SAXON To Collaborate With Polish Philharmonic Orchestra

Vocalist Biff Byford of British heavy metal legends SAXON has revealed to RockAAA that the band's next project will see SAXON collaborating with Polish Philharmonic Orchestra to give some of the group's most popular songs an orchestral overhaul. The entire event will be filmed for a DVD and a documentary will be made featuring behind-the-scenes footage of the preparations for the big concert.

"We're going to do a show with an orchestra next year in Warsaw," Biff said. "The guy who runs the Philharmonic Orchestra asked us to do and we fancied it as we have a quite few songs which are scored to orchestra, like 'Call To Arms' on the new album and we've just done 'Crusader' with an orchestra which sounds fantastic, so it will be a bit unplugged and a bit orchestra and a bit if heavy metal, too. It will be filmed and we'll do a making-of too. We don't know exactly when that will be but we're trying to work it out now as it is a nightmare logistically."

During the same interview, Byford indicated that it is important for SAXON to keep trying new ideas and not relying on former glories helps keep the band motivated.

"I believe it is writing new songs which refresh the band," he said. "Every new album does that and gives us a burst of ideas and energy. I think it would be different if we were just touring the old songs. But we don't, and we always try and play songs off our most recent albums.

"I think it is a big mistake for bands to do that because you just become known for your old songs. There is nothing in itself wrong with that as songs like 'Wheels Of Steel', 'Crusader' and '747', are all fantastic songs, but I think bands have to write new songs and not be afraid of not selling as many. I think some bands are worried they won't sell as many records as they did in the 1980s, so that means they are a bit scared of writing new albums. Bands like ourselves, MOTÖRHEAD and JUDAS PRIEST are doing it and I think it is important."