My first ever gig (I was 13) was Saxon: Dundee, Scotland at the Caird Hall, Wednesday December 15th, 1980 on the Strong Arm Of The Law tour. I was 13. I still have the ticket.
Another great episode of The UK Connection. Love that you guys talk about your choice of beverage before the show. Love this trio together. Thanks as always Pete for the great content. SOT IS THE BEST CHANNEL ON UA-cam.
Discovered myself, once again, not only thoroughly enjoying the UK Connection to the utmost - but also, taking endless notes about a band a knew very little about.
Another great video and a very enjoyable way to spend 75 minutes guys! Good to see Saxon spoken about so highly. I started way back with `747` which I had on 12" single and used to play it very loud on my headphones. As you know it comes crashing in and after dropping the needle I used to literally brace myself for impact! Probably not good for my ears but I have no regrets it was well worth it! Like many I`ve had gaps in my life without Saxon but that`s not likely to happen again after recently buying `Lionheart` and the fabulous new album `Carpe Diem`. Planning on getting `The Inner Sanctum`, `Battering Ram` and `Into The Labyrinth` asap.
Sorry I missed the live stream of this! Boo! Was reading 📚 bedtime stories to my 5 year old. Who was dancing to (not #Saxon) but Uriah Heep's Abominog! 😁😅 The #UKCONNECTION posse should do a show on the theme of 'Best UK 🇬🇧 classic rock bands' through the decades.... 3 picks each and a wildcard!
Great show as ever guys! Steven I think its time you started your own channel mate. Here my choices... Favorites: Wheels of Steel & Solid Ball of Rock Least Favorites: Rock the Nation & Forever Free Wildcard: Dogs of War 👍
None Saxon related but I was lucky enough to visit the Bahamas recently and sang 'Bula Quo!', on a beach, at my girlfriend, who immediately asked what the hell I was doing, in your honour. Thanks for another great show!
Similar situation to my relationship with Priest: Heard most of the catalogue (so many albums!), but I’ve been in and out with this band. Own everything from the debut through Solid Ball of Rock, but then after that, it’s Lionheart, The Inner Sanctum, Into The Labyrinth, and Sacrifice (and all four of those are excellent.) Extremely difficult to pick a favorite, but, for now, I’ll go with Wheels of Steel. While it probably isn’t fair to pick a least fav for similar reasons listed in my comments to the Priest video, I will say that I’ve never been big on the self-titled debut. Simon, I’m with you on Destiny - I LOVE that album! The video for the Christopher Cross cover is hilarious. I also have a soft spot for Solid Ball of Rock; It was the first Saxon album I ever heard. Great episode, guys!
@@simonbrayfromsot1375 It cracks me up! Forgot to mention that I love the band's cover of the Cross tune (with or without the vid), though that was probably obvious.
I have a funny story about Saxon. So my buddy Ray and I used to go to this record store in Burlington VT called Pure Pop. They had a box of cassettes(yes tapes) for a dollar each. He had gotten there before me and after he had been there and gone home called me and said that he grabbed the two best looking albums by Saxon but he left me the one he didn't think much of. So I went and found the one he discarded and bought it. Now here's the funny part...the two he bought were Power And The Glory & Destiny and the one I ended up with was..... Denim & Leather. 😁
thank you - you reconnected me with my teenage seld in rediscovering the greatness of Saxon, i last saw them in 1982 at the Glasgow Apollo on the Denim and Leather tour. i had not heard any of their next 18 or so albums until your show. I now own pretty much all of the catelogue from dogs of war onwards. i have not ventured into destiny territory ... yet. I have to say that i cannot think of another metal band with the same level of consistency and excitement. i have just seen them supporting Priest in Glasgow on the Invincible Shield tour and man, Saxon ripped the roof off. Thank you for reimersing me.
Saxon... what a band! Don't envy this task! For me... I dunno! Maybe Power and the Glory and Crusader? Just being loyal to my younger self. My least favorites... Only inspirations - don't love covers albums, and the debut. Every other album has GREAT stuff, but so does the debut. My dark horse album would be Call to Arms, which many people sleep on.
I’ve been raving about Saxon for years one of my all time favourite bands so many people know the name but never venture beyond wheels of Steele, Likely the most uncontested catalogues in rock… Favourite album throw a dart , Denim and Leather and Lionheart Least Favorite because I have too , Rock The Nations , Call Too Arms Wild card how can it not be The Eagle has Landed
Yes, I do have to admit that I had no idea Saxon are still going strong. Lost track of them around 1985 but, then again, that´s why we have SoT. Apart from that, please do not disturb, while I am listening to the wonderful Queen Deep Cuts 1 and 2, I found at a nice bargain price. Man, that is a real treasure trove. So many amazing songs and such a pleasure. So much fun! Thanks for the recommendation, Steven. I´m loving it.
26:38 Song choice for Pete: "Why does it always rain on me? Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?" :) Appropriate lyric choice given especially Mr Reid's participation....
It's a great record. "Call to Arms" was where I got back on the Saxon train. Have everything now. Shame I missed out on all those years after "Innocence".
Great topic. Love Saxon, been a fan since the dam began to burst! Seen them a couple of times and they always deliver high quality shows. Carpe Diem is outstanding, Biff sounds as strong as ever. Take care guys!
Another interesting show guys. I'm not a Saxon fan but, I never heard of them until recently. Anyway, it made me think of something you guys mentioned. Since you're Scottish, Steven, you might appreciate this. You guys were saying how Saxon's music sometimes doesn't get the airplay it deserves. Well, when it comes to Simple Minds and US radio, you'd think the only song they've ever made is Don't You Forget About Me. It's a fine song but, they have others that are also good like Waterfall, I Never Promised You a Miracle and Somewhere in Summertime. But I never hear them on US radio. It seems you have to dig elsewhere to find good music, especially these days. That's why I stopped listening to the radio. I didn't even know Simple Minds were still together until last year! On the flip side, radio stations in the US have spent the last 30 years have been playing nonstop the boring and generic music of Bon Jovi! And, Simon, you made a joke about the cops knocking on your door for playing Saxon too loud. Well, when I was in college, I lived in a dorm briefly. One morning, someone was playing the RHCP's song Give It Way a little too loud. It was 7 a.m. when it woke me up. A minute later, someone knocks on the door of the girl who was playing it, loudly three times, and yelled, "Turn that shit down!" And down it went. 😂😂
My favorite: Strong Arm Of The Law (Tough to pick one, but this one takes it.) Least favorite: Solid Ball Of Rock (Not bad, just least favorite.) Wild card: Carpe Diem (I'm loving this new release!!!)
Truly a Pilgrimage of a show - both the journey and spirit of the discussion of a healthy discography. My favourite is Carpe Diem which also is also to date my album of the year this far. Some dubious lyrics aside, the riffs and song structures stay with me when so much metal just washes into one big bowl of mash. As an aside, last year Glen Hughes was and still is producing the goods with the Dead Daisies. Something about theses oldies still knocking out great tunes.
Borrowed my friends LP of Wheels of Steel back when it first came out. He said ‘just listen’. Put on Motorcycle Man….Wow!! Have loved them ever since (with the break in between like Pete had). Wheels of Steel and Power and the Glory are my 2 best! Great show guys!!
Another great show. In the early 80s Saxon we’re by far my favourite NWOBHM band. 1st saw them at St Albans Civic Centre & Biff & the boys were brilliant. My favourite albums are Wheels of Steel & Denim & Leather. I stopped listening with Crusader, which I’ll pick as my least favourite. I just thought they run out of ideas. Which is ironic considering what you all said about Innocence & Destiny being different. I had forgotten until I watched your show that I bought Lionheart (now my wildcard) which I quite liked but not enough to buy anymore (or remember it). I’ve enjoyed them at Download a few times in recent years. Love their new album.
Great video gents! THIS WAS HARD!!!! When I was growing up in the 1980s, in Barnsley, it didn't matter what bands you liked, if you were into rock music you had to like Saxon or you were considered suspect!! Here goes... Favourites: Solid ball of Rock. The first Saxon album I bought for myself, Lionheart. I'd bought all the nineties albums as they came out, and liked them a lot, but this album absolutely blew my mind Least Favourite: Forever free. Love this album but it was disappointing after Solid ball of Rock for me and ERM...I don't know!!!! The debut great but not quite there. Wildcard: To pick something different, it would have been the eagle has landed, the cd hoard box set. It contains some great live stuff! Can't wait for Europe!!
Oooo Lincoln my home town, as for Fido beer 🍻 very fue airfields in ww2 could have FIDO fitted to light up the runway in fog, Lincoln area had a couple, it was all dependent on how close the nearest railway station was/is to the airfield, as the system used 100s of gallons of petrol to light up the runaway in fog. The pipe system can still be seen in the ground to this day on a couple of old airfields about 2 miles from Lincoln.
Saxon are another band that if not for SOT I wouldn't know of them as they were not really that big down here in Australia. I could only find one time they toured here which was 2008 and played very small theaters which in hindsite would have been great. I really like the current album and I will move on to the older albums starting with those you have recommended here. Thanks Guys!
Really enjoyed this episode gents👍🏻 Ii looks like you're going to focus these chats on bands but the discussion about cover version albums made me think that an episode dedicated to cover versions would be really entertaining. A couple that you think are better than the originals, a couple that should never have been made, and a couple of "they covered what?!!😳" wildcards that you never thought would ever work but actually aren't too bad. I'm sure it would be pretty entertaining .
1/ Strong arm of the law 2/ Solid ball of rock 3/ Wheels of steel 4/ Innocence is no excuse 5/ Power and the glory 6/ Denim and leather My least favorite album is: Crusader
Very hard. I love the old albums because I grew up with them. But the new ones blast them away. Nevertheless the old ones are in my heart. There is a time difference of about 40 years! Impossible for me to compare them. So my pick is "Heavy Metal Thunder"! Old stuff with modern production.
So many albums! My favs are "Strong Arm of the Law" and "Wheels of Steel". Least favs are probably "Destiny" and "Solid Ball of Rock", although they're are many in their mid-period I don't really like. Wild card: "Killing Ground" as it brought me back to Saxon. Cheers.
Still working my way through Saxon’s discography, so this is a happy coincidence… So far, my favorites are (in no particular order): Denim and Leather, Sacrifice, Lionheart, Metalhead, Wheels of Steel, The Inner Sanctum Least favorite: self-titled debut… still working my way through the late 80s-early 90s output…
Innocence Is No Excuse was the first Saxon album I got. Definitely my favourite album by Saxon. But you guys are right...they never really did a bad album...they are either very good or brilliant!
I was there in 79 when the dam began to burst. I had just turned 17 and in October (or it could have been November - I don't really remember, but it was definitely before the end if the year) I bought both Samson's Survivors and Saxon's debut from a record shop in Colchester when visiting friends who I'd been on a trip to Russia with . After seeing them support Motorhead in December '79 Saxon became my favourite NWOBHM band at the time preferring them to Maiden, Diamond Head, Def Leppard. However come September 1985 I saw them in Bristol on the Innocence is No Excuse tour and they came across as being a bit tired, so after that I bailed. Then fast forward a number of years and Killing Ground came out with a bonus disc of 8 classic tracks - that later turned up on Heavy Metal Thunder - and I was totally back on board. My favourites, the ones I go back to and play the most, are Crusader and Power and the Glory. I may be a bit contrarian here but I love Sailing to America and never tire of Run for our Lives. If only the production had been a bit more like on Power and the Glory. And of course Wheels of Steel, Strong Arm of the Law and Denim and Leather are bone fide total classics but then, as you all said, so are many of their more recents, especially Carpe Diem - and I agree with Simon that Call to Arms is just great as is the Inner Sanctum. Least favourites - I'm with Simon (again) on Inspirations, and for having that awful cover, Forever Free. Though to be honest I could have chosen anything from after Innocence up to Unleash the Beast with the exception of Destiny as I rarely if ever play those or want to play them. For my Wildcard I was thinling of maybe choosing Destiny, as that is a great album but much maligned - and interestingly, I think it was on a Rick Beato show, the original by Christopher Cross has a great guitar solo going on underneath the last couple of minutes that you can barely hear. Saxon's version is how a cover version should be done. I then had to choose between The Eagle Has Landed Live, where the CD version has additional live tracks so the original could have and should have been a double; Killing Ground with that fantastic cover of In The Court of the Crimson King and the bonus classics re recorded; but had to settle on the debut album as its been in my life since 1979 and I never tire of it. I also cant understand why, apart from on their Unplugged and Strung Up album - which I also considered for a wildcard (although I dont think they really did this song justice on it) - they chose to leave the fantastic Militia Guard languishing behind on the debut, I cant ever recall seeing them or hearing them play that one live and its one of my favourite Saxon tracks.
Although not a huge Saxon fan but there's no denying their MASSIVE discography is one of the most consistent out there. Another one that I am a huge fan of is Paradise Lost's. Also, Steven's bit about how the press would react to bands when they are small then too big reminds me of "Linkin Park" "Burn It Down" (I know it's not popular here) We're building it up to break it back down We're building it up to burn it down We can't wait to burn it to the ground
Excellent once again, love the UK connection albums, best 3 on youtube, well done guys. Right about albums being new but 15yrs old 😂 Also about playing 1 side of an album, Misplaced Childhood Side 1 and Vain No Respect Side 1 comes to mind. Denim and Leather my fave 🤘
Carpe Diem and Inspirations the first Saxon albums I have bought since the Eagle Has Landed. Not sure why I stopped listening to Saxon as thoroughly enjoy 'Eagle' as its a great live album but any way looks like I might have to start buying their back catalogue. Once again another great show, the UK Connection is a must watch for me.
Might just about be my favourite band, and definitely the one I’ve seen live the most. My favourite album would be the Eagle has Landed, but if only going with studio albums I’d have to pull a Pardo and choose both Wheels of Steel and Strong Arm as two halves of my first pick - they were released only a few months apart so I reckon it’s fair to treat it as a double album😉 My second pick would be the Power and the Glory - sorry Steven, that album is pure gold IMHO. Least favourites are actually pretty easy for me. Rock the Nations is an absolute stinker in my book. Bought it on release, hated it then and time has not been kind to it. My second least favourite may be a bit contrarian but, other than the title track and the cover art, the Crusader album does nothing for me and I absolutely hate the production on it. Wild card has to be Destiny for me. Always gets shit on but I find it very easy on the ear. Definitely not their heaviest album but still has its moments and, for me, is far from being their worst.
As someone that isn't really into metal ( I know...why do I watch) I will admit that I learned some things. AS I have stated in the past though, The UK Connection could discuss how to butter a slice of bread and I would watch. Without a doubt one of my favorite UA-cam shows week in and week out. Cheers from the guy known as The Maine Craft Beer Dork on the socials
I shall use this as a jumping off point, as I have for several other bands yinz have covered that I’ve never explored. Enjoyed the episode quite a bit, despite knowing very little of this band’s catalogue. First thing I’ll be doing is checking out those videos, though! 🤘
Right, I'm here, the morning after the night before, but I'm here. Hope this doesn't mean my homework was late, Mr Bray. I did it, but my dog ate it then I left my dog on the bus... Anyhoo, I was already to go, then listened to a ton of Saxon last week and had to back to the drawing board. Twice... Finally, I went for... Favourite 2 - Strong Arm of the Law and Lionheart Least favourite 2 - Rock The Nations, and Inspirations. Wildcard- The Eagle Has Landed, but the full length reissue. Whew, that was tough... Don't do that to me again... for at least a fortnight again! And Simon, if you think that Fido/ Bite comment is going to be ignored, you're barking up the wrong tree my friend...
The first Saxon album I heard back in 82 was the eagle has landed live. I was blown away with the raw power, energy and songs on that album and I bought the other albums in order of their release up to and including innocence. For me nothing came close to the live album so that is my absolute favourite. After that the well known trilogy is great and I also like the first one. There are songs on it that could have fitted on the trilogy and frozen rainbow is a great kind of epic opener. After that I think Power and rhe Glory and Crusader are good. Crusader is more commercial but still some of that raw sound combined with the epic titletrack and some singalong rockers. Side A flows well and of course the artwork is great. Too much effects on the sound though. Same goes for its predecessor power and the glory. I don't like the canny sound on that album with the exception of my favourite track, the eagle has landed. I lost interest with the innocence album, so that was and still is my least favourite album up until then. I think this more commercial aor approach doesn't suit the band and don't like the production. Later on, when they tried to recapture some of that old sound, I tried solid ball of rock, forever free and dogs of war but it didn't keep me interested. Until uneash the beast. Different from the early days but I like it and that would be my wildcard. Also like metalhead and lionheart.
Saxon has a tremendous discography but my favorites are invariably Power & the Glory and Metalhead... The first is just the best for repeated listens- heavy, crunchy and exciting, with interesting things happening all over the place and short enough to be non-fatiguing... Metalhead is obscenely heavy and has finesse (still identifiable with classic metal). Some of the songs like Conquistador and Sea of Life are gorgeous and the album is kind of the early template for their modern run... My least favorites are the debut (bland and doesn't sound like they had found their sound yet), and Innocence is No Excuse (I don't mind more commercial albums but I just don't think the songs are good, most are forgettable). My wild card is Call to Arms because even though their modern run is fairly consistent, I'd say this is the best one since metalhead, from start to finish... I'm always going back to this one even if just for Hammer of the Gods (my kind of riff!) and No Rest for the Wicked.
Interesting comments regarding on/off bandwagon. For me, most definitely on right up to "Ride like the wind" and curly perms with adventures bordering on "Glam/Hair" Metal. Thank goodness it didn`t last !!
Favorites: Power and the Glory Killing Ground Least: Rock the Nations Destiny Wild: Innocence is No Excuse Lionheart Honorable mention: The Eagle Has Landed
Saxon are one of those bands i just never really gave a chance to. I remember around the late 80's/early 90's, i saw or heard that Biff had been slagging off Iron Maiden, saying thathe never understood why Maiden got so huge and that his own band were better. As a massive Maiden fan, i just took it as sour grapes so probably that put me off giving them a proper chance. Also, there seemed to be an image issue as well. Biff always seemed old. I half expected to see him crop up in Last Of The Summer Wine. Bah, anyway, after watching this, i might have to give them another chance. Another great show folks. I really enjoy a lot of the shows on Sea Of Tranquility but i think this show is my favourite, probably because of the humour and the fact i've been to a load of the same shows as Steven Reid, so i have a reference point for a lot of his stories...it's just a good, old fashioned laugh. Keep it up :D
I can’t do this and the reason is Saxon are my number one Off the bandwagon band for absolutely no known reason after Innocence is no excuse an album I really liked I was unaware of the many releases or their quality until lockdown and SOT, I listened to Thunderbolt and wondered what I’d been missing,and working my way through the catalogue it’s a lot. Except Metalhead which I wasn’t keen on. Carpe Diem was also a revelation probably in my top 4 Saxon albums,and my best album of the year. Until yesterday anyway when The Thunder album landed.
As ever guys top entertainment Like you I believe Saxon have not made a bad album been a fan since day one. When I did my ranking on my channel it was the hardest one as all the albums are great. 23 Solid Albums My Favourites Denim And Leather First Saxon Album I bought Carpe Diem As Steven pointed out Lionheart was the start the revival and each album has gotten better and better, but this blew my socks off Least Favourites Rock the Nation and Destiny purely albums of their time but still good songs that sound better live Wild Card The Eagle has Landed this is a belter my Favourite Live Saxon album again they never have put out bad live album Nive to See some love for The Mama's Boys Growing Up the Hard way is a fine album especially their cover of Stevie Wonders Higher Ground Looking forward to Europe as I feel the same way as you guys
What a great catalogue of this band 👏👏 no "10 points" album for me, but all of them a solid 8; you can enter a store (when those existed) and buy any with your eyes closed and you can be confident that you are taking a good album home 🍺🤘
Loved the suggested Christopher Cross cover interlude Simon! I had no idea that was a cover back in the day but, I went on a Christopher Cross deep dive a few months ago and that is my favorite song in his catalog. There's a killer solo on Cross' version of the song!
@@simonbrayfromsot1375 He certainly had connections. He filled in for Ritchie Blackmore on Deep Purple's first gig in the USA. He was 17 at the time! He came up in the same scene as Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Johnson and Billy Gibbons. Eric Johnson appears on all of his albums! Great artist I'd ignored for forty years! I've found some decent material in his catalog.
I’m drinking, from Lagunitas Brewery in Cali, The Waldos’ Special Ale Triple IPA. I have had right at 1800 DIFFERENT beers from all over the states and other countries. It’s been a hobby of mine for the past 10yrs. Now with Saxon unfortunately for me I haven’t heard all of their albums yet. I know shame on me. So with that being said as of now I will say my favorite is, and maybe it will change when I hear all of their catalog. CRUSADER!! This was my introduction to the band and I played the craaap out of this album. I went on a 3 week vacation with the parents when I was 16 and this was one of the tapes I took. It got played a ton. So for sentimental reasons if nothing else this is my fav. I agree with you all that there are NO stinkers whatsoever that I have heard to this point. You said it best Pete. For some reason hear in the states they just kind of went by the wayside and that was and is so unfortunate because they are such a great band and have a fantastic catalog.
@@simonbrayfromsot1375 thank you! I enjoy watching you 3 together. Informative, see what your drinking, and always humorous. The 3 of you are a great match.
I just got the original album series which has the first 4 studio albums and the live album The Eagle Has Landed. Very good planning on trying to get more albums
Stephen's "live by the sword die by the sword" got a song stuck in my head which was not Saxony, drove me mad for 1-2 hours trying to figure it out what it was, but finally found it-- Overkill "Fear His Name" As for Saxony, only familiar with Denim & Leather and the new one (on Pete's recommendation), but this gives me good roadmap to check out the rest. Usually I agree with Stephen so I actually I already listened to Innocence
Favorite two 1. Denim And Leather, 2. Thunderbolt (It grew on me non stop since it came out) ; Least favorite two: 1. Innocence Is No Excuse (they have no bad albums, but I really don't care for this one...) 2. Destiny
Innocence Is No Excuse could've been a great album, but that overproduced, L.A. schlock sound makes it damn near unlistenable. It's still good (in the grand scheme)...if you can stomach past it.
Top 2: Strong Arm of the Law and Wheels of Steel Bottom 2: Solid Ball of Rock and Destiny (Both by no means bad, as there isn't a bad album by Saxon) Wild Card: pulling a Pete X3: Killing Ground, Lionheart and Dogs of War
amusing and entertaing episode as always, love Steven and Simon's sense of homour, as i'm sucker for british/scottish and irish sense of humour, now i'm and die hard metal fan (with an extremely open mind, due to being a die hard fan of music) but i'm a bit of purist and SNOBBY and damn proud of it too :-) i haven't spent 35 years (i count from when i first started collecting/buying records, as i was born into music so in that case, music and hot rodding is the first things i remember in life anyway) listening to records for 5-10 hours EVERY day for all those years, give and take a little, but nonetheless for reasons as whatever, no as metal and punk where my very first self dicovered, so to speak, choice of THIS IS MY CALLING, but it quickly expanded, and the very frist music i DID listen to where Beatles, The Ventures, Beach Boys, early Motown, Roy Orbinson (my Elvis) and the sounds of Phil Spector, through my father, being a record producer, and worked for what was knwon as Polygram now Universal music and did actually take part in the development what became what we call a Copact Disc, ok this is just to give you a little bit from where i'm coming from, now on to this episode, i'm not a so called die hard Saxon fan, i have hardly any bands where i can say that about, although there IS, but i have a different perspective on so called die hard fan, s i'm not that big n logos, although i do like a cool logo, but not as in oh it has that logo on the cover=must buy this, NOT, and NO you don't need to have them all there's too much great in this case metal bands new and old that you haven't heard to LOVE that logo that much, but marketing goes along way ie gotta have them all, now for Saxon i do really LOVE the Saxon i love as in when they were a gritty raw, heavy metal band, including their humble beginnings as with soo many other important bands finding their way with their debut album, but not always, obviously, but this is getting really long, sorry, it's hard to make a point in one sentence specially about something i'm passionate about, to say the least, so as always i love Steven's love for pop music, and this will shine through in evrything he likes, keyboard driven rock music, and all the power to him, he knows his stuff, but with a band like Saxon i like Saxon when they sounded like they where hungry and from the days when productions in this genre where mostly PERFECT which is sadly been lost since about the 90's onwards with big and underground bands too see death metal as an example, another BIG passion of mine, death metal and thrash obviously, anyhow i will conclude this with my 2 fave Saxon albums are, and this difficult, although it's concerning 4 albums, and yes i do have checked in on them from time to time al those albums after these, but i will have to go with; Strong Arm Of The Law, all killer no filler, and for it's passion, and finding their way, their; S/T debut, though this could change if you ask me tomorrow, my to least faves, oh boy where do you start, i think i'll go for; Destiny AND Carpe Diem, as none of these albums sound like MY Saxon sounded like, i don't like A.O.R (and i have tried that genre too) and i don't like modern metal, mind you I DO LOVE NEW BANDS sounding like classic metal, secially the ones that to it so well, you'd believe they where from that era, believe me i should now, as my ears are peeled as always and im sorrounded by musicians/bands the music world (mainly the underground, from where things moslty start in a genre like this) that's all i had to say haha, i'l try and make it shorter next time, but i will try and give people and idea that i'm not one of THOSE metal fans that bla bla....i have a slight perspective, that's all, and hey everyone has their right to have their own opinion 🙂 after all it's only rock n' roll but i love/live it
Favourite 2 Wheels of Steel and Dogs of War just love that album it's like a American wild West effort. Wildcard Battering Ram Surprised no one has mentioned Greatest Hits Live could it be the 1st compilation concert but Heavy Metal Thunder what a version that is on here. I wonder if Steven agrees Saxon became a little bit more Grave Diggery.
Love the word play by Steve, and opened up some Greek beer from Santorini (Volcano the name). My 2 most played are Destiny and Denim and leather and my least played Sacrifice and Saxon. The wildcard would be Solid ball of rock, their return to the Saxon way after Destiny.
@@simonbrayfromsot1375 I enjoyed it, I haven't tasted it before. Because of the show, I have been on a local beer spree in Greece. Whenever I go on an outing I look out for local breweries. Anyway, I really love the show and Saxon have been consistently popular here.
Favorites: 01. Wheels of Steel (1980) 02. Denim and Leather (1981) Least Favorites: 01. Rock the Nations (1986) 02. Saxon (1979) Wild Card: Power and the Glory (1983)
Saxon is one of my very favourite Metal bands of all time. They have never made a bad album, although 3 are not really strong. My two faves: Power & the Glory and Battering Ram - my two least faves: Forever Free and Rock The Nations. Honorable mention: Strong Arm Of The Law, dis-honorable mention: Crusader, legendary title track but otherwise rather weak.
That Warhammer records pressing is a rarity Steven, probably the hardest to find domestic pressing of a Saxon CD! Agreed that it isn't a hammerblow of a record though.
@@franciskocher200 It was a limited UK pressing, as all other versions used the standard artwork from the vinyl Steven showed. There was also a Warhammer version of the Iron Wheels single too.
Another entertaining hour! Now I have the classic 3 and that's it but I committed to buying another on the vack of this show. Bit worried that it was mentioned a couple of times that they are the best. So - maybe something different like Destiny, or maybe Innocence... or just get the new one. Decisions...
A nice bottle of Mad Goose IPA lined up for the show tonight. This was a really tough one gents ! Where was I in '79? Listening to the Radio every Friday night, so if we are talking "favourite" rather than "best", I have to go with the two I still have on vinyl, "Strong Arm of the Law" and "Denim & Leather". This band haven't really done a bad album I think , but in terms of "least favourite" it would probably have to be "Destiny" and "Solid Ball of Rock" as I don't think I've listened to them since they first came out, and couldn't name a song off them now. It may well be time for a re-appraisal. My wildcard pick would be "Innocence Is No Excuse" for some reason some folks have a downer on this album (looking at you Mr. Popoff 😃) but I always rather liked it...
@@simonbrayfromsot1375 I listened to "Destiny" and Solid Ball Of Rock" this morning. They are really quite good, although of the two I think I actually prefer "Destiny". Looking forward to the Europe show and hoping "Bag of Bones" gets a mention. That was the one that persuaded me back on the bandwagon!
Simon, I took your suggestion and viewed "Ride Like the Wind." What I didn't expect was the CC cover. The video was pure 80's, skin-tight short dresses, big hair...oh, and yes their cover was a suitable rendition. Poofy, I think you called it. Nice.
Power and the Glory has always been my #1 to me only bad albums Destiny Innocence is No Excuse (love the album cover) Rock the Nations My Wildcard = Sacrifice
I agree with Steve Bannon, Sixth Form Girls lacks the charm of Jailbait. I love the first Motörhead album, I think Saxon's debut is more like their Rocka Rolla.
I was looking at the Saxon catalogue and thought the same as Steven on Biffs lyrics. His range of topics is amazing from the really interesting to the totally banal. Interesting fact: Wheels of Steel and Strong Arm of the Law were rated 5/5 by Kerrang when they were released. Denim and Leather was rated 3/5 and considered disappointing based on what had gone before, debut album excepted.
The girl on the cover of "Innocence is No Excuse" married Larry Mullen Jr. of U2. So there may be hope for me hooking up with a hot girl after all. I love that one too Steven, always loved Crusader as well, have to say their last 7 albums are really difficult to choose which would be a favorite-they're all amazing.
Saxon fanatics should seek out the overlooked album from Biff and Andy Sneap known as The Scintilla Project called The Hybrid. Great stuff indeed - a little different than Saxon but a high quality release from 2014.
I just love this UK connection series, very entertaining, great knowledge and humor. Keep up the good work
Just watched this show for the third time, really enjoyable. Can't get enough Saxon 🤘
I have to agree with Steven. Innocence Is No Excuse is my favorite as well. Criminally underrated release.
Broken Heroes alone is worth buying the album for.
Well said KP!!
@@TranquilityFireReid 😐
Excellent album👍
My first ever gig (I was 13) was Saxon: Dundee, Scotland at the Caird Hall, Wednesday December 15th, 1980 on the Strong Arm Of The Law tour. I was 13. I still have the ticket.
Another great episode of The UK Connection. Love that you guys talk about your choice of beverage before the show. Love this trio together. Thanks as always Pete for the great content. SOT IS THE BEST CHANNEL ON UA-cam.
Thanks Samuel!
Discovered myself, once again, not only thoroughly enjoying the UK Connection to the utmost - but also, taking endless notes about a band a knew very little about.
I hope you enjoy their splendid catalogue Frank.
Thanks Frank. Lots of great music ahead!
Love the UK connection.Thanks chaps
I thoroughly enjoyed being in such great company. Thank you for such an superb show covering such a great band.
Thanks for watching and commenting TMC.
@@simonbrayfromsot1375 Simon, fewer people make me smile more, a sincere thank you. Please keep fighting the glorious fight.
Oh hell yes! Steven Reid is in the house! A true "Solid Ball of Rock" and "Crusader" of the rock realm!
Very informative
Another great video and a very enjoyable way to spend 75 minutes guys! Good to see Saxon spoken about so highly. I started way back with `747` which I had on 12" single and used to play it very loud on my headphones. As you know it comes crashing in and after dropping the needle I used to literally brace myself for impact! Probably not good for my ears but I have no regrets it was well worth it! Like many I`ve had gaps in my life without Saxon but that`s not likely to happen again after recently buying `Lionheart` and the fabulous new album `Carpe Diem`. Planning on getting `The Inner Sanctum`, `Battering Ram` and `Into The Labyrinth` asap.
Sorry I missed the live stream of this! Boo! Was reading 📚 bedtime stories to my 5 year old. Who was dancing to (not #Saxon) but Uriah Heep's Abominog! 😁😅
The #UKCONNECTION posse should do a show on the theme of 'Best UK 🇬🇧 classic rock bands' through the decades.... 3 picks each and a wildcard!
Great show as ever guys! Steven I think its time you started your own channel mate. Here my choices...
Favorites: Wheels of Steel & Solid Ball of Rock
Least Favorites: Rock the Nation & Forever Free
Wildcard: Dogs of War
👍
I really enjoy the band's more recent albums! I'm making it my mission to get all of the Saxon albums post-2000s.
None Saxon related but I was lucky enough to visit the Bahamas recently and sang 'Bula Quo!', on a beach, at my girlfriend, who immediately asked what the hell I was doing, in your honour. Thanks for another great show!
A-BULA-BULA-QUO! A-BULA-BULA-QUO!
See what you've done there Double O? You've set him off again!
Similar situation to my relationship with Priest: Heard most of the catalogue (so many albums!), but I’ve been in and out with this band. Own everything from the debut through Solid Ball of Rock, but then after that, it’s Lionheart, The Inner Sanctum, Into The Labyrinth, and Sacrifice (and all four of those are excellent.) Extremely difficult to pick a favorite, but, for now, I’ll go with Wheels of Steel. While it probably isn’t fair to pick a least fav for similar reasons listed in my comments to the Priest video, I will say that I’ve never been big on the self-titled debut.
Simon, I’m with you on Destiny - I LOVE that album! The video for the Christopher Cross cover is hilarious. I also have a soft spot for Solid Ball of Rock; It was the first Saxon album I ever heard.
Great episode, guys!
Yes Knight. The Ride Like the Wind video is a work of genius!
@@simonbrayfromsot1375 It cracks me up! Forgot to mention that I love the band's cover of the Cross tune (with or without the vid), though that was probably obvious.
I have a funny story about Saxon. So my buddy Ray and I used to go to this record store in Burlington VT called Pure Pop. They had a box of cassettes(yes tapes) for a dollar each. He had gotten there before me and after he had been there and gone home called me and said that he grabbed the two best looking albums by Saxon but he left me the one he didn't think much of. So I went and found the one he discarded and bought it. Now here's the funny part...the two he bought were Power And The Glory & Destiny and the one I ended up with was..... Denim & Leather. 😁
thank you - you reconnected me with my teenage seld in rediscovering the greatness of Saxon, i last saw them in 1982 at the Glasgow Apollo on the Denim and Leather tour. i had not heard any of their next 18 or so albums until your show. I now own pretty much all of the catelogue from dogs of war onwards. i have not ventured into destiny territory ... yet. I have to say that i cannot think of another metal band with the same level of consistency and excitement. i have just seen them supporting Priest in Glasgow on the Invincible Shield tour and man, Saxon ripped the roof off. Thank you for reimersing me.
Saxon... what a band! Don't envy this task! For me... I dunno! Maybe Power and the Glory and Crusader? Just being loyal to my younger self. My least favorites... Only inspirations - don't love covers albums, and the debut. Every other album has GREAT stuff, but so does the debut. My dark horse album would be Call to Arms, which many people sleep on.
I’ve been raving about Saxon for years one of my all time favourite bands so many people know the name but never venture beyond wheels of Steele, Likely the most uncontested catalogues in rock…
Favourite album throw a dart , Denim and Leather and Lionheart
Least Favorite because I have too , Rock The Nations , Call Too Arms
Wild card how can it not be The Eagle has Landed
Yes, I do have to admit that I had no idea Saxon are still going strong. Lost track of them around 1985 but, then again, that´s why we have SoT. Apart from that, please do not disturb, while I am listening to the wonderful Queen Deep Cuts 1 and 2, I found at a nice bargain price. Man, that is a real treasure trove. So many amazing songs and such a pleasure. So much fun! Thanks for the recommendation, Steven. I´m loving it.
My pleasure Gert. Great stuff indeed!
26:38 Song choice for Pete: "Why does it always rain on me? Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?" :) Appropriate lyric choice given especially Mr Reid's participation....
(CRUSADER) IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE SAXON RELEASE THEN( CALL TO ARMS) ,..alot of hardcore saxon fans are not big on crusader ,
It's a great record. "Call to Arms" was where I got back on the Saxon train. Have everything now. Shame I missed out on all those years after "Innocence".
"Innocence Is No Excuse " is my favourite
Love Mama's Boy's album, still listen to it now. Saxon and Def Leppard are from the area I grew up, demin and leather was my school sound track.
Great topic. Love Saxon, been a fan since the dam began to burst! Seen them a couple of times and they always deliver high quality shows. Carpe Diem is outstanding, Biff sounds as strong as ever. Take care guys!
That was a really tough exercise.
As Stephen says they don't have any stinkers, consistent work every album.
A band still at the top of their game.
Innocence Is No Excuse is a damn good AOR record. Taken in that context it is superb. And I enjoy it a lot for that.
Another interesting show guys. I'm not a Saxon fan but, I never heard of them until recently.
Anyway, it made me think of something you guys mentioned. Since you're Scottish, Steven, you might appreciate this. You guys were saying how Saxon's music sometimes doesn't get the airplay it deserves. Well, when it comes to Simple Minds and US radio, you'd think the only song they've ever made is Don't You Forget About Me. It's a fine song but, they have others that are also good like Waterfall, I Never Promised You a Miracle and Somewhere in Summertime. But I never hear them on US radio. It seems you have to dig elsewhere to find good music, especially these days. That's why I stopped listening to the radio. I didn't even know Simple Minds were still together until last year! On the flip side, radio stations in the US have spent the last 30 years have been playing nonstop the boring and generic music of Bon Jovi!
And, Simon, you made a joke about the cops knocking on your door for playing Saxon too loud. Well, when I was in college, I lived in a dorm briefly. One morning, someone was playing the RHCP's song Give It Way a little too loud. It was 7 a.m. when it woke me up. A minute later, someone knocks on the door of the girl who was playing it, loudly three times, and yelled, "Turn that shit down!" And down it went. 😂😂
My favorite: Strong Arm Of The Law (Tough to pick one, but this one takes it.)
Least favorite: Solid Ball Of Rock (Not bad, just least favorite.)
Wild card: Carpe Diem (I'm loving this new release!!!)
Truly a Pilgrimage of a show - both the journey and spirit of the discussion of a healthy discography. My favourite is Carpe Diem which also is also to date my album of the year this far. Some dubious lyrics aside, the riffs and song structures stay with me when so much metal just washes into one big bowl of mash. As an aside, last year Glen Hughes was and still is producing the goods with the Dead Daisies. Something about theses oldies still knocking out great tunes.
Carpe Diem sure is a superb album Shaun, I was listening to it again today.
Borrowed my friends LP of Wheels of Steel back when it first came out. He said ‘just listen’. Put on Motorcycle Man….Wow!! Have loved them ever since (with the break in between like Pete had). Wheels of Steel and Power and the Glory are my 2 best! Great show guys!!
Another great show. In the early 80s Saxon we’re by far my favourite NWOBHM band. 1st saw them at St Albans Civic Centre & Biff & the boys were brilliant. My favourite albums are Wheels of Steel & Denim & Leather. I stopped listening with Crusader, which I’ll pick as my least favourite. I just thought they run out of ideas. Which is ironic considering what you all said about Innocence & Destiny being different. I had forgotten until I watched your show that I bought Lionheart (now my wildcard) which I quite liked but not enough to buy anymore (or remember it). I’ve enjoyed them at Download a few times in recent years. Love their new album.
Great video gents! THIS WAS HARD!!!! When I was growing up in the 1980s, in Barnsley, it didn't matter what bands you liked, if you were into rock music you had to like Saxon or you were considered suspect!! Here goes...
Favourites:
Solid ball of Rock. The first Saxon album I bought for myself,
Lionheart. I'd bought all the nineties albums as they came out, and liked them a lot, but this album absolutely blew my mind
Least Favourite:
Forever free. Love this album but it was disappointing after Solid ball of Rock for me
and ERM...I don't know!!!! The debut great but not quite there.
Wildcard:
To pick something different, it would have been the eagle has landed, the cd hoard box set. It contains some great live stuff!
Can't wait for Europe!!
Great choices Matt!!!
Oooo Lincoln my home town, as for Fido beer 🍻 very fue airfields in ww2 could have FIDO fitted to light up the runway in fog, Lincoln area had a couple, it was all dependent on how close the nearest railway station was/is to the airfield, as the system used 100s of gallons of petrol to light up the runaway in fog. The pipe system can still be seen in the ground to this day on a couple of old airfields about 2 miles from Lincoln.
Saxon are another band that if not for SOT I wouldn't know of them as they were not really that big down here in Australia. I could only find one time they toured here which was 2008 and played very small theaters which in hindsite would have been great. I really like the current album and I will move on to the older albums starting with those you have recommended here. Thanks Guys!
Really enjoyed this episode gents👍🏻
Ii looks like you're going to focus these chats on bands but the discussion about cover version albums made me think that an episode dedicated to cover versions would be really entertaining. A couple that you think are better than the originals, a couple that should never have been made, and a couple of "they covered what?!!😳" wildcards that you never thought would ever work but actually aren't too bad. I'm sure it would be pretty entertaining .
Cover versions are going to be a recurring theme methinks.
90s albums are my fav period. The right mix of heaviness and melody for me.
1/ Strong arm of the law
2/ Solid ball of rock
3/ Wheels of steel
4/ Innocence is no excuse
5/ Power and the glory
6/ Denim and leather
My least favorite album is: Crusader
Crusader sounds awful. The production fails miserably
Very hard. I love the old albums because I grew up with them. But the new ones blast them away. Nevertheless the old ones are in my heart. There is a time difference of about 40 years! Impossible for me to compare them. So my pick is "Heavy Metal Thunder"! Old stuff with modern production.
Yeah that first album by Saxon is timeless. I also like Wheels of Steel
So many albums! My favs are "Strong Arm of the Law" and "Wheels of Steel". Least favs are probably "Destiny" and "Solid Ball of Rock", although they're are many in their mid-period I don't really like. Wild card: "Killing Ground" as it brought me back to Saxon. Cheers.
Still working my way through Saxon’s discography, so this is a happy coincidence…
So far, my favorites are (in no particular order):
Denim and Leather, Sacrifice, Lionheart, Metalhead, Wheels of Steel, The Inner Sanctum
Least favorite: self-titled debut… still working my way through the late 80s-early 90s output…
Innocence Is No Excuse was the first Saxon album I got. Definitely my favourite album by Saxon.
But you guys are right...they never really did a bad album...they are either very good or brilliant!
I was there in 79 when the dam began to burst. I had just turned 17 and in October (or it could have been November - I don't really remember, but it was definitely before the end if the year) I bought both Samson's Survivors and Saxon's debut from a record shop in Colchester when visiting friends who I'd been on a trip to Russia with . After seeing them support Motorhead in December '79 Saxon became my favourite NWOBHM band at the time preferring them to Maiden, Diamond Head, Def Leppard. However come September 1985 I saw them in Bristol on the Innocence is No Excuse tour and they came across as being a bit tired, so after that I bailed. Then fast forward a number of years and Killing Ground came out with a bonus disc of 8 classic tracks - that later turned up on Heavy Metal Thunder - and I was totally back on board.
My favourites, the ones I go back to and play the most, are Crusader and Power and the Glory. I may be a bit contrarian here but I love Sailing to America and never tire of Run for our Lives. If only the production had been a bit more like on Power and the Glory. And of course Wheels of Steel, Strong Arm of the Law and Denim and Leather are bone fide total classics but then, as you all said, so are many of their more recents, especially Carpe Diem - and I agree with Simon that Call to Arms is just great as is the Inner Sanctum.
Least favourites - I'm with Simon (again) on Inspirations, and for having that awful cover, Forever Free. Though to be honest I could have chosen anything from after Innocence up to Unleash the Beast with the exception of Destiny as I rarely if ever play those or want to play them.
For my Wildcard I was thinling of maybe choosing Destiny, as that is a great album but much maligned - and interestingly, I think it was on a Rick Beato show, the original by Christopher Cross has a great guitar solo going on underneath the last couple of minutes that you can barely hear. Saxon's version is how a cover version should be done.
I then had to choose between The Eagle Has Landed Live, where the CD version has additional live tracks so the original could have and should have been a double; Killing Ground with that fantastic cover of In The Court of the Crimson King and the bonus classics re recorded; but had to settle on the debut album as its been in my life since 1979 and I never tire of it. I also cant understand why, apart from on their Unplugged and Strung Up album - which I also considered for a wildcard (although I dont think they really did this song justice on it) - they chose to leave the fantastic Militia Guard languishing behind on the debut, I cant ever recall seeing them or hearing them play that one live and its one of my favourite Saxon tracks.
Although not a huge Saxon fan but there's no denying their MASSIVE discography is one of the most consistent out there. Another one that I am a huge fan of is Paradise Lost's. Also, Steven's bit about how the press would react to bands when they are small then too big reminds me of "Linkin Park" "Burn It Down" (I know it's not popular here)
We're building it up to break it back down
We're building it up to burn it down
We can't wait to burn it to the ground
Paradise lost another favourite of mine. And just like saxon, love their mid period stuff. One second prob be my favourite.
Excellent once again, love the UK connection albums, best 3 on youtube, well done guys. Right about albums being new but 15yrs old 😂 Also about playing 1 side of an album, Misplaced Childhood Side 1 and Vain No Respect Side 1 comes to mind. Denim and Leather my fave 🤘
Carpe Diem and Inspirations the first Saxon albums I have bought since the Eagle Has Landed. Not sure why I stopped listening to Saxon as thoroughly enjoy 'Eagle' as its a great live album but any way looks like I might have to start buying their back catalogue. Once again another great show, the UK Connection is a must watch for me.
Might just about be my favourite band, and definitely the one I’ve seen live the most.
My favourite album would be the Eagle has Landed, but if only going with studio albums I’d have to pull a Pardo and choose both Wheels of Steel and Strong Arm as two halves of my first pick - they were released only a few months apart so I reckon it’s fair to treat it as a double album😉 My second pick would be the Power and the Glory - sorry Steven, that album is pure gold IMHO.
Least favourites are actually pretty easy for me. Rock the Nations is an absolute stinker in my book. Bought it on release, hated it then and time has not been kind to it. My second least favourite may be a bit contrarian but, other than the title track and the cover art, the Crusader album does nothing for me and I absolutely hate the production on it.
Wild card has to be Destiny for me. Always gets shit on but I find it very easy on the ear. Definitely not their heaviest album but still has its moments and, for me, is far from being their worst.
I’m not a big fan of Saxon but watching anyway as you three are the best thing on UA-cam.
Rik👍🥁
Thanks Rik!
As someone that isn't really into metal ( I know...why do I watch) I will admit that I learned some things. AS I have stated in the past though, The UK Connection could discuss how to butter a slice of bread and I would watch. Without a doubt one of my favorite UA-cam shows week in and week out. Cheers from the guy known as The Maine Craft Beer Dork on the socials
Thanks Shane!
I shall use this as a jumping off point, as I have for several other bands yinz have covered that I’ve never explored. Enjoyed the episode quite a bit, despite knowing very little of this band’s catalogue. First thing I’ll be doing is checking out those videos, though! 🤘
love these videos, gotta give credit to Saxon for keeping at it,only see them once hull 1982
Right, I'm here, the morning after the night before, but I'm here. Hope this doesn't mean my homework was late, Mr Bray. I did it, but my dog ate it then I left my dog on the bus... Anyhoo, I was already to go, then listened to a ton of Saxon last week and had to back to the drawing board. Twice... Finally, I went for...
Favourite 2 - Strong Arm of the Law and Lionheart
Least favourite 2 - Rock The Nations, and Inspirations.
Wildcard- The Eagle Has Landed, but the full length reissue.
Whew, that was tough... Don't do that to me again... for at least a fortnight again!
And Simon, if you think that Fido/ Bite comment is going to be ignored, you're barking up the wrong tree my friend...
It's OK Iain. I was never going to mark your homework this weekend. In other news, it's not funny unless it's punny!
The first Saxon album I heard back in 82 was the eagle has landed live. I was blown away with the raw power, energy and songs on that album and I bought the other albums in order of their release up to and including innocence. For me nothing came close to the live album so that is my absolute favourite.
After that the well known trilogy is great and I also like the first one. There are songs on it that could have fitted on the trilogy and frozen rainbow is a great kind of epic opener. After that I think Power and rhe Glory and Crusader are good. Crusader is more commercial but still some of that raw sound combined with the epic titletrack and some singalong rockers. Side A flows well and of course the artwork is great. Too much effects on the sound though. Same goes for its predecessor power and the glory. I don't like the canny sound on that album with the exception of my favourite track, the eagle has landed. I lost interest with the innocence album, so that was and still is my least favourite album up until then. I think this more commercial aor approach doesn't suit the band and don't like the production.
Later on, when they tried to recapture some of that old sound, I tried solid ball of rock, forever free and dogs of war but it didn't keep me interested. Until uneash the beast. Different from the early days but I like it and that would be my wildcard. Also like metalhead and lionheart.
Saxon has a tremendous discography but my favorites are invariably Power & the Glory and Metalhead... The first is just the best for repeated listens- heavy, crunchy and exciting, with interesting things happening all over the place and short enough to be non-fatiguing... Metalhead is obscenely heavy and has finesse (still identifiable with classic metal). Some of the songs like Conquistador and Sea of Life are gorgeous and the album is kind of the early template for their modern run... My least favorites are the debut (bland and doesn't sound like they had found their sound yet), and Innocence is No Excuse (I don't mind more commercial albums but I just don't think the songs are good, most are forgettable). My wild card is Call to Arms because even though their modern run is fairly consistent, I'd say this is the best one since metalhead, from start to finish... I'm always going back to this one even if just for Hammer of the Gods (my kind of riff!) and No Rest for the Wicked.
Metalhead is underrated, I would say.
Interesting comments regarding on/off bandwagon. For me, most definitely on right up to "Ride like the wind" and curly perms with adventures bordering on "Glam/Hair" Metal. Thank goodness it didn`t last !!
Favorites:
Power and the Glory
Killing Ground
Least:
Rock the Nations
Destiny
Wild:
Innocence is No Excuse
Lionheart
Honorable mention: The Eagle Has Landed
Saxon are one of those bands i just never really gave a chance to. I remember around the late 80's/early 90's, i saw or heard that Biff had been slagging off Iron Maiden, saying thathe never understood why Maiden got so huge and that his own band were better. As a massive Maiden fan, i just took it as sour grapes so probably that put me off giving them a proper chance. Also, there seemed to be an image issue as well. Biff always seemed old. I half expected to see him crop up in Last Of The Summer Wine. Bah, anyway, after watching this, i might have to give them another chance.
Another great show folks. I really enjoy a lot of the shows on Sea Of Tranquility but i think this show is my favourite, probably because of the humour and the fact i've been to a load of the same shows as Steven Reid, so i have a reference point for a lot of his stories...it's just a good, old fashioned laugh. Keep it up :D
I can’t do this and the reason is Saxon are my number one Off the bandwagon band for absolutely no known reason after Innocence is no excuse an album I really liked I was unaware of the many releases or their quality until lockdown and SOT, I listened to Thunderbolt and wondered what I’d been missing,and working my way through the catalogue it’s a lot. Except Metalhead which I wasn’t keen on.
Carpe Diem was also a revelation probably in my top 4 Saxon albums,and my best album of the year. Until yesterday anyway when The Thunder album landed.
Great stuff Steve!
hi Pete and Simon and Steven a great fun show with all of you ,this one of those bands that I have tried out a few times but they are not for me
As ever guys top entertainment Like you I believe Saxon have not made a bad album been a fan since day one. When I did my ranking on my channel it was the hardest one as all the albums are great. 23 Solid Albums
My Favourites
Denim And Leather First Saxon Album I bought
Carpe Diem As Steven pointed out Lionheart was the start the revival and each album has gotten better and better, but this blew my socks off
Least Favourites
Rock the Nation and Destiny purely albums of their time but still good songs that sound better live
Wild Card The Eagle has Landed this is a belter my Favourite Live Saxon album again they never have put out bad live album
Nive to See some love for The Mama's Boys Growing Up the Hard way is a fine album especially their cover of Stevie Wonders Higher Ground
Looking forward to Europe as I feel the same way as you guys
Btw this was a absolute fantastic show. I laughed my as of. Thanx guys
To think... I get paid to listen to Saxon all day! Oh.. No I don't actually but it is still tremendous fun to do these chats.
@@simonbrayfromsot1375 And its a saturday highlight for us. Listen to Saxon is an obligation for a joyable life😊
What a great catalogue of this band 👏👏 no "10 points" album for me, but all of them a solid 8; you can enter a store (when those existed) and buy any with your eyes closed and you can be confident that you are taking a good album home 🍺🤘
Loved the suggested Christopher Cross cover interlude Simon! I had no idea that was a cover back in the day but, I went on a Christopher Cross deep dive a few months ago and that is my favorite song in his catalog. There's a killer solo on Cross' version of the song!
I saw Cross about four years ago. He is an excellent guitarist even though his hits had all the great session players on them .
@@simonbrayfromsot1375 He certainly had connections. He filled in for Ritchie Blackmore on Deep Purple's first gig in the USA. He was 17 at the time! He came up in the same scene as Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Johnson and Billy Gibbons. Eric Johnson appears on all of his albums! Great artist I'd ignored for forty years! I've found some decent material in his catalog.
I’m drinking, from Lagunitas Brewery in Cali, The Waldos’ Special Ale Triple IPA. I have had right at 1800 DIFFERENT beers from all over the states and other countries. It’s been a hobby of mine for the past 10yrs. Now with Saxon unfortunately for me I haven’t heard all of their albums yet. I know shame on me. So with that being said as of now I will say my favorite is, and maybe it will change when I hear all of their catalog.
CRUSADER!! This was my introduction to the band and I played the craaap out of this album. I went on a 3 week vacation with the parents when I was 16 and this was one of the tapes I took. It got played a ton. So for sentimental reasons if nothing else this is my fav. I agree with you all that there are NO stinkers whatsoever that I have heard to this point. You said it best Pete. For some reason hear in the states they just kind of went by the wayside and that was and is so unfortunate because they are such a great band and have a fantastic catalog.
Great post Scott!
@@simonbrayfromsot1375 thank you! I enjoy watching you 3 together. Informative, see what your drinking, and always humorous. The 3 of you are a great match.
Saw Saxon supporting Magnum next time supporting Motorhead
I just got the original album series which has the first 4 studio albums and the live album The Eagle Has Landed. Very good planning on trying to get more albums
My two favorite Saxon albums are probably Power & the Glory and Unleash the Beast. Very consistently good band.
Yes Simon saw the headband on Ride Like The Wind lol
Another Great band channel got me into
Biff also on Avantasia album
Stephen's "live by the sword die by the sword" got a song stuck in my head which was not Saxony, drove me mad for 1-2 hours trying to figure it out what it was, but finally found it-- Overkill "Fear His Name" As for Saxony, only familiar with Denim & Leather and the new one (on Pete's recommendation), but this gives me good roadmap to check out the rest. Usually I agree with Stephen so I actually I already listened to Innocence
Good stuff Stephen!
Favorite two 1. Denim And Leather, 2. Thunderbolt (It grew on me non stop since it came out) ; Least favorite two: 1. Innocence Is No Excuse (they have no bad albums, but I really don't care for this one...) 2. Destiny
Looking grim for me!
@@simonbrayfromsot1375 And me!
Innocence Is No Excuse could've been a great album, but that overproduced, L.A. schlock sound makes it damn near unlistenable. It's still good (in the grand scheme)...if you can stomach past it.
@@independenceltd. Oh, I can stomach it and come back for seconds!
@@TranquilityFireReid 👨🍳
Top 2: Strong Arm of the Law and Wheels of Steel
Bottom 2: Solid Ball of Rock and Destiny
(Both by no means bad, as there isn't a bad album by Saxon)
Wild Card: pulling a Pete X3:
Killing Ground, Lionheart and Dogs of War
Oh. I am so out of touch!
@@simonbrayfromsot1375 ,Never!!!!
amusing and entertaing episode as always, love Steven and Simon's sense of homour, as i'm sucker for british/scottish and irish sense of humour, now i'm and die hard metal fan (with an extremely open mind, due to being a die hard fan of music) but i'm a bit of purist and SNOBBY and damn proud of it too :-) i haven't spent 35 years (i count from when i first started collecting/buying records, as i was born into music so in that case, music and hot rodding is the first things i remember in life anyway) listening to records for 5-10 hours EVERY day for all those years, give and take a little, but nonetheless for reasons as whatever, no as metal and punk where my very first self dicovered, so to speak, choice of THIS IS MY CALLING, but it quickly expanded, and the very frist music i DID listen to where Beatles, The Ventures, Beach Boys, early Motown, Roy Orbinson (my Elvis) and the sounds of Phil Spector, through my father, being a record producer, and worked for what was knwon as Polygram now Universal music and did actually take part in the development what became what we call a Copact Disc, ok this is just to give you a little bit from where i'm coming from, now on to this episode, i'm not a so called die hard Saxon fan, i have hardly any bands where i can say that about, although there IS, but i have a different perspective on so called die hard fan, s i'm not that big n logos, although i do like a cool logo, but not as in oh it has that logo on the cover=must buy this, NOT, and NO you don't need to have them all there's too much great in this case metal bands new and old that you haven't heard to LOVE that logo that much, but marketing goes along way ie gotta have them all, now for Saxon i do really LOVE the Saxon i love as in when they were a gritty raw, heavy metal band, including their humble beginnings as with soo many other important bands finding their way with their debut album, but not always, obviously, but this is getting really long, sorry, it's hard to make a point in one sentence specially about something i'm passionate about, to say the least, so as always i love Steven's love for pop music, and this will shine through in evrything he likes, keyboard driven rock music, and all the power to him, he knows his stuff, but with a band like Saxon i like Saxon when they sounded like they where hungry and from the days when productions in this genre where mostly PERFECT which is sadly been lost since about the 90's onwards with big and underground bands too see death metal as an example, another BIG passion of mine, death metal and thrash obviously, anyhow i will conclude this with my 2 fave Saxon albums are, and this difficult, although it's concerning 4 albums, and yes i do have checked in on them from time to time al those albums after these, but i will have to go with; Strong Arm Of The Law, all killer no filler, and for it's passion, and finding their way, their; S/T debut, though this could change if you ask me tomorrow, my to least faves, oh boy where do you start, i think i'll go for; Destiny AND Carpe Diem, as none of these albums sound like MY Saxon sounded like, i don't like A.O.R (and i have tried that genre too) and i don't like modern metal, mind you I DO LOVE NEW BANDS sounding like classic metal, secially the ones that to it so well, you'd believe they where from that era, believe me i should now, as my ears are peeled as always and im sorrounded by musicians/bands the music world (mainly the underground, from where things moslty start in a genre like this) that's all i had to say haha, i'l try and make it shorter next time, but i will try and give people and idea that i'm not one of THOSE metal fans that bla bla....i have a slight perspective, that's all, and hey everyone has their right to have their own opinion 🙂 after all it's only rock n' roll but i love/live it
No need to apologise about the long message Marius it is a very good and interesting read!
@@SJHUE thank you so much, that's very kind of you 🙂 much appreciated 🙂
Simon have a fantastic time at Helloween on Wednesday mate
Thanks Mr. M!
@@simonbrayfromsot1375 I'm jelly. Those bastards didn't come to TX on Pumpkins United.
@@independenceltd. saw twice in Germany on the tour
Full 3 hour plus tour date.
2.5 hours indoor festival date
@@747jono awesome
My favourites are Wheels of Steel and Denim and Leather
Least favourites Rock the nations and Destiny
Wildcard album is Sacrifice
Yeah this is tough...
Favorites - Wheels of Steel and Sacrifice.
Least Favorites - Destiny and Crusader.
Favourite 2 Wheels of Steel and Dogs of War just love that album it's like a American wild West effort.
Wildcard Battering Ram
Surprised no one has mentioned Greatest Hits Live could it be the 1st compilation concert but Heavy Metal Thunder what a version that is on here. I wonder if Steven agrees Saxon became a little bit more Grave Diggery.
That's an excellent comparison gordy! And Greatest Hits Live is a belter of an album!
@@TranquilityFireReid I remember getting it on dvd over 15 years ago. Does anybody know what guitar Graham Oliver uses in that concert.
Favourites :Power & The Glory & The Inner Sanctum
Least: favourites : Killing Ground & Dogs Of War.
Wild card Lionheart
So so difficult 😞
Unleash the Beast is awesome - Dogs of War is an underdog album that I come back to quite a bit
Love the word play by Steve, and opened up some Greek beer from Santorini (Volcano the name). My 2 most played are Destiny and Denim and leather and my least played Sacrifice and Saxon. The wildcard would be Solid ball of rock, their return to the Saxon way after Destiny.
Hi Lazaros. I love the Santorini Brewing Co. I worked my way through much of their output last time I was in Greece.
@@simonbrayfromsot1375 I enjoyed it, I haven't tasted it before. Because of the show, I have been on a local beer spree in Greece. Whenever I go on an outing I look out for local breweries. Anyway, I really love the show and Saxon have been consistently popular here.
Favorites:
01. Wheels of Steel (1980)
02. Denim and Leather (1981)
Least Favorites:
01. Rock the Nations (1986)
02. Saxon (1979)
Wild Card:
Power and the Glory (1983)
Saxon is one of my very favourite Metal bands of all time. They have never made a bad album, although 3 are not really strong.
My two faves: Power & the Glory and Battering Ram - my two least faves: Forever Free and Rock The Nations.
Honorable mention: Strong Arm Of The Law, dis-honorable mention: Crusader, legendary title track but otherwise rather weak.
Always love at recent concerts Biff asks crowd for a denim jacket to put on.
That Warhammer records pressing is a rarity Steven, probably the hardest to find domestic pressing of a Saxon CD! Agreed that it isn't a hammerblow of a record though.
I had no idea of that Charles. Nice to know!
Yes.i Never Saw that cover.🤔
@@franciskocher200 It was a limited UK pressing, as all other versions used the standard artwork from the vinyl Steven showed. There was also a Warhammer version of the Iron Wheels single too.
My dad was a civil engineer and worked on the FIDO project.
That's very cool.
Consistent performers at Wacken.
And their live albums are amazing.
Seen 3 times at Wacken
Another entertaining hour! Now I have the classic 3 and that's it but I committed to buying another on the vack of this show. Bit worried that it was mentioned a couple of times that they are the best. So - maybe something different like Destiny, or maybe Innocence... or just get the new one. Decisions...
Big decisions Michael. Big indeed.
A nice bottle of Mad Goose IPA lined up for the show tonight.
This was a really tough one gents !
Where was I in '79? Listening to the Radio every Friday night, so if we are talking "favourite" rather than "best", I have to go with the two I still have on vinyl, "Strong Arm of the Law" and "Denim & Leather".
This band haven't really done a bad album I think , but in terms of "least favourite" it would probably have to be "Destiny" and "Solid Ball of Rock" as I don't think I've listened to them since they first came out, and couldn't name a song off them now. It may well be time for a re-appraisal.
My wildcard pick would be "Innocence Is No Excuse" for some reason some folks have a downer on this album (looking at you Mr. Popoff 😃) but I always rather liked it...
Great stuff Jim!
Time for a re-appraisal Jim. Let me know if you change your mind.
Love a drop of Mad Goose! Down the hatch!
@@simonbrayfromsot1375 I listened to "Destiny" and Solid Ball Of Rock" this morning. They are really quite good, although of the two I think I actually prefer "Destiny". Looking forward to the Europe show and hoping "Bag of Bones" gets a mention. That was the one that persuaded me back on the bandwagon!
@@jimhawkes excellent! Can't reveal too much about Europe yet.
I really like the mid part of Saxons career. Like late 90s to mid early 2010s.
Lots of great albums during that time from them!
@@TranquilityFireReid Totally! Funny thing is I never really paid attention to them until the early 2000s.
We’ll done Pete, I don’t think I’ve seen Simon Bray laugh that hard.
Simon, I took your suggestion and viewed "Ride Like the Wind." What I didn't expect was the CC cover. The video was pure 80's, skin-tight short dresses, big hair...oh, and yes their cover was a suitable rendition. Poofy, I think you called it. Nice.
Glad to hear that you enjoyed it.
Power and the Glory has always been my #1
to me only bad albums
Destiny
Innocence is No Excuse (love the album cover)
Rock the Nations
My Wildcard = Sacrifice
Biff is a great historian
I agree with Steve Bannon, Sixth Form Girls lacks the charm of Jailbait. I love the first Motörhead album, I think Saxon's debut is more like their Rocka Rolla.
Where Saxon the influence for Spinal Tap heard somewhere it was?
I was looking at the Saxon catalogue and thought the same as Steven on Biffs lyrics. His range of topics is amazing from the really interesting to the totally banal.
Interesting fact: Wheels of Steel and Strong Arm of the Law were rated 5/5 by Kerrang when they were released. Denim and Leather was rated 3/5 and considered disappointing based on what had gone before, debut album excepted.
The girl on the cover of "Innocence is No Excuse" married Larry Mullen Jr. of U2. So there may be hope for me hooking up with a hot girl after all. I love that one too Steven, always loved Crusader as well, have to say their last 7 albums are really difficult to choose which would be a favorite-they're all amazing.
Saxon fanatics should seek out the overlooked album from Biff and Andy Sneap known as The Scintilla Project called The Hybrid. Great stuff indeed - a little different than Saxon but a high quality release from 2014.