When tasked with writing an article about Iron Maiden, my head started to spin.
Honestly, it’s something that should be the easiest thing to do, and yet I was clouded with ideas on how to accurately depict my admiration for this band. I know I’m not alone, Iron Maiden are one of the best and most successful heavy metal bands of all time. Their influence and brilliance cannot be overstated, and as a live band, forget about it. Every show is memorable and will live with you forever.
So if I had to break it down into what makes iron Maiden special for me, it’d go something like this.
THE TWIN GUITAR ATTACK
Yes, I’m aware it’s been a triple guitar attack for some time now, but when I first started listening to Maiden it was either Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, or Dave Murray and Janick Gers. What I loved about that was it wasn’t a lead and a rhythm guitarist, it was two guys who did both, and now 3 shredders? Get the f outta here, just too good.
STEVE HARRIS
Did he create the ‘one foot on the foldback playing his bass at you like he’s sweeping the crowd with a machine gun’ stance? I reckon he might have. I love that his bass is so prominent in the mix of Iron Maiden. Hardly surprising, given his songwriting prowess within the band. He’s a dead-set, straight up and down, no beg ya pardons, legend. As a kid, hearing "22 Acacia Avenue" (which he co-wrote), and figuring out what it’s actually about, was awesome.
BRUCE DICKINSON
Possibly the coolest guy in metal. I once read that he gets ready for a tour by rollerblading around a huge car park singing his songs to build up his cardio. I think only Bruce could get away with rollerblades these days, surely. He’s a bloody airline pilot that has flown his band and crew AND ALL THEIR GEAR around the world to play shows in a 747! He’s beaten throat cancer and put off seeing the doctor about it until after he finished recording an album... seriously, if you know anyone as dedicated as this man, please let me know. His voice is iconic, his energy infectious, and his stories during the shows are funny. Bruce Dickinson is a bloody legend.
NICKO MCBRAIN
Yes, his real last name is McBrain. He’s hilarious, and an absolute monster and integral part of shaping Iron Maiden’s sound since joining the band in 1982. A massive influence on drummers everywhere, who loves nothing more than sneaking in a few rounds of golf and driving his collection of Jaguars. I love Nicko because he’s a geezer, an ordinary bloke with a great talent but who’s just so bloody cool. Check this vid of him and his custom Jaguar, you will be jealous.
Ok, so my admiration for the band members is out of the way, but what else is it about ‘The Irons’ that make them awesome?
THE SONGS, OF COURSE!
The epic nature and storytelling within. Case in point, "The Number of The Beast".
Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris is responsible for this story, which he said was inspired by a nightmare he had after watching Damien: Omen II. It’s haunting spoken word beginning, which every Maiden fan knows off by heart now, was supposed to be done by the king of horror, Vincent Price, but as he was too expensive, the band hired English actor Barry Clayton to read the passages which are Revelation 12:12 and Revelation 13:18.
This is crafting your work, this is what it’s all about. Taking people to a time and place that you can ‘see’ when you listen to it. It’s such an iconic tune that still holds up today. I also love that when this particular song was released, religious groups were frightened of it and declared the band to be satanic. People are so stupid, and Iron Maiden is ace.
THE LIVE SHOWS
As previously mentioned, Bruce hops in the pilots' seat and carries everyone around the world in the 747, and if you’ve ever seen Iron Maiden live, you can attest to them having unbelievably HUGE productions that leave you talking about them for days on end afterward. No show is complete with their MONSTER mascot Eddie making an appearance on stage, who often has the piss taken out of him by the band members ducking under his legs and generally having a great time. I think that’s the key. You can see the band having a great time, and it’s infectious. A great lesson for up and coming bands; keep it fun, and your audience will remember it forever. Good songs help too.
They are metal royalty, huge in every respect, smart, funny, and insanely talented. That’s why I love Iron Maiden. UP THE IRONS!
Iron Maiden’s The Book Of Souls: Live Chapter will be released on November 17th worldwide. This live recording comprises 15 songs captured during The Book Of Souls World Tour, which covered 39 countries across six continents during 2016 and 2017, and was seen by over two million fans. The Book Of Souls: Live Chapter will be released physically in CD, deluxe CD & vinyl audio formats, with the concert film available to stream free online or as a digital download and is available for pre-order here.
Produced by Tony Newton and Steve Harris, the album is based on this year’s setlist and is a faithful record of the epic show, including six songs from The Book Of Souls, the band's most recent studio album, along with many other classics and fan favourites.
The full track listing and the cities they were recorded in, is as follows:
If Eternity Should Fail – Sydney, Australia
Speed of Light - Cape Town, South Africa
Wrathchild – Dublin, Ireland
Children of the Damned – Montreal, Canada
Death or Glory – Wroclaw, Poland
The Red and the Black – Tokyo, Japan
The Trooper - San Salvador, El Salvador
Powerslave – Trieste, Italy
The Great Unknown – Newcastle, UK
The Book of Souls – Donington, UK
Fear of the Dark – Fortaleza, Brazil
Iron Maiden - Buenos Aires, Argentina
Number of the Beast – Wacken, Germany
Blood Brothers – Donington, UK
Wasted Years - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Higgo
