Saxon’s frontman Biff Byford shared his thoughts on thrash metal’s origins in a recent interview with Louder Sound.
“I think ourselves and Motörhead helped start it, didn’t we? That style of fast and furious playing, with aggressive lyrics and a ‘F*ck ’em all’ attitude,” Byford said.
“We liked thrash, it excited us,” he continued. “We were a bit fed up with the slow, melodic plods that some of the bands were doing at that time.”
“I think that’s one of the reasons why Lemmy liked us and took us on tour in ’79 – we weren’t like the usual bands, we were pushing the envelope a bit,” he added, reflecting on Saxon’s early connection with Motörhead.
Both bands played a significant role in shaping the aggressive sound that would later define thrash metal.
Research published by Masterclass identified Saxon as a pioneering force in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) movement during the late 1970s. The band helped bridge the gap between traditional heavy metal and more aggressive styles.
The 1979 collaboration between Saxon and Motörhead marked a pivotal moment in heavy metal history. Both groups actively challenged the era’s conventional sound. They incorporated faster tempos and more aggressive playing styles that would become thrash metal’s hallmarks.
Studies documented by music historians revealed how this musical fusion created a new template. The combination of traditional metal elements with high-energy performance and aggressive lyrics established a foundation for thrash metal’s development in the early 1980s.
The innovative approach of Saxon and Motörhead continues to influence modern metal. Their early work served as a crucial bridge between the first wave of British heavy metal and thrash metal’s emergence as a distinct subgenre.
