EXCLUSIVE: Saxon are working on a brand new song in tribute to Lemmy and Motörhead. Bandleader Biff Byford made the revelation whilst speaking to eonmusic on the red carpet at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards, which were held in London on 13th June.
Photo: Dean Fardell.
By Eamon O'Neill on 25th June 2016.
EXCLUSIVE: NWOBHM heroes Saxon are working on a new song in tribute to late Motörhead bandleader Lemmy Kilmister. Saxon frontman Biff Byford made the revelation whilst speaking to eonmusic on the red carpet at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards, which were held in London on 13th June.
Appearing at the ceremony which took place at the city’s Hammersmith Apollo, Saxon were joined by remaining Motörhead band members drummer Mikkey Dee and guitarist Phil Campbell, to perform a special three song ‘Salute To Lemmy’. Talking about the performance, Byford said that it had been a fitting send off for his long-time touring companion. Said Biff: “It’s a good feeling, you know, saying goodbye to a friend. It’s good, I like it”.
Asked if he’d ever sang those songs – ‘Ace Of Spades’, ‘Overkill’, ‘Born To Raise Hell’ – before, the singer revealed that not only had he sang the Motörhead tracks, but that Lemmy had actually sang on Saxon songs in the past. Said Biff: “I’ve sang them on stage with them, but a little known fact is Lemmy’s actually sang with us on stage at Hammersmith. He sang ‘747 (Strangers In The Night)’ and ‘Princess Of The Night’ in the nineties when we played here with him”.
Going on to chat about the band’s appearance at Download Festival, the singer said that Lemmy had been in his thoughts during their performance at the Midlands Event. Said Biff: “We did ‘Heavy Metal Thunder’ for him. He’d like that, and it was good. It was a good idea. We did it at [Download] Paris as well”.
It was then that Biff revealed that Saxon were working on a brand new track, in special tribute to both Lemmy and the band Motörhead. Said Biff: “I’m writing a new song about him and Motörhead, [about] the early days. I’m going to call it ‘They Played Rock ‘N’ Roll’. If you’re a Motörhead fan you know what I’m talking about”.
Saxon are due to hit the road in the U.K. and Ireland in October with special guests Girlschool and Fastway. The tour begins in Newcastle on 28th October, and finished in Nottingham on 9th November.
Saxon with Fastway and Girlschool 2016 U.K. and Ireland Dates:
28 Oct - Newcastle, O2 Academy
29 Oct - Glasgow, O2 ABC
30 Oct - Belfast, Limelight
1 Nov - Dublin, Academy
2 Nov - Manchester, O2 Ritz
3 Nov - Bristol, O2 Academy
5 Nov - London, O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire
6 Nov - Wolverhampton, Wulfrun Hall
8 Nov - Sheffield, O2 Academy
9 Nov, Nottingham, Rock City
EXCLUSIVE: NWOBHM heroes Saxon are working on a new song in tribute to late Motörhead bandleader Lemmy Kilmister. Saxon frontman Biff Byford made the revelation whilst speaking to eonmusic on the red carpet at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards, which were held in London on 13th June.
Appearing at the ceremony which took place at the city’s Hammersmith Apollo, Saxon were joined by remaining Motörhead band members drummer Mikkey Dee and guitarist Phil Campbell, to perform a special three song ‘Salute To Lemmy’. Talking about the performance, Byford said that it had been a fitting send off for his long-time touring companion. Said Biff: “It’s a good feeling, you know, saying goodbye to a friend. It’s good, I like it”.
Asked if he’d ever sang those songs – ‘Ace Of Spades’, ‘Overkill’, ‘Born To Raise Hell’ – before, the singer revealed that not only had he sang the Motörhead tracks, but that Lemmy had actually sang on Saxon songs in the past. Said Biff: “I’ve sang them on stage with them, but a little known fact is Lemmy’s actually sang with us on stage at Hammersmith. He sang ‘747 (Strangers In The Night)’ and ‘Princess Of The Night’ in the nineties when we played here with him”.
Going on to chat about the band’s appearance at Download Festival, the singer said that Lemmy had been in his thoughts during their performance at the Midlands Event. Said Biff: “We did ‘Heavy Metal Thunder’ for him. He’d like that, and it was good. It was a good idea. We did it at [Download] Paris as well”.
It was then that Biff revealed that Saxon were working on a brand new track, in special tribute to both Lemmy and the band Motörhead. Said Biff: “I’m writing a new song about him and Motörhead, [about] the early days. I’m going to call it ‘They Played Rock ‘N’ Roll’. If you’re a Motörhead fan you know what I’m talking about”.
Saxon are due to hit the road in the U.K. and Ireland in October with special guests Girlschool and Fastway. The tour begins in Newcastle on 28th October, and finished in Nottingham on 9th November.
Saxon with Fastway and Girlschool 2016 U.K. and Ireland Dates:
28 Oct - Newcastle, O2 Academy
29 Oct - Glasgow, O2 ABC
30 Oct - Belfast, Limelight
1 Nov - Dublin, Academy
2 Nov - Manchester, O2 Ritz
3 Nov - Bristol, O2 Academy
5 Nov - London, O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire
6 Nov - Wolverhampton, Wulfrun Hall
8 Nov - Sheffield, O2 Academy
9 Nov, Nottingham, Rock City
