Saxon (VO)

Interview with Paul Quinn in Wacken.

interview Saxon1) My first question will be about the new album that was out in March. Could you introduce your new album to our readers ?
It's kind of a broad spectrum, a very broad way Saxon write songs and it's kind of a representation of 2007 and the way Saxon sounds now and have sounded in the past too. We had a camera crew following us around, giving extra confidence by it.

2) When I listened to the album I noticed that it was still pure Saxon but with a strong and modern production. Do you think the production has to be modern and has to sound louder and harder to get the interest of fans and public ?
Yes I guess so. It's definetely more gainy. We don't particulary like one guitar sound and we usually have two of three reaks running and we choose to mix one guy's guitar sound out of three heads and sometime different cabinets. I think that the production thing has a loudcut also, some kind of Sonic Maximizer. I'm guessing, that's how it seems but I didn't stay around for the mix and I trusted Charlie (Bauerfeind the co-producer) enough to do it and check it. He is good at making sure we get the right performance. Being a drummer he likes to get the drums sounding a bit loud. So that makes you excited as well.

3) Have you got a good response for the album from the fans ?
I don't take interest in the money, sales are not important to me but it's going great with the public. We are going to countries again that we haven't been for a while like Japan and we might even go to Australia for the first time. We know America likes it because we talked to American fans. Which country are you from ?

4) France
Oh, I drove to here from there, I was in Normandie. A long long drive especially when it's rainy.

5) I found the cover of your last album really beautiful, but it's quite different from the past albums where your covers where simpler. Who decided to put this kind of cover for the new album ?
It was an happy coincidence, we saw this artwork by a Russian artist whose name I can't pronounce, it suited the album title really well. In our normal way of doing things, you know we usually use Paul Gregory who is a great artist and who is doing his own art galleries ... sorry my English is going crazy because I have been speaking French for some time ... but he's dead.

6) Where did you get your inspiration when you are composing and writing your album ?
The lyrics come first and if the riff has an underlying homestated caught structure then we will realise what's next to play, something that loose around to give that feeling. And as long as Biff can sing something melodic to it, it will owe together as a Saxon song. We tend to have very riffy choruses, we generally have the riff part in the chorus and not the reverse. We have to stop thinking when we get close to the result then you have to decide what the title suggests and what the music suggests and hopefully you will find some words to put. I
interview Saxonf no, the song doesn't go on the album.

7) How does it feel to play Wacken tonight ?
It's great to be back. We must have played here five times I think and we played the very first but I can't tell you for the others, you will have to look upon the Wacken site. It's always a great feeling in this place.

8) How do you find the crowd ?
They are very noisy. They could be listening to something or getting drunk or stone, it's their decision.

9) What is your secret to make Saxon last so long ?
Whooooo. Hmmm spending much money (laughs). I think that because we listen to other bands, it prevents from getting stucked in the 80's. There are so many bands now, there is a lot of music to listen to that I can't hear all of it but you know I like what I'm hearing now (Amon Amarth is being played in the press tent). I think for the public there is two ways to like a band, they like the music and they like the people and both are important to have a long career in music. If they love the music they buy one album but if they don't have the band to look at they maybe won't buy anymore albums. I think that they have to feel you empathetic or something, but I don't really know what the secret is.

10) What would have you done if you haven't been a musician ?
I had a professional career a long time before this band. Before, I was an electronic technician so maybe I would still have the same job. I think that music chooses you not the other way. If I was sitting by the TV, watching it and playing to the advertisment, this is all part of becoming one with your instrument. I'm not sure if for the singers it's the same, maybe they can sing the advert. As soon as we are guitar players we can jam to anything, so the more you know musically the easier it can be because you can analyse what the people are doing as well. There is a certain ???sation of ideas in rock music as it was in classical music.

11) Have you ever thought about stopping the band ? Haven't you been bored at a time ?
Well actually we took a year off in the late 80's, we were bored. Do I have to rethink my all career or keep doing what I'm doing. You can take a side step into management or production or a record company, I think that once you've tasted the music lifestyle and being a musician it's very addictive to be around especially Heavy Metal, in lots of music but Heavy Metal because this is the one I chose to play.

12) What is your best memory with the band ?
Well our first gig festival in Castle Donington. The public was really good at this time. We went on a big chair we almost did not expect that. We had already Wheels of Steel in the charts and we toured clubs and then we were touring halls straight after so we had a big jump from the second album Wheels of Steel. And after this around the world, Europe and then America, we went on here and then we did America with Rush. It's great to watch those bands from the si
interview Saxonde of the stage because they know their shit (laughs).

13) And your worst ? Maybe the same ?
(laughs) Yeah ! How did you guess ? This was the third Castle Donington in 1982, it was probably one of my worst gig ever. We were too tired, we flew New York, London, Castle Donington, London and New York in four days, in fact I think it was three. I don't do speed so I stayed awake the first...hmm no I think I slept in the plane and then I stayed awake until the gig trying to get my body back to America but it doesn't work, you just fall asleep all over the place even standing.

14) With your long experience, what advice would you give to a young band willing to be successful in the metal scene ?
Play together as much as you can ! And get a feeling for each other styles, so if your drummer goes faster you have to be ready to follow him but tell him to slow down a bit as well (laughs). You have to talk a lot in music, there's a lot of talking as well as playing and if it turns into something you hate, you have to tell them because you will have to live with it forever, especially on an album, this is something late played. If you got a girl in the band be careful. If you got a very very strong girlfriend also be careful and if there is no girl it's perfect.

15) Bad memories ?
No not particularly bad memories, I had two divorces but they were not really through music. Sometimes you choose the wrong people and they choose the wrong person. You know mariage is a hard gig to do and respect to anybody that can live always together like my parents.

16) Which of your album would you recommend to a teenager willing to discover Heavy Metal ?
If you want to cut down the price a bit, Inner Sanctum and Wheels of Steel will give you the flavour of the Saxon style. You know in our catalogue there is a lot of albums something like 17 albums and that's not counting live. So I was wondering if we can get a guiness book record for the most songs written.

17) What is for you the Spirit of Metal ?
I think it's a kind of fraternity, like that old French expression « égalité, fraternité ». It's a community of people who like being crazy listening to the same style. It is not manufactured, I think I have never seen a metal band that can not play their instruments. This is coming from the guy who like The Monkeys ok ? (laughs). This is half a joke because I'm a Beatles fan and The Monkeys are close.

18) What can we wish to Saxon for the future ?
I don't see any reason why we can not stay as long as the Stones. Well just one thing, we drink less...slightly. (laughs)

19) Last words are yours...
Well I would like to say hello France. It's possible you could see me walking around sometime because I spend almost half of the year or maybe quarter of the year there most of the time. I love your trains especially the fast one ! (laughs).
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Interview done by Obskur

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viscondy - 10 Janeiro 2008: beatiful band of heavy metal i,m fã is as!!!VISCONDYband..brasil
newtaker - 07 Janeiro 2012: Buena entrevista.
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