BIFF BYFORD Says SAXON’s Live Performances Are ‘Very Authentic’: ‘Everything You Get Is Live’

In a new interview with Canada’s The Metal Voice, Biff Byford said that SAXON‘s live performances and recording sessions are “very authentic. I don’t do anything with my voice,” the singer noted. “I’ve learned how to sing over the years. And I just keep it straight and just go for it, really. That’s the secret. Studio-wise, we don’t use any sort of computer-generated backup anything. When we play live, we don’t use click tracks or anything. Everything you get is live. We might have a few noises on Nibbs‘s [SAXON bassist Timothy Carter] bass pedals, like sirens and jet planes and things — just little effects and things — but most of what you get and what you hear is live.”

Asked by host Jimmy Kay what he would say to new bands who are starting off who are already lip syncing and using laptops, Biff replied: “Uh, well, lip syncing is miming, really. But I think there’s a lot of software you can use now to enhance the sounds and enhance yourself. We don’t really bother with that, to tell you the truth. We’re a live band and always have been known as a live band, and our albums are an extension of that, really. That’s how we work.”

As previously reported, SAXON and URIAH HEEP will join forces for a U.S. tour next spring. The complete details for the “Hell, Fire & Chaos” trek, which will take place in April, May and June 2024, will be announced on January 8.

SAXON‘s 24th studio album, “Hell, Fire And Damnation”, will be released on January 19, 2024 via Silver Lining Music.

Produced by Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, EXODUS, ACCEPT) and Byford, with Sneap mixing and mastering, “Hell, Fire And Damnation” strides the perfect line between confident, current power, and gloriously irreverent flexing of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal muscle which SAXON co-created.

2024 promises to be a great year for SAXON, with the European tour alongside JUDAS PRIEST and URIAH HEEP kicking off in the U.K. in March.

Earlier in the year, SAXON guitarist Paul Quinn announced that he was stepping back from touring with the band. As a result of his decision, SAXON canceled its April 2023 South American tour as well as the appearance at the Monsters Of Rock cruise. Quinn has since been replaced on the road by DIAMOND HEAD‘s Brian Tatler.

Brian has already joined fellow guitarist Doug Scarratt, drummer Nigel Glockler, Nibbs and Byford for several European shows but will continue to be a member of DIAMOND HEAD.

Byford and Quinn are the sole remaining original members in SAXON‘s current lineup.

Originally from South Yorkshire, England, SAXON has gone on to sell about 23 million albums and has produced such classic songs as “Denim And Leather”, “Princess Of The Night”, “Wheels Of Steel” and “Power And Glory”.