Wheels of Steel | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 3 April 1980 [1] | |||
Recorded | February 1980 [2] | |||
Studio | Ramport (London) | |||
Genre | Heavy metal | |||
Length | 38:56 | |||
Label | Carrere | |||
Producer | Pete Hinton, Saxon | |||
Saxon chronology | ||||
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Singles from Wheels of Steel | ||||
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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]
"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]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 8/10 [12] |
Sputnikmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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]
All tracks are written by Biff Byford, Paul Quinn, Graham Oliver, Steve Dawson and Pete Gill
No. | Title | Length |
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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 |
No. | Title | Length |
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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 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
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 |
No. | Title | Length |
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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 |
Chart (1980) | Peak position |
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Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [14] | 36 |
UK Albums (OCC) [15] | 5 |
Chart (2018) | Peak position |
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UK Independent Albums (OCC) [16] | 38 |
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) [17] | 17 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [18] | Gold | 100,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Saxon are an English heavy metal band formed in Barnsley in 1975. As leaders of the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM), they had eight UK Top 40 albums during the 1980s including four UK Top 10 albums and two Top 5 albums. They had numerous hit singles on the UK Singles Chart and experienced success all over Europe and Japan, as well as in the United States.
Peter Rodney "Biff" Byford is an English singer best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Saxon.
Metalhead is the fourteenth studio album by heavy metal band Saxon released in 1999. It is the first album with Fritz Randow, who replaced Nigel Glockler in 1999.
Unleash the Beast is the thirteenth studio album by English heavy metal band Saxon, released in 1997. It is their first studio album with Doug Scarratt on guitar.
Dogs of War is the twelfth studio album by the heavy metal band Saxon, released in 1995. It's the last album with Graham Oliver, before he's fired.
Forever Free is the eleventh studio album by heavy metal band Saxon released in 1992.
Strong Arm of The Law is the third studio album by English heavy metal band Saxon. It was released in 1980, seven months after Wheels of Steel, and debuted on the UK chart at #11.
Denim and Leather is the fourth studio album by English heavy metal band Saxon released in 1981. The album was certified Gold status in the U.K. This was the last album with the classic line up of Saxon, as drummer Pete Gill would leave the band due to a hand injury, later joining Motörhead; this was also seen as the last of their trilogy of classic albums.
Saxon is the debut studio album by English heavy metal band Saxon, released in 1979.
Greatest Hits Live is the third live album by the band Saxon and the first Album with new Bass-Player Timothy "Nibbs" Carter. It was released in 1990 just one year after their previous live album Rock 'n' Roll Gypsies to celebrate the tenth anniversary years of the band's successful activity career since their second Album Wheels of Steel (1980), together with a VHS of the concert. This '10 Years Of Denim And Leather' concert was later released on DVD as Saxon 'Live Legends' with the extra track Strong Arm of the Law.
Crusader is the sixth studio album by English heavy metal band Saxon, released on 30 January 1984 by Carrere Records.
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Innocence Is No Excuse is the seventh studio album by English heavy metal band Saxon, released in September 1985. It was the band's first album for EMI after a falling-out with their previous label, Carrere Records, and their last with original bassist Steve Dawson.
Solid Ball of Rock is the tenth studio album by heavy metal band Saxon released in 1991 on Virgin Records. Five of its 11 tracks were written by new bassist Nibbs Carter, who co-wrote another three songs.
Rock the Nations is the eighth studio album by English heavy metal band Saxon, released in August 1986.
Destiny is the ninth studio album by English heavy metal band Saxon, released in March 1988. It is also the only studio album to feature the rhythm section of drummer Nigel Durham and bassist Paul Johnson on it.
The Eagle Has Landed is the first live album by heavy metal band Saxon and the first album featuring their long time drummer Nigel Glockler. It was recorded during the European leg of the world tour supporting the album Denim and Leather and released in 1982. The album reached #5 in the UK charts.
Graham Oliver is an English guitarist who was born in Mexborough, South Yorkshire. He was a founding member in the heavy metal band Saxon from 1976 to 1995.
The Eagle Has Landed – Part II is a double live album by the English heavy metal band Saxon. It is the fourth live album by the band and the first recording to feature Doug Scarratt instead of Graham Oliver, who had left just after the release of Dogs of War.
Donnington: The Live Tracks [sic] is a semi-official live album by Saxon, being a legal release but not sanctioned by the band. The recording was made at the first Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donington on 16 August 1980 but was not released until fifteen years later. It was re-released as Live at Donnington 1980 in 2000.