Metallica have never been shy of wearing their influences on their sleeves. Over the course of their 40-plus year career, the US band have paid tribute to many of the bands that inspired them by covering their songs, Countless artists have got the Metallica treatment, from household names such as Deep Purple, Iron Maiden and Motörhead to lesser-known bands like Diamond Head, Misfits and Budgie.
Yet one major band have missed out on the Metallica stamp of approval – British metal warhorses Saxon. It’s not as if Lars Ulrich and co weren’t aware of them. The drummer cited the band’s Strong Arm Of The Law as one of his favourite records from his formative years. “Heavy Metal Thunder is just an anthem,” said Lars, who saw Saxon play in 1981 when he spent time in England. “Whenever you listen to the song, you were there, you were in the thick of it, you were a part of what was going on.” Yet despite that, Metallica never got around to covering Saxon on record – and singer Biff Byford has a theory why.
