Saxon's Biff Byford says his chemo for bowel cancer is 'done'
He's looking forward to Saxon's UK and Ireland tour next month
Saxon frontman Biff Byford says his chemotherapy for bowel cancer is “done”, and he’s looking forward to hitting the road on the Yorkshire metal icons’ UK and Ireland tour.
Back in July, Saxon axed 10 European summer tour dates so Biff could undergo a then-unspecified emergency procedure that required a six-week recovery period.
A few weeks later, 74-year-old Biff revealed that the operation was to remove a “small tumour” from his prostate gland after he was diagnosed with bowel cancer.
In a new video update, Biff has confirmed his chemo is ‘done’ and he’s currently rehearsing for Saxon’s November tour and laying down vocals for their new album.
"Hi, it's Biff here from Saxon,” he says in the clip. “I want to give you an update. So, yeah, I've done the chemo now and I'm gonna be getting fit now, ride the bike.
“I'm doing some vocals for the new album and rehearsing for the tour which starts in Belfast (on Tuesday 4th November). We're gonna be doing the 'Wheels Of Steel' album complete, obviously, in the set, with a lot of other songs as well.
“(Saxon’s support act) Udo (Dirkschneider) is gonna be doing 'Balls To The Wall', the Accept album, a brilliant album. So he's gonna be doing that completely.
“I think Tygers Of Pan Tang in Newcastle are gonna do a special setlist. And we've got a new band called Untamed Silence with us on two shows, Manchester and Sheffield.
“So, yep, it's gonna be great. We're looking forward to it, and we'll see everybody there. A few tickets left in some shows, so get your tickets bought, and come on."
Saxon's tour visits Belfast, Dublin, Manchester, Sheffield, Glasgow, Newcastle, Bristol, Wolverhampton and London before concluding at Cardiff The Great Hall on Sunday 16th November.
Alongside performing ‘Wheels of Steel’ in full to mark its 45th anniversary, Saxon will also treat audiences to other metal anthems from their distinguished back catalogue, including 2024 album ‘Hell, Fire and Damnation.’
Tickets to all UK dates are on sale from Planet Rock Tickets now.
Following the autumn trek, Saxon will headline the opening night at Bloodstock 2026 on Thursday 6th August.
Saxon’s UK & Ireland tour dates:
NOVEMBER 2025
Belfast Ulster Hall – Tue 4th
Dublin Olympia – Wed 5th
Manchester O2 Apollo – Fri 7th
Sheffield Octagon – Sat 8th
Glasgow O2 Academy – Sun 9th
Newcastle O2 City Hall – Tue 11th
Bristol Beacon – Thu 13th
Wolverhampton Civic Hall – Fri 14th
London Eventim Apollo Hammersmith – Sat 15th
Cardiff The Great Hall – Sun 16th
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The real names of famous rock stars, including Biff Byford:
Cozy Powell’s real name: Colin Trevor Flooks
Alex Lifeson’s real name: Alexandar Živojinović
'Lifeson' is a semi-literal English translation of the Yugoslavian surname Živojinović, which means 'son of life'
Ginger Baker's real name: Peter Edward Baker
John 5’s real name: John William Lowery
Yngwie Malmsteen’s real name: Lars Johann Yngwie Lannerback
Rudy Sarzo’s real name: Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont
Eric Carr's real name: Paul Charles Caravello
Vinnie Vincent’s real name: Vincent John Cusano
Tina Turner’s real name: Anna Mae Bullock
King Diamond’s real name: Kim Bendix Petersen
Joey Tempest's real name: Rolf Magnus Joakim Larsson
Michael Monroe’s real name: Matti Antero Kristian Fagerholm
Mikkey Dee’s real name: Micael Kiriakos Delaoglou
Jonathan Cain’s real name: Jonathan Leonard Friga
Nikki Sixx's real name: Frank Ferrano
Steven Adler’s real name: Michael Coletti
Axl Rose's real name: William Bruce Rose
Bon Scott's real name: Ronald Belford Scott
Fish’s real name: Derek William Dick
Eddie Vedder's real name: Edward Louis Severson III
Peter Criss’ real name: George Peter John Criscuola
Freddie Mercury's real name: Farrokh Bulsara
Flea's real name: Michael Peter Balzary
Perry Farrell's real name: Perry Bernstein
Geddy Lee’s real name: Gary Lee Weinrib
Mick Mars' real name: Robert Deal
Tré Cool's real name: Frank Edwin Wright III
Courtney Love's real name: Courtney Michelle Harrison
Pat Smear's real name: Georg Albert Ruthenberg
Gene Simmons' real name: Chaim Klein Witz
Spike’s real name: Jonathan Gray
Iggy Pop's real name: James Newell Osterberg, JR.
Alice Cooper's real name: Vincent Damon Furnier
Slash's real name: Saul Hudson
Mike Dirnt's real name: Michael Ryan Pritchard
Ronnie James Dio's real name: Ronald James Padavona
Brody Dalle's real name: Bree Joanna Alice Robinson
Skin's real name: Deborah Anne Dyer
Nicky Wire's real name: Nicholas Jones
Amy Lee's real name: Amy Lynn Hartzler
Bill Wyman's real name: William Perks
Izzy Stradlin's real name: Jeffrey Isbell
Paul Stanley's real name: Stanley Eisen
Vince Neil's real name: Vincent Neil Wharton
Duff McKagan's real name: Michael McKagan
Jack Black’s real name: Thomas Jacob Black
Lemmy's real name: Ian Fraser Kilmister
John Paul Jones' real name: John Baldwin
Joan Jett's real name: Joan Larkin
Eric Clapton's real name: Eric Patrick Clapp
Siouxsie Sioux's real name: Susan Janet Ballion
Rachel Bolan’s real name: James Richard Southworth
David Bowie's real name: David Robert Hayward Stenton Jones
Little Richard's real name: Richard Wayne Penniman
Sid Vicious' real name: John Simon Ritchie
Ace Frehley's real name: Paul Daniel Frehley
Lou Reed's real name: Louis Firbank
Joe Strummer's real name: John Graham Mellor
Marc Bolan's real name: Mark Feld
The Edge's real name: David Howell Evans
Meat Loaf's real name: Marvin Lee Aday
Steven Tyler's real name: Steven Victor Tallarico
Ozzy Osbourne's real name: John Michael Osbourne
Jon Bon Jovi's real name: John Francis Bongiovi
Joey Belladonna’s real name: Joseph Bellardini
Jack White's real name: John Anthony Gillis
Bono's real name: Paul David Hewson
Sting's real name: Gordon Sumner
Billy Idol’s real name: William Michael Albert Broad
Geezer Butler’s real name: Terence Butler
Pat Benatar’s real name: Patricia Mae Giraldo
Bo Diddley’s real name: Ellas McDaniel
Muddy Waters’ real name: McKinley Morganfield
Stevie Nicks’ real name: Stephanie Lynn Nicks
Doro’s real name: Dorothee Pesch
Sebastian Bach’s real name: Sebastian Philip Bierk
Joe Perry’s real name: Joseph Pereira
Jimi Hendrix’s real name: James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix)
Zakk Wylde’s real name: Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt
Maynard James Keenan’s real name: James Herbert Keenan
Blaze Bayley’s real name: Bayley Alexander Cooke
Biff Byford's real name: Peter Rodney Byford
M. Shadows' real name: Matthew Charles Sanders
Syd Barrett's real name: Roger Keith Barrett
Chris Jericho's real name: Christopher Keith Irvine
Ginger Wildheart's real name: David Leslie Walls
Paul Di'Anno's real name: Paul Andrews
Phil X’s real name: Theofilos Xenidis
Peter Green’s real name: Peter Allen Greenbaum
Nicko McBrain’s real name: Michael Henry McBrain
Noddy Holder’s real name: Neville John Holder
Steel Panther’s real names
Michael Starr: Ralph Michael Saenz, Satchel: Russell John Parrish, Stix Zadinia: Darren Leader, Spyder: Joe Lester.