Biff Byford didn’t want Saxon to be like Green Day.
The frontman recently joined an interview with Tulsa Music Stream and the host reminded him of their appearance on Harvey Goldsmith’s ‘Get Your Act Together.’ When asked if he felt frustrated when Goldsmith tried to change their style, Byford replied:
“Well, it ended up being a battle between me and Harvey, really. He wanted us to change and we said no. We’re not going to turn into Green Day or something like that. We’re a British heavy rock metal band and that’s what we are and that’s what we’re going to stay.”
Goldsmith is known for Live Aid and Live 8, and hosted a TV series called ‘Get Your Act Together With Harvey Goldsmith.’ It aired on Channel 4 starting March 27, 2007, with six episodes focusing on different entertainment businesses.
Details Of Saxon’s TV Appearance
The one featuring Saxon aired on April 10, 2007, but Goldsmith and Byford didn’t agree on much. Goldsmith thought Saxon needed updating, while Byford felt the band was doing just fine. Eventually, they decided to go ahead with the show to boost their profile in the UK.
The show followed Saxon as they recorded an album, played gigs, and tried publicity stunts, all while dealing with disagreements between Goldsmith and Byford. Goldsmith thought Saxon looked outdated and weren’t giving their all on stage. Byford felt insulted by Goldsmith’s criticism and criticized their manager’s lack of vision for the band. Byford spoke about their disagreement in an interview with Classic Rock:
“We went on stage, started with ‘Witchfinder General’ from our ‘Lionheart’ album, and the crowd went nuts. Harvey told us: ‘That’s the audience you need.’ And we said: ‘F*ck off, that’s our usual audience, it’s just that there’s a few younger kids in than usual.’ I don’t think Harvey or the TV people quite grasped what the heavy metal genre is all about.”
Goldsmith tried to offer opinions on Saxon’s songs, but Byford and the band weren’t interested. Eventually, they settled on a single called ‘If I Was You’ to mark their reinvention. It did really well. Later, they played a big show at Sheffield City Hall and performed at the Download Festival in 2008.
You can watch Byford’s full interview below.