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Those who listen to heavy metal or hard rock are often people who actually deviate significantly from the commonly accepted archetype, that is, the long-haired, boisterous, troublemaking hooligan to be kept at a distance as much as possible. Epithets like "junkie" or "alcoholic" are normally associated with those who play and listen to rock/metal, and it seems that this way of thinking from "ordinary" people is naturally linked to all untamed music that is meticulously ignored by MTV.
Those who listen to heavy metal or hard rock with a minimal understanding don't stop at the flashy tunes produced by bands like Guns'n'Roses or Bon Jovi (to name the first that come to mind) and, without taking anything away from the aforementioned bands, defy the boundaries set by major label marketing. Because they are fundamentally curious people. And they try to listen to and appreciate something different, something that perhaps doesn't base its success (or lack thereof) on extraordinary video quality or on global product distribution. I say "product" and not "work" because much of today's music resembles more a wholesale supermarket than a craftsman's workshop; and it's comforting to know that, in this rather melancholic panorama, despite everything, there are still those who play just for the love of it. Sure, making a living is making a living, and that's undeniable, just as certain as the fact that there are seven notes and that's that. But those who appreciate a certain type of music have an intuitive understanding when they're in front of mercenaries or people convinced of what they do. Also because often the rocker, even if adorned and flashy as needed, has a respectable musical background that spans from the sixties to today, taking in a bit of blues, psychedelia and, why not, jazz, country, singer-songwriter music, and so on. In short, in my opinion, the true rocker cannot disregard respect for other musical genres: they can calmly say "I don't like it" but never "it sucks." Because Music played with heart always has the same value. Factors may change, but the product does not. All this rambling just to introduce an extremely important album for those who have been rockers, are rockers, or want to become rockers. Or for those who simply want to understand what that small great musical revolution commonly referred to as the "New Wave Of British Heavy Metal" meant, which invaded the world in the early '80s.
"The Eagle Has Landed," first live album by Saxon, dated 1982, is one of the first metal records I listened to, and it's only natural that I remember it with a certain involvement. Who knows, it might have just been the raging hormones, a product of flourishing adolescence, or it could be that this first live album of the English group indeed represents one of the most thrilling records in the band's history (and not only)? I'd lean towards the latter, without underestimating, however, the powerful impact of puberty...
The Saxon are among the most respected heavy metal bands on the planet, with a few lows and many highs. Partly because of the strong personality and stage presence of the gigantic singer "Biff" Byford, partly due to the tenacious philosophy that has accompanied them since their inception (a philosophy that can be summed up by the title of one of their more recent songs: "I've Got To Rock (To Stay Alive)"), and greatly because of the overall quality of their music. Formed back in 1976, they have made very few mistakes in their career (musically speaking), and an excellent way to get closer to this historic group is to purchase this great live album, which only flaw is that it doesn't last long enough. Although it is not the recording of a single concert, but a mix of several songs from that year's European tour, "The Eagle Has Landed" loses nothing in terms of engagement and participation.
The opener "Motorcycle Man" is introduced (who would have thought?) by a roar of motorcycles apparently racing at breakneck speed that, amidst a cheering crowd, soon gives way to the historic opening riff. "Motorcycle man" is Saxon: incredibly engaging and exhilarating to the point that even today, after listening to it one or two million times, I can barely restrain myself from making a fool of myself in front of my little son. Then follow the band's great hits, still performed in today's concerts without faltering: "747 (Strangers in the Night), "Princess of the Night, "Strong Arm of the Law, "Heavy Metal Thunder and the swift "20,000 FT
"Wheels Of Steel", among the best-known pieces (rightly) in the group's history, transforms in this live into a real bomb of pure rock. It proceeds on the usual track for the first few minutes until reaching the interlude where Biff, against a background of bass and drums, incites the audience to sing with him "She's got wheels... wheels of steel!". An endless series of minutes that one wishes would never end. It is undoubtedly the most intense and fulfilling moment of the whole album and probably one of the highest points in Saxon's entire career, which achieved in those years success and notoriety that seemed indestructible but gradually waned over time. Only in recent years is the group deservedly being reassessed, partly thanks to their consistently good records (I mention the latest work from 2007, "The Inner Sanctum": if only there were more albums like this ...), partly thanks to their being "real" on every stage, just as engaging in front of two hundred people as in front of the enormous crowds at the latest W.O.A. Let's face it, all the great bands of the past (and not only) have gone through difficult times, miscalculating musical or commercial choices, throwing records to the market far different from their usual style, or simply yielding to the glimmers of incompetent record producers. Some of them have disappeared without a trace. Others, supported not only by the bread we mentioned above, have continued on their path with determination, stubbornly refusing to retreat an inch from their initial choices. Saxon is also this.
Returning to the album, we find a first-rate trio in the closing, namely "Never Surrender","Fire in the Sky and Machine Gun". Forgive my bluntness to those who do not know Saxon, but it really makes no sense to try to describe each individual song: it's simply impossible to convey it in words. You must listen. And although the production of that era (25 years have passed) leaves much to be desired, especially when compared to today's lives, the power and exhilaration that this album exudes are still pure and genuine as crystal notes on a silk staff. A record of great, great rock that I recommend to everyone, hooligans and not (and those who aren't thrilled can go ahead and tell me to bugger off).
And I close with the title of another song of theirs from "Killing Ground" (great work from 2001): "Rock Is Our Life!"
Honor and everlasting glory to the Saxons.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Motorcycle Man (04:21)
If you see me flashing by
Do not stop me, do not try
'Cause I'm a motorcycle man
I get my kicks just when I can
Motorcycle man
Motorcycle man
I can beat your street machine
We're taking risks, that's what we mean
'Cause I'm a motorcycle man
We get our kicks just when we can
When we can
Motorcycle man
Motorcycle...
If you see me riding by
Do not stop me, do not try
'Cause I'm a motorcycle man
I get my kicks just when I can
When I can
Motorcycle man
Motorcycle man
Motorcycle, motorcycle
Motorcycle man
I can beat your street machine
I'm taking risks, that's what I mean
'Cause I'm a motorcycle man
We get our kicks just when we can
When we can
Motorcycle man
Motorcycle man
Motorcycle, motorcycle
Motorcycle man
02 747 (Strangers in the Night) (04:37)
We've got a 747 coming down in the night
There's no power, there's no runway lights
Radio operator try to get a message through
Tell the flight deck New York has no lights
There's no power what do we do?
747 coming down in the night
Try to get a message through
We were strangers in the night (*)
Both on separate flights
Strangers in the night
Going nowhere
This is Scandinavian one-o-one
Flight from Hawaii coming out of the sun
Kennedy should be in sight
We can't see a thing here in the night
Navigator says we're on the flight path
There's no radio, no sign of life
This is Scandinavian one-o-one
For God's sake, get the ground lights on, because
(Repeat *)
There's a 747 going into the night
There's no power, they don't know why
They've no fuel, they've got to land soon
They can't land by the light of the moon
They're overshooting, there's no guiding lights
Set a course into the light
Scandinavian one-o-one
For God's sake get your ground lights on
(Repeat *)
04 Strong Arm of the Law (04:38)
I was listening to the music on the radio (*)
I had a feeling that something's not right
The music was loud, we could still hear the crowd
From the gig that we played that night
We pulled into a motorway restaurant
Stopped awhile, fooled around
But I still had a feeling that something's not right
'Cause we're standing in a whole in the ground
Stop, get out (**)
We are the strong arm of the law
Stop, get out
We are the strong arm of the law
Into the night came a blue flashing light
A blast from the siren to make sure
But it came to a stop behind the motorway cop
Who'd been tailing us for more than an hour
He pulled us out of the car on the side of the road
He questioned us one at a time
Where is the gear that we know that you use
We said the only speed we use is on cars
(Repeat **)
You should've seen the stupid smirk drop from his face
It was a negative exercise
The way that we dress and the things that we do
They thought it was an easy bust
(Repeat *)
(Repeat **)
05 Heavy Metal Thunder (04:19)
If you're taking a bite (*)
At the speed of light
You're shaking your heads to the band
There's a dare on your horse
But you're not on the force
We're taking this think to the ground
In the heat of the night (**)
When you're fists are alight
Touching temples of steel
And your body's on fire
About to expire
But you don't feel the pressure of pain
Pull your head back (***)
Hold your hands high
Shake your body
And it's too loud
And you put them up fill your heads
With heavy metal thunder
Heavy metal thunder
On the wings of an eagle (****)
You're hoping to fly
Holding your hands to the sky
On a blue sea of venom
You turn to the band with
Your banners and skirts blowing high
If you think something more (*****)
You'll come down to the front
Then you'll do as they say
Where an army of cars
Are surrounded by lights
Turning my face to the ground
Nobody stands in our way
(Repeat *** twice)
(Repeat *)
(Repeat **)
(Repeat ***)
(Repeat ****)
(Repeat *****)
(Repeat ***)
06 20,000 ft. (03:18)
If there's one thing I love
It's flying high above
Breaking through the barrier of sound
It's just like making love
When you're up above
Riding in my bird of silver steel
Forget the time (*)
Ten miles high
Living my fantasies
At twenty thousand feet
Twenty thousand feet, twenty thousand feet
It's the rushing of my blood
That makes me feel so good
I can see the world below just shooting by
Twice the speed of sound
That's how I like to ride
My chariot of steel across the sky
(Repeat *)
If it's faster than light
Sharper than steel
I'll race across the ceiling of the world
Just like a gun
Aiming at the sun
Riding in my bird of silver steel
(Repeat *)
I'm floating in space
The world seems to disappear
Then I awake
Got to get my head back in place
Twenty thousand feet, twenty thousand feet
Twenty thousand feet, twenty thousand feet
07 Wheels of Steel (08:51)
When my foot's on the throttle there's no looking back
I leave my motor ticking over when she's parked on the track
I've got a sixty eight Chevvy with pipes on the side
You know she's my idea of beauty and that's what I drive
She's got wheels, wheels of steel (*)
Talkin' 'bout my wheels of steel
I don't take no jibe from no motorway pigs
When I'm cruisin' down the freeway I don't give no lifts
If you see me comin' get out of my way
You know a Transam didn't I blew it away
(Repeat *)
08 Never Surrender (03:56)
I was born on the back streets
On the rotten side of town
I never had me nothin'
Just people puttin' me down
Living on the dark side
Across the railroad track
Leaving wasn't easy
But I'm never going back
Never surrender
When you're up against the world
Never surrender
Stand up fight them all
Never surrender
When you're up against the world
Never surrender
Stand up fight them all
I'm sticking in the fast lane
I never wanna quit
I'm taking all my chances
I'm gonna take 'em quick
I started at the bottom
But I'm headed to the top
Ain't nobody gonna hold me back
'Cause I'm never gonna stop
Never surrender
When you're up against the world
Never surrender
Stand up fight them all
Never surrender
When you're up against the world
Never surrender
Stand up fight them all
I was born on the back streets
On the rotten side of town
I never had me nothin'
Just people puttin' me down
I'm living on the darkside
Across the railroad track
Leaving wasn't easy
But I'm never going back
Never surrender
When you're up against the world
Never surrender
Stand up fight them all
[Repeat to end]
09 Fire in the Sky (02:39)
There's a fire in the sky
There's a feeling in the air
When the ground starts to tremble
The first attack is here
You won't stand a chance
When the missiles start to fly
They never tell the people
Till the holocaust is here
When the fire's in the sky
You'll be running for your lives
When the fire's in the sky
Prepare yourselves to die
Where, where are the shelters
They said they would be there
You'll need, need some protection
From the radiation flare
Don't, don't start a panic
It won't do you no good
You'll just have to wait
For the end of all mankind
If you're near the point of impact
There's nowhere you can run
If the heatwave don't get you
The shockwave surely will
There won't be no more heroes
There's no one left to fight
It's the end of our planet
We'd commit eternal sight
When the fire's in the sky
You'll be running for your lives
When the fire's in the sky
Prepare yourselves to die
When the fire's in the sky
You'll be running for your lives
When the fire's in the sky
Prepare yourselves to die
To die, to die, to die ...
10 Machine Gun (03:48)
[Byford/Quinn/Oliver/Dawson/Gill]
Move in to the front underhanded fire
Hear the bullets flying millions every hour
Tracers in the night shooting across the sky
For God's sake cover me I don't wanna die
Machine gun
Machine gun
Machine gun
Machine gun
Over the top into the wire
Running like a madman into the fire
No-mans land, fighting for your life
Fighting hand to hand forced to use your knife
Machine gun
Machine gun
Machine gun
Machine gun
Come the wheels of terror crushing all before
Chews you to the bone to hear the monsters roar
With the clash of iron the battles never won
For the forgotten soldier it's only just begun
Machine gun
Machine gun
Machine gun
Machine gun
It's gonna shoot you down
Move in to the front underhanded fire
Hear the bullets flying millions every hour
Tracers in the night shooting across the sky
For God's sake cover me I don't wanna die
Machine gun
Machine gun
Machine gun
Machine gun
Come the wheels of terror crushing all before
Chews you to the bone to hear the monsters roar
With the clash of iron the battles never won
For the forgotten soldier it's only just begun
Machine gun
Machine gun
Machine gun
Machine gun
Gonna shoot you down
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