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I went to meet Biff Byford, lead singer with the legendary heavy metal band Saxon, at The Great Hall, Cardiff University for The Record. I got to meet him just after the band’s soundcheck, and instead of doing a photo there and then, Biff suggested I did the photo of the band during their set, so he organised me with a photo pass. What an experience it was being able capture the band in action. Biff was lovely, happy to chat and answer my questions, even though it was a very busy evening for the band. The first record Biff bought is a classic single.
It was the first day of Saxon’s Thunderbolt world tour in early 2018. The album made the top 30 in the UK album chart on its first week of release. Biff told the crowd, that this was the first time the band had been back in the top 30 album charts since 1984! Things are just as busy for the band in 2019 as they are once again travelling the world celebrating their 40th anniversary.
I first got into Saxon when ‘747 Strangers In The Night’ was a hit in 1980. Having a big brother, who was (still is to be fair) into his rock music, it probably was no surprise that some of it rubbed off on me.
This is another great chapter in The Record. As soon as I messaged Biff, and explained that I was doing a fundraising book in memory of my Mum who died of bowel cancer in 2016, he immediately agreed to be involved. Bowel cancer remains the 2nd highest cancer killer in the UK, claiming 16,000 lives each year. Yet if detected early it can be successfully treated in over 90% of cases. Much more needs to be done in raising awareness, and improving early diagnosis rates.
All proceeds raised from sales of the book are donated to Bowel Cancer UK, the UK’s leading bowel cancer charity. Over £600 has already been raised in the first three months of release thanks to the amazing support for the book. It features chapters on people from music, sport, television as well as some amazing people from the bowel cancer community..
