Bass Player: Steve Dawson

Bilbo made his first forays into the music business with NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) band ‘No Quarter’ (see Bits and Bobs page). At this point in ‘metal’ bass history, the staple groove was straight eighths root not playing. Drummer and guitarists loved it; bass player hated it. Saxon’s original bass player, Steve Dawson, was a master of these kinds of grooves and barely ever strayed from the root. Discipline or a lack of imagination? Tell that to Cliff WIlliams of AC/DC.

The tune, ‘Dallas 1 P.M.’ from the 1980 Saxon LP, ‘Strong Arm Of The Law’ , is pretty much as basic a bass line as you can get. Bilbo knocked this one out in 10 minutes (almost in real time). It’s not ‘Havona’. It’s not ‘Donna Lee’ or ‘Red Right Returning’ but we love every second of it. If you can’t enjoy this p[ure visceral energy of this kind of fundamental playing, you probably shouldn’t be a bass player. Even the chart itself is a piece of minimalist art.