Saxon is a British heavy metal band, formed in Barnsley, England in 1976. As pioneers of, and at the forefront of the then New Wave of British Heavy Metal the band enjoyed a period of prominence in the UK (including popular chart success) and Europe in the early 1980s, and later the USA and Japan. Saxon started in South Yorkshire, England as SOB during 1976 with founder members Graham Oliver and Steve Dawson. This band joined forces with another local band, Coast, featuring Biff Byford on vocals and Paul Quinn on guitar.