SAXON's BIFF BYFORD: 'We Feel Privileged And Lucky To Still Be Here Writing Music'

In a new interview with Poland's Mystic Festival, SAXON frontman Biff Byford was asked how he manages to still be passionate about music nearly 50 years into his career. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, we love what we do, for starters. We love what we do, and we love writing songs. Our focus is on writing great music still, stay relevant to our fans and new fans. So I think we've grown through the bad times — good times, bad times, good times, bad times. It's like a rollercoaster of rock and roll. So, you just have to ride the storms, really. I mean, our motto is never surrender, which is like the song."

Regarding what the "coolest thing" is about playing in SAXON, Biff said: "I think it's the same as being in IRON MAIDEN or JUDAS PRIEST or SAXON, any of those bands that have been around since the '80s and '70s. We feel privileged and lucky to still be here writing music. We wrote some massive songs that went around the world and changed people's thoughts about music a little bit. We started a new sound, and I think that still resonates today, especially with younger fans as well. People go on social media now. It's very easy to connect with the band, very easy to connect to me or the guitarists. So I think social media, for us, has helped to bring our music back to a lot of people again."

Asked if he thinks heavy metal is in a better place now than it was when SAXON first started, Biff said: "In 1980, it was vinyls and magazines. It was vinyls, magazines and audience, word of mouth, radio stations. And now it's just different, but it's the same people. The same people that love rock music, heavy metal music, heavy rock, hard rock, hardcore, death metal, da-da-da.

"I look out at the audience and I don't really see a difference between 1980 and now, really," he continued. "I mean, it's maybe a little bit darker, and people are more knowledgeable now, I think, about what they like. But I think it's just a way of life for people, and it's a family, isn't it? And we're just part of that family. We're one of the many bands that are still around. And that's how it is."

SAXON's new studio album, "Gods Of Thunder", will be released in January 2027.

The band's upcoming LP will be the follow-up to "Hell, Fire And Damnation", which came out in January 2024 via Silver Lining Music.

This past January, Biff revealed that longtime SAXON producer and JUDAS PRIEST touring guitarist Andy Sneap had finished mixing the new SAXON album.

Last October, Byford shared a video update in which he said he had completed the final round of chemotherapy in his fight against bowel cancer.

Although Biff released a video message in August 2025 in which he implied that he underwent an operation to remove "a small tumor" from his "prostate gland", he later clarified that he was actually diagnosed with bowel cancer, which is cancer that is found anywhere in the large bowel, including the colon and rectum. Byford was later treated with chemotherapy for "a short period", resulting in the cancelation of a couple of shows and the postponement of several others.

Earlier in 2025, SAXON announced the cancelation of 10 summer shows and festival appearances while Byford was recovering from the cancer surgery.

In August 2024, Biff underwent a "procedure" to treat atrial flutter, a type of heart rhythm abnormality, or arrhythmia, that causes the heart's upper chambers (atria) to beat too quickly.

In September 2019, Biff suffered a heart attack and underwent an emergency triple bypass surgery.

"Hell, Fire And Damnation" was produced by Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, EXODUS, ACCEPT) and Byford, with Sneap mixing and mastering.

In early 2023, SAXON guitarist Paul Quinn announced that he was stepping back from touring with the band. As a result of his decision, SAXON canceled its April 2023 South American tour as well as the appearance at the Monsters Of Rock cruise. Quinn has since been replaced on the road and in the studio by DIAMOND HEAD's Brian Tatler.

Brian has been touring with Doug, Nigel, Nibbs and Biff since mid-2023, but continues to be a member of DIAMOND HEAD.

Byford and Quinn are the sole remaining original members in SAXON's current lineup.

Originally from South Yorkshire, England, SAXON has gone on to sell about 23 million albums and has produced such classic songs as "Denim And Leather", "Princess Of The Night", "Wheels Of Steel" and "Power And Glory".