Saxon

Saxon's  self-titled debut, widely regarded as the first LP to be released by a  New Wave Of British Heavy Metal band, was first released in 1979 on the  French Carrere label. Originally forming in Barnsley, South Yorkshire as  Son Of A Bitch, the quintet of Biff Byford on vocals, Graham Oliver and  Paul Quinn on lead guitars, Steve Dawson on bass and Pete Gill on  drums, upon being signed, the band swiftly changed their name to Saxon  (which their label thought would be more palatable to US audiences).  Produced by John Verity at Livingstone Studios, the album starts with  the progressively flavoured suite of 'Rainbow Theme'/'Frozen Rainbow'.  The rest of the album is suffused with a punky energy, and features the  classics 'Stallions Of The Highway', 'Still Fit To Boogie' and 'Militia  Guard'.

Bonus material:
The original album is now supplemented by pre-album demos, recorded when  they were still called Son Of A Bitch, their first BBC session,  recorded in 1980 for Tommy Vance’s Radio 1 Friday Rock Show, plus live  tracks from the inaugural Donington Monsters Of Rock show, 1980. It also  features rare and previously unseen photos courtesy of the band’s  personal archives as well as extensive liner notes by Classic Rock and  Metal Hammer journalist Jerry Ewing, written in co-operation with lead  singer Biff Byford.