SAXON's founding guitarist PAUL QUINN to step back from touring
13-03-2023
Guitarist and founding member of British heavy metal legends SAXON, Paul Quinn has decided to “step back from touring” with the band. As a result of his decision, SAXON has canceled its April 2023 South American tour as well as the appearance at the Monsters Of Rock cruise.
Earlier today, SAXON released the following statement: “After much soul searching our great friend and fellow warrior Paul Quinn has decided to step back from touring with SAXON. After many years on the road, with the subsequent stress and tiredness that accompany long tour schedules, Paul doesn’t want his performance to suffer and let his fellow band mates and fans down. Paul will continue to record with the band and may play select special shows in the future.
“SAXON stand by Paul‘s decision and will keep you all informed regarding our next journey.
The current run of March shows in Europe will continue as is but the band will be cancelling their April dates in South America and the MOR Cruise to give time to re-group. These territories will be re-booked as soon as time permits. All summer festivals will continue as booked.
“Keep the faith!”
Quinn alluded to his decision early yesterday morning in a since-deleted Facebook post. He wrote: “You need to know I will miss you & my SAXON co-workers for the great times on and off stage, so with regret I will leave while I can still hold my head high and not worry about my fingers or brain forgetting riffs, keys or stumbling over licks, as they do occasionally. I am not taking this lightly, and I want to do SAXON proud, whilst continuing to love and play music with THE CARDS and other projects.”
THE CARDS is a classic rock trio which Quinn founded in 2016 with DORO/U.D.O. alumnus Harrison Young, and VANDENBERG drummer Koen Herfst. They are currently poised to release their second album this year.
Four years ago, the now-71-year-old Quinn reflected on over four decades of being in the group in an interview with HeadBangers LifeStyle. He said: “Lots of road miles and air miles. It feels great to be relevant still. We always have a blast and I think the audience know that we are one of them. We are one of those party bands that they like. That always helped to get the message across, and Biff [Byford, vocals] shouting at them occasionally. We’ve always had good members and good songwriters. The present band is included, and we’ve made some good stuff together, I think.”
Following the release of “Inspirations” in 2021, “More Inspirations” is the second “deep dish” serving of the influences which have fed the mighty SAXON’s immensely successful 40-plus-year career. The first single is an astonishing take on THE SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND’s “The Faith Healer”.
Frontman Biff Byford comments: “We used to see THE SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND play this back in the day, they started the set with it, such a fantastic song and fantastic band… big influence!”
Whether getting feral with THE ANIMALS’ “We’ve Gotta Get Out Of This Place”, letting loose a high-octane take on ALICE COOPER’s “From The Inside”, or laying down a ferocious tribute to KISS’s “Detroit Rock City”, “More Inspirations” is a joyous trip into the sounds which galvanized the Barnsley boys and continue to get spun on home stereos and tour buses.
Produced by vocalist/co-founder Biff Byford, with Seb Byford helping record the music alongside mixing engineer Jacky Lehmann, “More Inspirations” also includes enthusiastic takes on RAINBOW, ZZ TOP and CREAM, as well as a thunderous “Razamanaz” by NAZARETH, a tasty take on THE WHO’s “Substitute”, and a thick groove take on URIAH HEEP’s “Gypsy”. Whether this is your first dance with such classic songs, or you’ve come to see where SAXON was born, “More Inspirations” delivers the goods and then some.
“More Inspirations” will be available on 12-inch black vinyl, CD digipak, digital formats and special D2C bundles.
Track listing:
01. We’ve Gotta Get Out Of This Place
02. The Faith Healer
03. From The Inside
04. Chevrolet
05. Substitute
06. Gypsy
07. Man On The Silver Mountain
08. Detroit Rock City
09. Razamanaz
10. Tales Of Brave Ulysses
Following the success of the “Seize The World” tour 2022, SAXON will be back on the road in March 2023 for a string of European dates, with special guests German metal titans RAGE.
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