it's even cool to use it for videos and things like that.
Especially in our music videos, even more so when they're historical tracks, because there are no records of flying saucers in the sky, and of anyone coming out of them either. Therefore, there's no footage of battles, so everyone has to rely on paintings and books, and I think it's okay to do it that way. But for composing, no, we still like to do it the old-fashioned way.
The band continues with its projects and routine
WM: Is there anything that Saxon still dreams of doing or achieving in the future, whether in terms of music or projects outside of live performances?
BB: Well, no, actually. We're pretty relaxed, doing our job, you know? Right now, we're quite busy doing Saxon stuff, like shows and tours. We're also already writing songs for our next album, which should be out at the end of next year.
Most recent creative work process
WM: The album Hell, Fire and Damnation received extremely positive reviews. What was the creative process like for this album? Because I think this album sounds different, especially the guitar sound and Andy Sneap's production as well.
BB: So, the thing is, the album was made very quickly. We wrote, rehearsed, and recorded.
He [Sneap] didn't have much time because he was touring with Judas Priest , so I think that fact ended up helping us, because the sound came out pretty raw, you know? Very "old school." I think. We really liked it and we'll try to make the next one even better.
In 2021, Saxon re-recorded tracks that were key to the band's success
WM: The album Inspirations brought back memories of the beginning of your career, with re-recordings of covers from major influences. What was the process of choosing the tracks like, and what does this album mean to Saxon?
BB: I just made a list of the songs that influenced me. And obviously, some of the guys are the same age [74 years old] as me. But I want to say that everyone was very happy with the tracks. From the selection process, everyone was really quite pleased.
Yes, it was a lot of fun. Actually, you know, we didn't have to write anything. We just went there and recorded, and some of them were quite difficult for me to sing, but I really enjoyed it. It was fun.
Saxon's legacy influenced major names in heavy metal
WM: With over 50 years in the business, you've been a huge influence on many names in metal. How do you reflect on this long journey and the band's impact on the music scene?
BB: I think it's very good. I mean, it's good that they say we influenced them. In a good way. So, yeah, I think it's great. You know, back in 1980, there was Iron Maiden , us, Motörhead , and Judas Priest had already been around for a while. We probably influenced Metallica , too.
And obviously, our image and the type of rock music we had in Mötley Crüe . I also see Pantera and several other bands commenting that we were an influence on them, but I feel that sometimes it's more about the attitude we had, and that had a big effect. We don't give a damn, we'll never give up, and that kind of behavior was important to us, in fact, it still is. And because of that, it ended up inspiring a lot of people.
Arrival of the new guitarist
WM: In 2023, Brian Tatler joined Saxon. What has it been like sharing the stage with a co-founder of such a legendary band as Diamond Head?
BB: Well, he has good ideas. And a huge amount of ideas that he's never used, which ends up being interesting for us, because I can look at his old materials and see if I find something I like. So, it's a good process, really.
He's from the same era and generation as me. And people know him. People respect him, so I think he's become a great replacement for Paul [Quinn] .
Relationship with former guitarist
WM: So, speaking of Paul, how is he doing now?
BB: He's doing well. I talk to him all the time. He's doing some projects with his blues band, and we're working on something with that, too. I think he's a little bored, but, you know, that's what happens when you retire.
WM: For someone just starting to explore Saxon's discography, which album would you recommend as a starting point?
BB: I'd say two , Wheels of Steel and Hell, Fire and Damnation . And if you like, you can listen to everything we released in between.
Biff Byford's feelings while playing with Saxon at Wacken Open Air.
WM: So, you guys also play at Wacken . What's it like playing there?
BB: We've been playing at Wacken for a long time now. I think it was in 1992 the first time, and since then it's been great. We've seen the festival grow over the years and become one of the biggest and best festivals in the world, I would say, for heavy metal and rock in general.
It's not just metal that plays there. They have, you know, Foreigner , or Status Quo , who aren't exactly metal. So it's a great festival, a great atmosphere. And when you perform for 70, 80, 90 thousand people, it's always a great feeling to capture all that emotion. You can really feel the vibe of the crowd.
Biff Byford and his advice for beginning musicians
WM: What legacy do you hope to leave for young musicians who are starting their careers in metal?
BB: Never give up, man, that's the only thing I can say. It worked for us, and it took a long time for us to get a recording contract and be recognized.
We'd been trying this since we were 17, and it took about nine years to get to a point where we'd actually released an album. So just keep trying. Never give up. Try to be as unique as possible, and that's the secret.
A message to Brazilian fans
WM: Could you send a message to the band's fans in Brazil and to those who will be attending one of the shows?
BB: We're going there. We don't play many festivals in Brazil, so it's going to be great. I think it's going to be a big day, really, it's a big tour. We've been a few times before. We have a large fan base there, and we hope to see you all there.
Banger 's will be great, the solo shows will be too, and with Wheels of Steel in tow. So it will be a special moment, and we'll see everyone there. And keep the faith.
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