A few days after the release of Saxon’s new album, “Hell, Fire And Damnation”, we sit down to chat with their iconic frontman, Biff Byford, about the album, the tour, the co-operation with Brian Tatler, Paul Quinn, two upcoming anniversaries in 2024 and much more in a brief but to the point talk. Interview: Yiannis Dolas
Rockpages.gr: So, how would you say that things work out in the studio with Brian for the new record?
Biff Byford: Well, great. He had some good ideas. He worked really well with Douglas (Scaratt) , so yeah, it was really good. Really good. I had a great time. He is a good guitarist and he can write great riffs.
Rockpages.gr: You said that you weren’t expecting to release a new album so soon. Does that mean that the next one is also going to be out sooner, or are you going to take some more time to do this?
Biff Byford: I don’t know yet. I don’t know yet. This album is pretty big. It’s still going, you know, so we may we may tour next year on this album as well. So, that should be good.
Rockpages.gr: Greece is not in your list at the moment.
Biff Byfird: Not at the moment! No!
Rockpages.gr: Let’s hope for next year, then. What do you think?
Biff Byford: Definitely next year or, you know, we might get a festival sometime somewhere, you never know. But, yeah definitely! Definitely. Next year will definitely be on the cards.
Rockpages.gr: Actually, I saw the on Facebook that Paul joined you on stage in Leeds…
Biff Byford: He did!
Rockpages.gr: Do you think that this is going to happen often when you have the opportunity?
Biff Byford: Well, I think so. If we’re in the same place at the same time, I think you’ll probably play with it. Yeah, I think it would be good. I mean, Leeds is in Yorkshire where we’re both from, so there’s a bit of a special concert Leeds. But, if we see him in Germany, or Greece he’d definitely get up to play with us.
Rockpages.gr: Well, that would be great. What about what about the studio? I know that maybe you haven’t, you know, talked about it, or you haven’t worked on new or new stuff yet. But, do you imagine that he will be adding some ideas, or coming up with riffs, calling you on the phone and telling me, you know, I have so stuff for you to check out…
Biff Byford: Well, that’s something you should ask him, not me (laughs)! Obviously, the door’s open for Paul. It’s not closed. So yeah, if he comes up with some great ideas for Saxon, then we’ll use them probably…Yeah!
Rockpages.gr: Last time we talked, you were telling me about Kublai Khan and Marco Polo and everything, and that became a song on “Hell, Fire and Damnation”, actually. So, I guess now I’m gonna ask you what’s on your Netflix favorites list at the moment, or what book is next to your bed, in your bedroom, so I can get an idea of what you are up to…
Biff Byford: (laughs) Well, it’s mostly my it’s mostly my phone these days for reading. I like to read online basically, I am reading about a few things. I’m reading about American Indians. It’s quite a fascinating thing to read about. So, yeah, different things really.
Rockpages.gr: Alright! We got nothing out of that! Okay, let’s go to the next question.
Biff Byford: (laughs)
Rockpages.gr: 2024 actually marks the 40th anniversary of “Crusader”. What do you remember from making this album?
Biff Byford: Well, we made the album in America. We wrote it in England. We recorded it in America. So, yeah, it was pretty good. It was the last big album for Carrere Records, really. And then, after that, we moved on to EMI. So yeah, it was a pretty sort of influential album. I mean, it was a big album “Crusaader”. We did tours on “Crusader”, it was a very happy time reaally. That was the end of that relationship with the French company
Rockpages.gr: Do you have any plans to celebrate that? Maybe play a few songs out of that in the upcoming, what is it, next year?
Biff Byford: Is it next year? Is it?
Rockpages.gr: No, it’s this year!
Biff Byford: Well, we’ll probably feature it. I do ask the audience every night if they want to hear “Crusader”, or “Dallas 1 P.M.”. Last night “Crusader” won. So, last night in Bournemouth, we played “Crusader”, the night before in Ireland, in Dublin, we played “Dallas 1 P.M..” So people are making their own minds of which their favorite tracks are.
Rockpages.gr: Well, it’s a tough choice, isn’t it?
Biff Byford: A tough choice, yeah!
Rockpages.gr: Also, this year marks 20 years since you released “Lionheart”, which was a great album from the new era, and the cover was also amazing. I got the T-shirt from the album. It’s a great T-shirt, so any plans to bring up bring back some songs from that album?
Biff Byford: Maybe we’ll bring back some songs, yeah! We could play “Lionheart”. There’s some great songs on the album. See? Now, that’s a good idea: to bring back some “Lionheart” songs
Rockpages.gr: What would you say that are the weakest Section albums? I’ll tell you mine. I have two “Forever Free”, although I love the title track and “Metalhead”. I think those two are your weakest albums. What do you think?
Biff Byford: Well, everybody has their own opinion and their opinions are like faces. Everyone’s got one, so… I think probably my least favorite would be “Destiny” and maybe… “Rock the Nations”. I like “Metalhead”, actually. “Forever Free”… there are some good songs in there. Everybody has their own opinion. People come and say “oh, “Innocence Is No Excuse” is your greatest album. So, you know, people have their own opinion, don’t they? Who am I to change them?
Rockpages.gr: Well, you are the one that actually made those albums!
Biff Byford: Exactly!
Rockpages.gr: I loved the video “Saxons and Vikings” from Amon Amarth, I don’t know whose idea was it, but it was amazing. Did you go somewhere special to film this?
Biff Byford: Yeah, we went to Estonia somewhere up in the Baltic States on the coast there. It was good. We spent two, or three days with them, we are big mates anyway, Amon Amarth and Saxon, so we get on very well. It’s good that Amon Amarth and Saxon do things together. We’re both historic battle bands as well, aren’t we? So, it works really well together.
Rockpages.gr: Tomorrow (Ed, the interview took place on March 18th), you’re playing in Birmingham, which is an historical city for heavy metal. How do you feel about that going there with Priest?
Biff Byford: It’s also Brian’s hometown, it’s his hometown gig tomorrow, so it should be special.
Rockpages.gr: And what do you think about the new Judas Priest album? Have you heard it?
Biff Byford: Yeah, I like it. I like it… I like ours better!
Rockpages.gr: Last question. What would you say is the best advice you can give to somebody who’s in the band? Well, he’s an artist. And what would you say would be the worst idea that he can ever have? For example, you once said that it’s important not to go out on stage drunk…
Biff Byford: Well, it helps if you’re sober! But, I think the best advice is to never surrender, really! And keep trying, keep trying, keep trying … And don’t stop really. That’s the key I think.
