Innocence Is No Excuse

After fulfilling their contract with the tiny Carrere label, Saxon signed to mighty EMI looking for a major overhaul to reignite their career. The resulting album is one of their most controversial: it's viewed by some as an all time-low while others consider it the band's last gasp of brilliance. Vocalist Biff Byford and bassist Steve Dawson collaborated on a number of very strong tunes, perhaps their best since the Denim and Leather glory days, but the commercial sheen which permeated the album's production drove many fans away. So even as singles like "Back on the Streets," "Rock'n'Roll Gypsy," and "Broken Heroes" charted respectably, the band was irreparably torn musically, and Dawson (a key songwriter) left the group. The band has never really recovered. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia