Denim and Leather
Encyclopedia
Denim and Leather is the fourth studio album
by English
heavy metal
band Saxon
released in 1981 (see 1981 in music
). The name of the album and song was inspired by the popular attire of metalheads in the early 1980s, defined by denim pants and leather jackets. The song is seen as a tribute from the band to their fans while describing the history of the sub-culture and the rise of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal
(NWOBHM). This was the last album with the classic line up of Saxon, as drummer Pete Gill
would ultimately leave the band to join Motörhead; this was also seen as the last of their triptych of classic albums (the previous two being Wheels of Steel
and Strong Arm of the Law
). Following the release of Denim and Leather the band stopped making albums for over a year, trying to reach mainstream success in the United States
.
Though the album is not Saxon's best selling, it spawned two of their most successful singles, "And the Bands Played On
" and "Princess of the Night
". There are nine songs on this album, which are noted for lyrics about a wide range of topics. "Princess of the Night" is a song about a powerful train and "And the Bands Played On" is about the resiliency of the heavy metal (particularly NWOBHM) bands. Other themes for the songs include: partying, the spirit of the music, fighting, and, like many of their songs, motorcycles.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Saxon
Saxon (band)
Saxon are an English heavy metal band, formed in 1976 in Barnsley, Yorkshire. As front-runners of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, they had 8 UK Top 40 albums in the 1980s including 4 UK Top 10 albums. Saxon also had numerous singles in the Top 20 singles chart...
released in 1981 (see 1981 in music
1981 in music
See also:* Timeline of musical eventsThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1981.-January–April:*January 10 – A revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance opens at Broadway's Uris Theatre, starring Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith.*January 24 –...
). The name of the album and song was inspired by the popular attire of metalheads in the early 1980s, defined by denim pants and leather jackets. The song is seen as a tribute from the band to their fans while describing the history of the sub-culture and the rise of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal
New Wave of British Heavy Metal
The New Wave of British Heavy Metal was a heavy metal movement that started in the late 1970s, in Britain, and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. The movement developed as a reaction in part to the decline of early heavy metal bands such as Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Black...
(NWOBHM). This was the last album with the classic line up of Saxon, as drummer Pete Gill
Pete Gill
Pete Gill is a heavy metal drummer, formerly a member of The Glitter Band, Saxon and Motörhead.Gill was one of the two drummers in The Glitter Band, then formed part of the original line up Saxon in 1978. He stayed with them until 1981 when he injured his hand...
would ultimately leave the band to join Motörhead; this was also seen as the last of their triptych of classic albums (the previous two being Wheels of Steel
Wheels of Steel
Wheels of Steel is the second studio album by heavy metal band Saxon. It was released in 1980 .Despite its lyric, "747 " does not appear to be based on any actual incidents....
and Strong Arm of the Law
Strong Arm of the Law
Strong Arm of The Law is the third studio album by heavy metal band Saxon released in 1980. This was released a few months after the classic Wheels of Steel and debuted on the UK chart at #11."Dallas 1 PM" was written about the assassination of John F...
). Following the release of Denim and Leather the band stopped making albums for over a year, trying to reach mainstream success in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Though the album is not Saxon's best selling, it spawned two of their most successful singles, "And the Bands Played On
And the Bands Played On
"And the Bands Played On" is a single by heavy metal band Saxon from their 1981 album Denim and Leather. It peaked at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart and is Saxon's most successful single to date....
" and "Princess of the Night
Princess of the Night
"Princess of the Night" is a single by British heavy metal band Saxon, featured as the opening track and single from their 1981 album Denim and Leather; the song was written as a group production of all five members of the band at the time: Peter "Biff" Byford, Steve Dawson, Pete Gill, Graham...
". There are nine songs on this album, which are noted for lyrics about a wide range of topics. "Princess of the Night" is a song about a powerful train and "And the Bands Played On" is about the resiliency of the heavy metal (particularly NWOBHM) bands. Other themes for the songs include: partying, the spirit of the music, fighting, and, like many of their songs, motorcycles.
Track listing
Personnel
- Biff ByfordBiff ByfordPeter Rodney "Biff" Byford is an English rock singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Saxon. Byford formed Son of a Bitch with guitarists Graham Oliver and Paul Quinn, bassist Steve Dawson and drummer Pete Gill in 1976...
- Vocals - Graham OliverGraham OliverGraham Oliver is an English guitarist.-Career:He played with the heavy metal band Saxon from 1977 to 1994. After leaving the band he initially reformed his old band Son of a Bitch with former Saxon bassist Steve Dawson and drummer Pete Gill...
- Guitar - Paul QuinnPaul Quinn (guitarist)Paul Quinn is an English lead guitarist, and the founding member of the NWOBHM band, Saxon. Other than Biff Byford, Quinn is the only remaining member of Saxon's original line up, and is present on every Saxon release...
- Guitar - Steve DawsonSteve DawsonSteven "Dobby" Dawson , is an English bass guitarist, founder of Saxon.Dawson was the inspiration for Harry Shearer's Spinal Tap character Derek Smalls.-Saxon:*Saxon *Wheels of Steel...
- Bass - Pete GillPete GillPete Gill is a heavy metal drummer, formerly a member of The Glitter Band, Saxon and Motörhead.Gill was one of the two drummers in The Glitter Band, then formed part of the original line up Saxon in 1978. He stayed with them until 1981 when he injured his hand...
- Drums
Production
- Producer : Nigel Thomas
- Engineer: Andy Lydon
- Recorded at Aquarius Studios, GenevaGenevaGeneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
- Also recorded at Polar StudiosPolar StudiosPolar Studios is one of the most famous recording studios in Scandinavia. Originally located in a former movie theater from 1934 at Sankt Eriksgatan 58-60 on Kungsholmen in Stockholm, Sweden, Polar Studios was founded by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA in 1977 and had its grand opening on...
, StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area... - Mixed at Polar Studios, Stockholm