The Iron Maiden Thread v. The Merge of Souls

[Samsara]

And there's nothing wrong with a fan service nostalgia tour. Look, I love new music. I love bands to play and support their new music. But when you have bands like Maiden, it's hard to do the balancing act. Personally, I like how they've handled it over the years.

I remember some years ago they did a tour...Maiden super fans correct me here...where they did all stuff from their reunion albums. I was there. I loved it. But then I also loved when they did the whole Seventh Son re-do tour as well. Maiden has so many albums and so many songs, it's incredibly hard to please everyone. I think they do a way better job than some.

And Mosh, I'm not pointing the finger at you at all in a negative way. You know I have nothing but respect for you. But whenever I see the term "fan service" I tend to want to spout off a bit. 

[Mosh]

I'm not making a value judgment, in fact I think this was the right way to go given really unfortunate timing circumstances with the album promotion cycle. I do see the Somewhere in Time element as a "thank you and sorry for the inconvenience" to the hardcore fans. I doubt they would be thinking about doing something like that if there weren't all the COVID cancelations and the album being put on hold for a year.

I remember some years ago they did a tour...Maiden super fans correct me here...where they did all stuff from their reunion albums. I was there. I loved it. But then I also loved when they did the whole Seventh Son re-do tour as well. Maiden has so many albums and so many songs, it's incredibly hard to please everyone. I think they do a way better job than some.

You're thinking of the 2010 Final Frontier tour (where Dream Theater opened, they just released an official bootleg of the MSG show). I was there too, awesome show! I strongly believe that Maiden's longevity is primarily because they continue to make the new albums a big deal when they play live.

[cramx3]

IM are selling jewelry made from used guitar strings http://www.theguitarwrist.co.uk/iron-maiden/

You're thinking of the 2010 Final Frontier tour (where Dream Theater opened, they just released an official bootleg of the MSG show). I was there too, awesome show! I strongly believe that Maiden's longevity is primarily because they continue to make the new albums a big deal when they play live.

I wasn't aware of that! I was also at that show

[Mosh]

There's a bit of discussion about it over on the DT side, definitely worth checking out and pairs well with this bootleg for a complete experience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTCKzEKn3rc

Anyone interested in more entries in the Maiden discography thread? Could be fun to discuss the new album and LOTB tour in depth. The original plan was going to update it again when LOTB ended (the tour started a few weeks after that thread finished), but obviously that tour took way longer than anyone could have expected. 

[TAC]

Anyone interested in more entries in the Maiden discography thread? Could be fun to discuss the new album and LOTB tour in depth. The original plan was going to update it again when LOTB ended (the tour started a few weeks after that thread finished), but obviously that tour took way longer than anyone could have expected. 

Definitely!

[wolfking]

Anyone interested in more entries in the Maiden discography thread? Could be fun to discuss the new album and LOTB tour in depth. The original plan was going to update it again when LOTB ended (the tour started a few weeks after that thread finished), but obviously that tour took way longer than anyone could have expected. 

Definitely!

+1.

[nobloodyname]

Thirded. Always a real appetite for Maiden in this forum.

[cramx3]

https://www.loudersound.com/news/iron-maidens-bruce-dickinson-on-his-upcoming-solo-album-im-very-proud-of-it-i-think-its-gonna-be-quite-special?utm_content=metal-hammer&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow

Might get the next Bruce solo album later this year after the IM tour and he says he plans to tour for it too! A Bruce solo tour would be "can't miss" for me.

[TAC]

https://www.loudersound.com/news/iron-maidens-bruce-dickinson-on-his-upcoming-solo-album-im-very-proud-of-it-i-think-its-gonna-be-quite-special?utm_content=metal-hammer&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow

Might get the next Bruce solo album later this year after the IM tour and he says he plans to tour for it too! A Bruce solo tour would be "can't miss" for me.

Definitely!! Seen him twice solo and he's awesome.

[MirrorMask]

The last time he toured solo the world was so young (the internet, at least!) and I didn't even know he was coming my way until after the fact, since I didn't have proper internet access. Oh, the good old times of going to the record store to find out about new releases, and concerts...

Having said that, of course I agree that a Bruce solo tour cannot be missed. Which venues would he play? when he was out of Maiden he played fairly small places, now I'd reckon he'd get at least Dream Theater or Helloween sized crowds if not more.....

[cramx3]

Yeah, I have to think he'd be playing in 1-3k capacity theaters/ballrooms types.  I just don't know how much interest outside of people like us there is.  British Lion was playing 500 capcity clubs on their last tour of the US to give some sort of an idea. I think Bruce is a bigger draw, but not sure how much bigger.  I could also be completely wrong here.

[wolfking]

From reading that it sounds like the album is still a while away.

[Mosh]

Last time he was in my area for his book tour, he was in the same venue that Dream Theater regularly plays in. I'm sure he could draw the same crowd if not more on a music tour. I would guess that Bruce is a massively bigger draw than British Lion and he has more recognition and interest now than when he was a solo artist in the late 90s.

[Nick]

I don't care if it's in a 200 person club or 20,000 arena, one of my absolute bucket list wishes is a Bruce Dickinson solo show.

[DTwwbwMP]

I don't care if it's in a 200 person club or 20,000 arena.....

 

I don't want to see even ONE Maiden song that's been played in the last 20+ years either! Only VERY RARE or ALL Bruce solo songs!

[Samsara]

If and when Bruce decides to do a solo tour, I think he'll easily play good sized theaters. The Orpheum in Boston, The Beacon in New York, The Warfield in San Fran. Those places are just under 3,000 capacity. In some markets, he may play bigger ones. The last time he was a legit solo artist, back in what...1995-1998, the concert business was completely different. His "brand" (I hate that word) was much smaller. He was simply "the ex-singer of Iron Maiden." Let's face it, since then, both he and Halford have increased their profiles dramatically.

I could see Halford and Dickinson co-headlining small amphitheaters (say 8k-10k) with their respective solo bands, if they decided they wanted to go that way. Time and the appreciation of the work from iron Maiden and Judas Priest has only grown over the last 25 years, and their respective frontmen are now (they were before, but even moreso now) absolute legends.

But Bruce...Bruce is fucking Bruce, man. That guy will play any room like there are 100,000 people in the joint.

[cramx3]

Yeah, some of this could depend on who he tours with.  My biggest question mark, and while Bruce has become more popular by name, is do people generally know his solo music?  It's kind of obscure at this point.  Basically, if you are an IM fan from the last ten years, are you even aware of this music?  Might be a moot question once his next album comes out.  I'm mostly curious from a booking perspective.  What do the people who front the money expect? 

[wolfking]

I think taking Adrian back out with him also would make it a bigger attraction again.  Even getting the AOB/CW lineup back out there would just be incredible.

[cramx3]

I think taking Adrian back out with him also would make it a bigger attraction again.  Even getting the AOB/CW lineup back out there would just be incredible.

Yeah, nothing was mentioned about Adrian in that article, only Roy Z.  Would be great if Adrian was involved again, but I guess we have to wait and see if he's involved at all (on the album and/or on the tour).

[wolfking]

I think taking Adrian back out with him also would make it a bigger attraction again.  Even getting the AOB/CW lineup back out there would just be incredible.

Yeah, nothing was mentioned about Adrian in that article, only Roy Z.  Would be great if Adrian was involved again, but I guess we have to wait and see if he's involved at all (on the album and/or on the tour).

I would actually be very surprised if he was, it was just pure fantasy from my point of view.  Unless Adrian wants time out though, there's no reason not to have him involved.

[cramx3]

I think taking Adrian back out with him also would make it a bigger attraction again.  Even getting the AOB/CW lineup back out there would just be incredible.

Yeah, nothing was mentioned about Adrian in that article, only Roy Z.  Would be great if Adrian was involved again, but I guess we have to wait and see if he's involved at all (on the album and/or on the tour).

I would actually be very surprised if he was, it was just pure fantasy from my point of view.  Unless Adrian wants time out though, there's no reason not to have him involved.

He's got his thing with Ritchie Kotzen that features him a lot more too.  I'm not sure that he needs or wants the work. I'd love to have him on both tour and album, but yeah, it may just be fantasy.

[wolfking]

I think taking Adrian back out with him also would make it a bigger attraction again.  Even getting the AOB/CW lineup back out there would just be incredible.

Yeah, nothing was mentioned about Adrian in that article, only Roy Z.  Would be great if Adrian was involved again, but I guess we have to wait and see if he's involved at all (on the album and/or on the tour).

I would actually be very surprised if he was, it was just pure fantasy from my point of view.  Unless Adrian wants time out though, there's no reason not to have him involved.

He's got his thing with Ritchie Kotzen that features him a lot more too.  I'm not sure that he needs or wants the work. I'd love to have him on both tour and album, but yeah, it may just be fantasy.

True, forgot about that. 

[RodrigoAltaf]

I saw Bruce on the Balls to Picasso tour, and it was awesome. A few years after that he would play in Sao Paulo, where I was living and working at the time, on the show that would become part of the "Scream for me Brazil" release, but I had tonsilitis and couldn't go...it would be awesome to see him do a solo show again.

[Stadler]

I don't care if it's in a 200 person club or 20,000 arena.....

 

I don't want to see even ONE Maiden song that's been played in the last 20+ years either! Only VERY RARE or ALL Bruce solo songs!

I'm still smacking myself almost 30 years later for not seeing him in Toad's Place.  I just didn't - then - have an appreciation for how cool it was to see established, experienced rock and roll players on a small stage in a small club.   

[pg1067]

Well...Maiden has been nominated for the purported Rock & Roll HOF.

https://www.rockhall.com/2023-nominees

Joining them on the list are a shload of non-rock acts (the current top 5 in fan voting marked by asterisks - Maiden is currently 5th in fan voting).

- A Tribe Called Quest (never heard of them but obviously not a rock band)
- Kate Bush (thank you, Stranger Things)
- Sheryl Crow (I guess she's rock, but did she do anything of significance after Tuesday Night Music Club and her self-titled album?)
- Missy Elliott (rap/hip hop)
- Joy Division/New Order (I know virtually nothing about them, but they were big with the majority new wave crowd when I was in high school)
- *Cyndi Lauper (nominating her feels a bit like nominating Men at Work.  HUGE debut album, solid follow-up and...then what?)
- *George Michael (not sure about him)
- *Willie Nelson (not even remotely rock, but practically guaranteed to get it)
- Rage Against the Machine (we'll see if Jann Wenner's personal fellatio band can persuade others)
- *Soundgarden (not sure)
- The Spinners (I know nothing about these early years/legacy acts)
- The White Stripes (I've heard one WS song about a million times, so...)
- Warren Zevon (all I know is that obnoxious werewolf song)

Hopefully Maiden will carry the momentum from Priest's induction.

[cramx3]

The list certainly makes me think Maiden could make it, but what do I know about this. It's all such a joke.

[jammindude]

A Tribe Called Quest was a VERY influential hip hop group from the 90s. They were one of the early experimental hip hop groups who were going for a much more organic jazz/soul/funk feel to their approach.

Their first two albums are essential experimental hip hop. Love those guys.

I think it’s interesting that one day ahead of this announcement, the RNRHOF released a new definition of what rock n roll is. I don’t have it in front of me, but they tried to make it more about the spirit of pushing boundaries rather than a specific genre.

[cramx3]

I think it’s interesting that one day ahead of this announcement, the RNRHOF released a new definition of what rock n roll is. I don’t have it in front of me, but they tried to make it more about the spirit of pushing boundaries rather than a specific genre.

Yeah, they can't just change a definition to try and cover their ass.

[Stadler]

More Jann Wenner/Rolling Stone hubris.   I'm not sure there's a guy who has done less that actually MATTERS and yet thinks that highly of himself.  What a tool.   As if he can "define" what rock and roll is? That's the whole fucking point of rock and roll!!!  It defies description!!!

[Grappler]

Well, we know Kate Bush is an absolute lock after last year and Stranger Things.  I'd like to see Maiden get in. 

[Mladen]

I don't think Maiden will make it. Even if they do, I don't think they'll show up to the ceremony. Steve, Bruce and Rod strike me as people that hold tight to their integrity and principles.

[nobloodyname]

Steve, Bruce and Rod strike me as people that hold tight to their integrity and principles.

What, the same integrity that encourages them to - what's the phrase Americans use? - ah, yes. The same integrity that encourages them to nickle and dime fans for everything they're worth with pointless 'remasters' of re-releases and all sorts of other tat?

Bruce would chunter a bit but nah, they'd be all over this like a cheap suit.

[wolfking]

Steve, Bruce and Rod strike me as people that hold tight to their integrity and principles.

What, the same integrity that encourages them to - what's the phrase Americans use? - ah, yes. The same integrity that encourages them to nickle and dime fans for everything they're worth with pointless 'remasters' of re-releases and all sorts of other tat?

Bruce would chunter a bit but nah, they'd be all over this like a cheap suit.

The record labels remastering and re-releasing albums which is a common practice for all older bands means the band lack integrity?  This seems totally unbalanced and unfair IMO.

I honestly believe they wouldn't attend.

[nobloodyname]

"Bruce would write a country album if he thought it would sell" - Steve Harris (admittedly during the middle of the breakdown in their relationship 😁)

Look, I love these guys but don't think for a minute they're not deeply involved in how to best monetise every single avenue available to them.

Edit: I will concede I might still be a little bitter at Bruce for voting for Brexit then whining about the impact of it.

[Mladen]

I don't think the hall of fame is something that would bring them money. Beers, headphones and other genuinely useful things? Sure. Hall of fame? I doubt it.

However, I do not necessarily frame their principles and integrity as always positive characteristics. As much as I love the band, it's odd how much pride they often feature. It's as if a lot of stuff is "below their standards."