40th Anniversary of Saxon's Wheels Of Steel by Javier Barba Vallejo.

Today marks 40 years since the release of Saxon's second album "Wheels Of Steel".
Which was his definitive launch to fame and direct entry of Saxon for everything
high in the history of Heavy Metal.
It was the first album they worked with producer Peter Hinton that would be in
subsequent productions of the best albums of his musical career Strong Arm Of The Law
and Denim And Leather.

Wheels Of Steel released three Wheels Of Steel singles, (747) Strangers in The Night and
Suzie Old On in addition to containing trallazos such as the classic Motorcycle Man or Machine Gun,
theme with which they closed their concerts in the 80s or Stand up And Becaunted or See The Light
Shining that they continue in their current repertoire occasionally without being famous hits.
He managed to reach fifth place on the UK sales charts in 1980, to be gold record in 1981
and reach a million copies in 2000.

They took off definitively for the successes and classics that this album contained and for the tour of
promotion of his previous and first album "Saxon" with Motorhead who were immersed in mythic
Bomber Tour and in which the bands established a strong friendship during which they collaborated in numerous
recordings, albums, joint tours etc, etc ....... that lasted throughout their history,
until the dissolution of Motorhead after the death of Lemmy and that continues with the alive members of the band.
Even on their last studio album Thunderbolt they have dedicated an entire song "They Played Rock n 'Roll"
to that famous and historic tour and the friendship between the two bands.

I want to make a mention to the musicians who recorded this album that were the classic and original formation
of Saxon although not the most durable that it is today.
Peter "Biff " Byford
Paul Anthony "Blute" Quinn
Steve "Dobbie" Dawson
Graham "Oli" Oliver
Peter "Pete" Gill

 All of them very great musicians currently active in two bands Byford and Quinn in Saxon, Oliver and Dawson
at O.D. Saxon and Pete Gill who after his departure from Saxon was at Motorhead and collaborated at the start of the race
by Oliver / Dawson with the album Victim you by Son Of A Bitch in 1996 that would later be called O.D.
Saxon, currently Pete Gill is retired from the musical world, in his day he was replaced by his colleagues from O.D.
Saxon by Nigel Durham who recorded with Saxon Destiny in 1988 and various records with O.D. Saxon and the Eximius Humanus
with Morpheus Rising style band N.W.B.O.H.M. movement to which the GREAT SAXONS belong

                                SAXON  - Wheels of Steel