{{Short description|English bassist}} {{About|the British musician|other people with the same name|Steve Dawson (disambiguation)}} {{Use British English|date=July 2012}} {{BLP sources|date=June 2010}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | name = Steve Dawson | image = Steve Dawson – Headbangers Open Air 2014 03.jpg | caption = Dawson in 2014 | birth_name = Steven Dawson | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1952|2|24|df=y}} | birth_place = Sheffield, Yorkshire, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} | genre = {{hlist|Heavy metal|hard rock|blues rock}} | occupations = Bassist | years_active = 1976–2021 | label = Carrere | associated_acts = Saxon, Oliver/Dawson Saxon }} '''Steven''' "'''Dobby'''" '''Dawson''' (born 24 February 1952) is an English bass guitarist, convicted sex offender, and a founder of the heavy metal band Saxon.<ref name="Heibutzki">{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p69291/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Biography: Steve Dawson|last=Heibutzki|first=Ralph|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=13 June 2010}}</ref>
Dawson started out in 1970 in the band Blue Condition, which became SOB after a few shows only, together with Dave Bradley, Steve Firth and future Saxon guitarist Graham Oliver. In 1975 Dawson, Oliver and new drummer John Walker joined forces with Coast members <ref>Biff Byford</ref> and Paul Quinn to form Son of a Bitch, which renamed itself Saxon in 1978. Dawson was a member of Saxon until 1986 when he was dismissed among conflict and arguments within the band. From 1996, Dawson and Oliver toured and recorded with Oliver/Dawson Saxon, at times featuring former Saxon drummers Pete Gill and Nigel Durham.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/oliver-dawson-saxon-s-steve-dawson-we-have-never-ever-tried-to-be-the-original-band | title=OLIVER/DAWSON SAXON's STEVE DAWSON: 'We Have Never Ever Tried to be the Original Band' | date=25 September 2007 }}</ref> In 2021, Dawson retired from music and stepped down from the group, after which the band renamed themselves Graham Oliver's Army.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bad English |date=26 October 2021 |title=Oliver/Dawson Saxon - Steve Dawson Decides To Leave The Band |url=https://metalstorm.net/events/news_comments.php?news_id=43790 |access-date=2024-04-14 |website=Metal Storm |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-21 |title=Gig review: Graham Oliver's Army with Paul Quinn - Roppongi Rocks |url=https://www.roppongirocks.com/archives/16079 |access-date=2024-04-14 |language=en-GB}}</ref>
In 2002, Dawson released a solo album called "Pandemonium Circus" with Durham on drums.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/release/10659626-Steve-Dawson-Pandemonium-Circus | title=Steve Dawson - Pandemonium Circus | website=Discogs | date=2002 }}</ref>
Dawson helped inspire ''This Is Spinal Tap''.<ref name="Heibutzki" /> "It was only a few years ago that the penny dropped about Harry Shearer," he observed in 2014, "when he said he'd been on tour with Saxon and some of the character of Derek Smalls had been based on me – pointing at the audience and all that malarkey. Harry's lovely... I'm proud to be an influence on Spinal Tap. They're taking the piss, but that's part of the game, isn't it?"<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Paul|last=Elliott|title=Hello Goodbye|magazine=Mojo|issue=221|date=April 2012|page=130}}</ref>
On 21 March 2024, Dawson was convicted at Sheffield Crown Court of four counts of indecent assault against a person under the age of 14. The offences took place in the early 1990s when the victim was six years old. In April of the same year, he was sentenced to 5 years in prison for the offences.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/news/crime/south-yorkshire-heavy-metal-music-star-jailed-for-historic-child-sex-offences-4589298 | title=South Yorkshire heavy metal music star jailed for historic child sex offences | date=12 April 2024 }}</ref>
== Discography == [[File:SAXON - Biff Byford & Steven Dobby Dawson.jpg|thumb|Dawson (right) and Biff Byford with Saxon in 1981]] === Saxon === *''Saxon'' (1979) *''Wheels of Steel'' (1980) *''Strong Arm of the Law'' (1980) *''Denim and Leather'' (1981) *''The Eagle Has Landed'' (1982) *''Power & the Glory'' (1983) *''Crusader'' (1984) *''Innocence Is No Excuse'' (1985) *''Rock the Nations'' (1986) (songwriting) *''BBC Sessions'' (1999) *''Live at Donnington 1980'' (2000)
=== Son of a Bitch === *''Victim You'' (1996)
=== Oliver/Dawson Saxon === *''Re://Landed'' (2000) *''It's Alive'' (2003) *''The Second Wave: 25 Years of NWOBHM'' (2003) *''Motorbiker'' (2012)
=== Steve Dawson === *''Pandemonium Circus'' (2002)
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category}} *{{Official website|http://www.odsrock.co.uk/|Oliver / Dawson Saxon Official website}}
{{Saxon}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dawson, Steve}} Category:1952 births Category:Living people Category:English heavy metal bass guitarists Category:English male bass guitarists Category:Saxon (band) members Category:Black Hen Music artists Category:English people convicted of child sexual abuse Category:English people convicted of indecent assault Category:Prisoners and detainees of England and Wales Category:English male criminals Category:Musicians convicted of sex crimes