Wheels of Steel
Studio album by
Saxon
Released3 April 1980[1]
RecordedFebruary 1980[2]
StudioRamport Studios, London, UK
GenreHeavy metal
Length38:56
LabelCarrere
ProducerPete Hinton, Saxon
Saxon chronology
Saxon
(1979) 		Wheels of Steel
(1980) 		Strong Arm of the Law
(1980)
Singles from Wheels of Steel
  1. "Wheels of Steel"
    Released: March 1980
  2. "747 (Strangers in the Night)"
    Released: June 1980
  3. "Suzie Hold On"
    Released: September 1980

Wheels of Steel is the second studio album by English heavy metal band Saxon. Released in 1980 by Carrere Records,[3][4] it was their first album to enter the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number 5, and is their highest-charting album in the UK Albums Chart to date.[5][6] The album eventually went on to achieve gold status in the UK.[7]

Song notes

"747 (Strangers in the Night)" is about a power cut that forced planes in New York to remain in ascent in 1965 with the power outage provoking a Scandinavian flight to detour to Kennedy airport in the dark.[8][9]

The title track is featured in the video games Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City (Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned and Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony) and Brütal Legend. It has also been covered by L.A. Guns on their album Rips the Covers Off and bears a strong resemblance to the outro riff of "Rock 'n' Roll Doctor" by Black Sabbath, although according to guitarist Graham Oliver the song was actually inspired by the Ted Nugent song "Cat Scratch Fever".[10]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[11]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal8/10[12]
Sputnikmusic[13]

The album received very positive reviews from critics and is today regarded as a classic, genre-defining metal album. Eduardo Rivadavia of AllMusic lists the album as "topping the heap of essential Saxon albums, pretty much hand in hand with its immediate successors, Strong Arm of the Law and Denim and Leather, effectively setting the template for the band's most successful efforts."[11] Canadian reviewer Martin Popoff regards Wheels of Steel as a "qualified classic" and "one of really two or three of (NWOBHM's) building blocks;" it is "a record on a mission, willing to take responsibility as a spokesvinyl for legions of English punters with a thirst for regular metal guys".[12] Sputnikmusic's Mike Stagno praises "the solid, consistent rhythms that produce the riffy, yet accessible tunes" and Biff Byford's "powerful singing", which make Wheels of Steel "perhaps not one of metal's best albums," but "still a very worthwhile album."[13]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Biff Byford, Paul Quinn, Graham Oliver, Steve Dawson and Pete Gill

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Motorcycle Man"3:56
2."Stand Up and Be Counted"3:09
3."747 (Strangers in the Night)"4:58
4."Wheels of Steel"5:58
Side two
No.TitleLength
5."Freeway Mad"2:41
6."See the Light Shining"4:55
7."Street Fighting Gang"3:12
8."Suzie Hold On"4:34
9."Machine Gun"5:23
1997 remaster bonus tracks, Saxon – Wheels of Steel / Strong Arm of the Law, 2 x CD, Reissue, Remastered, Compilation, UK & Europe
  • recorded live at Hammersmith Odeon December 1981 tr. 12 – 14
No.TitleLength
10."Judgement Day" (live)5:38
11."Wheels of Steel" (7" version)4:30
12."See the Light Shining" (live)5:31
13."Wheels of Steel" (live)9:27
14."747 (Strangers in the Night)" (live)4:56
15."Stallions of the Highway" (live (Saxon – 747 (Strangers in the Night), 12 inch, 45rpm, lim.ed; spec.ed;, B1, B2 – See The Light Shining, UK, 1980)3:18
2009 remaster bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
10."Suzie Hold On" (1980 demo rehearsal)5:26
11."Wheels of Steel" (1980 demo rehearsal)6:31
12."Stallions of the Highway" (live, b-side "747 (Strangers in the Night)")3:35
13."Motorcycle Man" (live)3:37
14."Freeway Mad" (live)2:24
15."Wheels of Steel" (live)5:26
16."747 (Strangers in the Night)" (live)4:47
17."Machine Gun" (live)6:16

Personnel

Saxon

Production

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[20] Gold 100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "Wheels of Steel certification".
  2. ^ "Saxon - Wheels of Steel Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  3. ^ Dick, Chris (4 January 2017). "Saxon - "Wheels of Steel"". Decibel Magazine. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Wheels of Steel by Saxon". Genius. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  5. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 483. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  6. ^ "Saxon | full Official Chart history". Official Charts. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  7. ^ "BPI Certified Awards Database Saxon Wheels of Steel". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  8. ^ "The Next Level :: View topic – "The Trigger Effect" – true genesis for 9/11?". Breakfornews.com. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  9. ^ "747 (Strangers in the Night) Lyric Meaning – Saxon Meanings". Songmeanings.net. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  10. ^ Coulson, Gavin (15 September 2010). "Graham Oliver – Classic Saxon Riffs on the Metal Axxe Raider VR2001eview". Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2016 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ a b Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Saxon Wheels of Steel". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 June 2011.
  12. ^ a b Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 314. ISBN 978-1894959315.
  13. ^ a b Stagno, Mike. "Saxon Wheels of Steel". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 17 June 2011.
  14. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Saxon – Wheels of Steel". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  15. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  16. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  17. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  18. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  19. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  20. ^ "British album certifications – Saxon – Wheels of Steel". British Phonographic Industry.
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