Oliver/Dawson Saxon

Oliver/Dawson Saxon
Oliver/Dawson Saxon
	Oliver/Dawson Saxon at Headbangers Open Air 2014
Background information
Genres	Heavy metal
Years active	1995–2021
Past members	Bri Shaughnessy; Graham Oliver; Gav Coulson; Steve Dawson; Paul Oliver. =
Website	http://www.odsrock.co.uk/

Oliver/Dawson Saxon was an English heavy metal band formed in 1995 by former members of Saxon, guitarist Graham Oliver and bassist Steve Dawson.

Following Steve Dawson's decision to retire from performing in October 2021, Graham Oliver, Gav Coulson and Bri Shaughnessy recruited new bandmembers and chose to continue working together under the new name of 'Graham Oliver's Army'.

Biography

Oliver/Dawson Saxon (1994–2021)

In 1994, Graham Oliver and Steve Dawson, founding members of Saxon, reunited under the name Son of a Bitch (which had been Saxon's own name originally, before they became well known) and released Victim You. They performed under various names such as "SAXON-Son of a Bitch tour" and "SAXON-the early years", before deciding on their current name "Oliver/Dawson Saxon" in 2000. The band has been known by this name ever since, and despite recording other material from 1996 onwards have always relied primarily on Saxon songs during live sets. An attempt to perform under the name "SAXON" alone was prevented by Peter "Biff" Byford, another member of the original band, threatening legal action.^[1] In 1997,^[2] Oliver and Dawson registered "SAXON" as a trademark, and attempted, through their management company, to prevent Byford's band using the name on their promotional material. Byford opposed this registration, but initially the UK Patent Office held that the registration was valid, as Oliver and Dawson (as original members of "Son of a Bitch" in 1978) had equal rights to Byford in the name "SAXON".^[1] However, the High Court overturned the registration, ruling that it had been applied for in bad faith.^[3] Oliver and Dawson were thereby prevented from describing themselves as "Saxon" and obliged to prominently include the "Oliver/Dawson" element of the name in their advertising material. The name "Saxon" had been given to the band by then Freddy Cannon, managing director of Carrere Records UK, because retail outlets refused to carry "Son of A Bitch" in 1978. In 2011, Brian Shaugnessey, frontman of rock group Seventh Son joined as the lead vocalist.

In 2016 Hadyn Conway stepped down as lead guitarist, and was replaced by Gavin Coulson.

In 2021, bassist and founder member Steve Dawson chose to retire from touring and recording, which brought the band to a close.

Final line-up

Graham Oliver – guitar (Saxon: 1976–1994, Oliver/Dawson Saxon: 1994–2021)
Steve Dawson – bass guitar (Saxon: 1976–1986, Oliver/Dawson Saxon: 1994–2021)
Paul Oliver – drums (Oliver/Dawson Saxon: 2010–2021)
Bri Shaughnessy – vocals (Oliver/Dawson Saxon: 2011–2021)
Gav Coulson – guitar (Oliver/Dawson Saxon: 2016–2021)

Past members

Son of a Bitch (1994–1999)

Ted Bullet – vocals
Graham Oliver – guitar
Haydn Conway – guitar
Steve Dawson – bass
Pete Gill – drums

Son of a Bitch (1999)

Kev Moore – vocals
Graham Oliver – guitar
Haydn Conway – guitar
Steve Dawson – bass
Nigel Durham – drums

Oliver/Dawson Saxon (2000 – Nov 2010)

John Ward – vocals
Graham Oliver – guitar
Haydn Conway – guitar
Steve Dawson – bass
Nigel Durham – drums

Oliver/Dawson Saxon (Nov 2010–2011)

John Ward – vocals
Graham Oliver – guitar
Haydn Conway – guitar
Steve Dawson – bass
Paul Oliver – drums

Oliver/Dawson Saxon (2011–2016)

Bri Shaughnessy – vocals
Graham Oliver – guitar
Haydn Conway – guitar
Steve Dawson – bass
Paul Oliver – drums

Oliver/Dawson Saxon (2016 – 2021)

Bri Shaughnessy – vocals
Graham Oliver – guitar
Gav Coulson – guitar
Steve Dawson – bass guitar
Paul Oliver – drums

Discography

Victim You (as Son of a Bitch) (1996)
Re://Landed^{[permanent dead link‍]} (Live) (2000)
Rock Has Landed It's Alive (DVD) (2002)
The Second Wave: 25 Years of NWOBHM (with Girlschool and Tygers of Pan Tang) (2003)
It's Alive (Live) (2003)
Motorbiker (2012)
Blood And Thunder – Live (2014)

References

^ ^a ^b Foley,Mike (8 November 2002). "Application 12012" (PDF). UKIPO.
^ "Case details for Trade Mark 2150052". UKIPO.
^ Byford v Oliver [2003] EWHC 295 (Ch) (23 February 2003), High Court (England and Wales)

External links

[Foley-1] Foley,Mike (8 November 2002). "Application 12012" (PDF). UKIPO.

[IPO-2] "Case details for Trade Mark 2150052". UKIPO.

[Laddie-3] Byford v Oliver [2003] EWHC 295 (Ch) (23 February 2003), High Court (England and Wales)

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