STEVE DAWSON
3 min read1. Would you like to talk us about the days of N.W.O.B.H.M. ?
It was fantastic, heavy metal music was every where in all the music press lots of people on the streets with Saxon T-shirts and jackets with band patches on them. The best thing was that heavy metal music was on the radio and TV all the time.
2. I have heard rumors about fights with metalheads and punks back then
Well its true punks did not like heavy metal but a war no. More like rival football fans some times they fight.
3. Do you remember any difficulties that you have faced those days ?
None really it just made us stronger as a band. We once supported the Clash, we got booed and spit on all the time we were on stage, but we thought fuck ’em, they are not going to get us off stage, so we just rocked harder and louder.
4. Start your story in 1979 when you record the first album with Saxon and continue until 1986 , when the story ends….
Well in 1979 we got a recording contract with Carrere records and made our first album that did not sell too good. At that time we were signed to Trident management and when all the record advance had gone they dropped us, so we went back to playing small gigs just to keep going. We were very pissed off at this time so we thought we ll show em and started writing songs for our second album, “Wheels Of Steel”. Our determination to be succesfull came out in the writing of those songs. Also we supported “Motorhead” on the Bomber Tour. Then all of a sudden we had a hit record and we were on the radio and TV all the time playing big tours all over the world. Lots of things happen to a band when it becomes succesfull after a while the friendship of the members fades, and money and egos take over, so the last years of me and saxon were not happy ones and in july 1986 I was sacked from the band. They did not have guts to tell me themselves but got our manager to tell me. I still don’t know why to this day?
5. What happened after Saxon ?
I was working with lots of musicians playing shows in England and I have a studio at home and was writing lots of songs and having a really good time. I also got involved in a project outside of the music. Most of it from the period after i was sacked from Saxon, I was working with Nigel Durham and Haydn Conway rehearsing and recording and doing some gigs. The songs are about different things that happen in life.
6. What do you listen these days ?
I am a massive hard rock fan, and listen to rock music all the time
7. What about Oliver/Dawson Saxon?
At the moment we are playing shows in the UK. ,after that we go to Holland and Portugal then back into the studio to finish our CD to be released later this year.
8. No do you feel betrayed from Saxon ?
Only when your friends stab you in the back.
9. A message for the new musicians ?
Good luck, believe in your self and never give up!
Thanks for your time Steve…
Keep rocking and when I come over to Greece we will have a few beers.
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