The Iron Maiden Thread v. The Merge of Souls

[DoctorAction]

Great interview, man! Congrats!

[Zydar]

Yeah, really a great interview. Well done!

[RodrigoAltaf]

Thanks again!

 I think we "kind of" secured a chat with Steve Harris when the new album is ready to be released...or rather, when the band is ready to release it, because it's 100% complete! 

[wolfking]

That was a really enjoyable interview mate.  Really well done.  Must be a dream come true.

[faizoff]

Thanks again!

 I think we "kind of" secured a chat with Steve Harris when the new album is ready to be released...or rather, when the band is ready to release it, because it's 100% complete! 

I can't wait for a new Maiden album, been listening to nothing but the Bruce II era albums (live and studio) for the past 2-3 weeks and am so pumped for new material. Hopefully it's early 2021 rather than late 2021.

[RodrigoAltaf]

That was a really enjoyable interview mate.  Really well done.  Must be a dream come true.

Thanks, and yeah, it was...I've been obsessed with Maiden since I was ten years old, and finally got to chat with one of them. It has been quite a journey from talking to Derek Sherinian up to this point.

[devieira73]

Thanks again!

 I think we "kind of" secured a chat with Steve Harris when the new album is ready to be released...or rather, when the band is ready to release it, because it's 100% complete! 

Rodrigo, maybe you have more inside information... do you know if Kevin Shirley, besides producing (I think this is a safe bet because of his own comments a time ago), also made the mixing and mastering?

[RodrigoAltaf]

Thanks again!

 I think we "kind of" secured a chat with Steve Harris when the new album is ready to be released...or rather, when the band is ready to release it, because it's 100% complete! 

Rodrigo, maybe you have more inside information... do you know if Kevin Shirley, besides producing (I think this is a safe bet because of his own comments a time ago), also made the mixing and mastering?

I'm not sure. Actually, my follow up to Adrian's comments on Martin Birch would be to compare him with Kevin Shirley, but time was running out...

[TAC]

I'd be surprised if there were any changes.

[Stadler]

So we know the album is done... is there any scuttle as to when that might see release?

[TAC]

Their last tourdate for next year is July 11th. I'd bet next September.

[RodrigoAltaf]

So we know the album is done... is there any scuttle as to when that might see release?

The initial, tentative date was going to be Q1 2021. I was invited to a launch party in February in Miami, but now that's discarded/delayed, Heaven knows to when.

[MirrorMask]

So we know the album is done... is there any scuttle as to when that might see release?

The initial, tentative date was going to be Q1 2021. I was invited to a launch party in February in Miami, but now that's discarded/delayed, Heaven knows to when.

Was this even before the pandemic? I believe the masterplan was 2020 final Legacy of the Beast tour, then new album after that, and 2021 new album tour.

[RodrigoAltaf]

So we know the album is done... is there any scuttle as to when that might see release?

The initial, tentative date was going to be Q1 2021. I was invited to a launch party in February in Miami, but now that's discarded/delayed, Heaven knows to when.

Was this even before the pandemic? I believe the masterplan was 2020 final Legacy of the Beast tour, then new album after that, and 2021 new album tour.

The first I heard about this was in January, before everything went downhill, so it looks like they have some sort of multi-annual planning. Just like any corporation.

[Setlist Scotty]

Just got to finish listening to your interview Rodrigo - great job! Adrian is my favorite member of Maiden, so getting to hear his thoughts on things was great. Shame that you were somewhat forced into how the interview was conducted, limited on your time, etc. but you managed to get a lot in within the limited time you had. Hope Adrian will do a follow up book all about his music adventures, as I am sure that will be far more appealing to the fans than this book is (not that I'm slagging his book - just that I imagine most Maiden fans care more about his music career and stories than outside interests like fishing).

[RodrigoAltaf]

Just got to finish listening to your interview Rodrigo - great job! Adrian is my favorite member of Maiden, so getting to hear his thoughts on things was great. Shame that you were somewhat forced into how the interview was conducted, limited on your time, etc. but you managed to get a lot in within the limited time you had. Hope Adrian will do a follow up book all about his music adventures, as I am sure that will be far more appealing to the fans than this book is (not that I'm slagging his book - just that I imagine most Maiden fans care more about his music career and stories than outside interests like fishing).

Thanks, man! The format was really intimidating, because his PR was listening to the whole thing in the background, like a policeman making sure I adhere to the timing and to the subjects they dictated. The confirmation of the interview said I had 15 minutes, and during the call they said 20. They actually wrote this in the email:

"This interview is about his book only. Please no Iron Maiden questions unless it is related to the book or fishing (No “new album” questions or questions about the new live album)."

That's why in pretty much every question about Maiden I start with "in the book you say that..."

[wolfking]

I'd be surprised if there were any changes.

Indeed.

[Mladen]

Just got to finish listening to your interview Rodrigo - great job! Adrian is my favorite member of Maiden, so getting to hear his thoughts on things was great. Shame that you were somewhat forced into how the interview was conducted, limited on your time, etc. but you managed to get a lot in within the limited time you had. Hope Adrian will do a follow up book all about his music adventures, as I am sure that will be far more appealing to the fans than this book is (not that I'm slagging his book - just that I imagine most Maiden fans care more about his music career and stories than outside interests like fishing).

Thanks, man! The format was really intimidating, because his PR was listening to the whole thing in the background, like a policeman making sure I adhere to the timing and to the subjects they dictated. The confirmation of the interview said I had 15 minutes, and during the call they said 20. They actually wrote this in the email:

"This interview is about his book only. Please no Iron Maiden questions unless it is related to the book or fishing (No “new album” questions or questions about the new live album)."

That's why in pretty much every question about Maiden I start with "in the book you say that..."

You're a pro. 

I still haven't listened to the interview, but I'm looking forward to checking it out during the weekend.

[DoctorAction]

Thanks again!

 I think we "kind of" secured a chat with Steve Harris when the new album is ready to be released...or rather, when the band is ready to release it, because it's 100% complete! 

This is kind of a scoop, right? Here's hoping they get bored enough to release it soon!

It won't hurt whatever ticket sales they do whenever they release it now, surely.

[MirrorMask]

I believe that more than sales considerations, which of course are a factor, there's also the fact that Maiden like to do things a certain way, they always had and they always will. It's basically 20 years that they tour in the summer with the odd exception, and their years are planned in advance with no intention or desire for a variation.

With other bands, you know never know when they'll tour next - they might have a spring tour or an autumn tour, they might do a random tour, they could do a coheadliner tour.... Iron Maiden by now like to tour just in the spring / summer and the only variation you get is which continent starts first, or if they use a plane or not. Might be a lifestyle thing as well, maybe the 6 band members are so used by now to work with the band in the summer that they don't even imagine piutting that aside for a October - December indoors tour or whatever. They wanted to dedicate summer 2020 to LotB and summer 2021 to the new album tour, and they postponed it all of a year, and Eddie knows what Rod Smallwood is planning right now because I'm afraid concerts in summer 2021 are too uncertain by now.

[nobloodyname]

Just got to finish listening to your interview Rodrigo - great job! Adrian is my favorite member of Maiden, so getting to hear his thoughts on things was great. Shame that you were somewhat forced into how the interview was conducted, limited on your time, etc. but you managed to get a lot in within the limited time you had. Hope Adrian will do a follow up book all about his music adventures, as I am sure that will be far more appealing to the fans than this book is (not that I'm slagging his book - just that I imagine most Maiden fans care more about his music career and stories than outside interests like fishing).

You're right. But just like with Bruce, we'll get a horribly neutered version of his time in Maiden while the band is still active. The only reason I'm looking forward to them hanging it up one day is so we get 'Bruce's Ultimate Version of The Truth' (not solely about the split, all of it; the composition, the arguments, the compromises). Bruce's book was good but...

[RodrigoAltaf]

Just got to finish listening to your interview Rodrigo - great job! Adrian is my favorite member of Maiden, so getting to hear his thoughts on things was great. Shame that you were somewhat forced into how the interview was conducted, limited on your time, etc. but you managed to get a lot in within the limited time you had. Hope Adrian will do a follow up book all about his music adventures, as I am sure that will be far more appealing to the fans than this book is (not that I'm slagging his book - just that I imagine most Maiden fans care more about his music career and stories than outside interests like fishing).

You're right. But just like with Bruce, we'll get a horribly neutered version of his time in Maiden while the band is still active. The only reason I'm looking forward to them hanging it up one day is so we get 'Bruce's Ultimate Version of The Truth' (not solely about the split, all of it; the composition, the arguments, the compromises). Bruce's book was good but...

We might never get that... knowing Rod Smallwood, he'll probably get these guys to sign Non Disclosure Agreements that will be valid even after the band calls it quits.

[TAC]

Just got to finish listening to your interview Rodrigo - great job! Adrian is my favorite member of Maiden, so getting to hear his thoughts on things was great. Shame that you were somewhat forced into how the interview was conducted, limited on your time, etc. but you managed to get a lot in within the limited time you had. Hope Adrian will do a follow up book all about his music adventures, as I am sure that will be far more appealing to the fans than this book is (not that I'm slagging his book - just that I imagine most Maiden fans care more about his music career and stories than outside interests like fishing).

You're right. But just like with Bruce, we'll get a horribly neutered version of his time in Maiden while the band is still active. The only reason I'm looking forward to them hanging it up one day is so we get 'Bruce's Ultimate Version of The Truth' (not solely about the split, all of it; the composition, the arguments, the compromises). Bruce's book was good but...

Bruce's book was not good. My opinion of course.

It's not that it lacked anything controversial of his Maiden days, it's the fact that it lacked anything from his Maiden days.

[RodrigoAltaf]

Just got to finish listening to your interview Rodrigo - great job! Adrian is my favorite member of Maiden, so getting to hear his thoughts on things was great. Shame that you were somewhat forced into how the interview was conducted, limited on your time, etc. but you managed to get a lot in within the limited time you had. Hope Adrian will do a follow up book all about his music adventures, as I am sure that will be far more appealing to the fans than this book is (not that I'm slagging his book - just that I imagine most Maiden fans care more about his music career and stories than outside interests like fishing).

You're right. But just like with Bruce, we'll get a horribly neutered version of his time in Maiden while the band is still active. The only reason I'm looking forward to them hanging it up one day is so we get 'Bruce's Ultimate Version of The Truth' (not solely about the split, all of it; the composition, the arguments, the compromises). Bruce's book was good but...

Bruce's book was not good. My opinion of course.

It's not that it lacked anything controversial of his Maiden days, it's the fact that it lacked anything from his Maiden days.

I didn't like it either. The endless talk about planes was rather boring, to be honest. And although Adrian's book has even less info on Maiden - he only mentions things we already know, for the most part - it came across as a little bit less self indulgent than Bruce's, for some reason.

[TAC]

Oh, there's a reason. It's because Adrian is not a self absorbed DB, and actually has some humility about him.

Adrian speaks and he's naturally funny. You can't help but smile when listening to him. I'm sure he tells some funny stories that are natural. Bruce's book was filled with a pun or a comedic remark, and you can just feel how proud Bruce felt of the reference, like he's the cleverest guy around.

[Stadler]

Oh, there's a reason. It's because Adrian is not a self absorbed DB, and actually has some humility about him.

Adrian speaks and he's naturally funny. You can't help but smile when listening to him. I'm sure he tells some funny stories that are natural. Bruce's book was filled with a pun or a comedic remark, and you can just feel how proud Bruce felt of the reference, like he's the cleverest guy around.

I'm a huge Bruce fan, but you can't deny he's got that vibe.   

[TAC]

Oh, there's a reason. It's because Adrian is not a self absorbed DB, and actually has some humility about him.

Adrian speaks and he's naturally funny. You can't help but smile when listening to him. I'm sure he tells some funny stories that are natural. Bruce's book was filled with a pun or a comedic remark, and you can just feel how proud Bruce felt of the reference, like he's the cleverest guy around.

I'm a huge Bruce fan, but you can't deny he's got that vibe.

Oh you can't deny his accomplishments.



Oh and add to the list that he's full of shit. His concert rants are fucking garbage. He always loved to rail against MTV. Well, without MTV, I never would've heard of Iron Maiden, never bought all the albums, concert tickets, and t shirts that I did.

[cramx3]

Just got to finish listening to your interview Rodrigo - great job! Adrian is my favorite member of Maiden, so getting to hear his thoughts on things was great. Shame that you were somewhat forced into how the interview was conducted, limited on your time, etc. but you managed to get a lot in within the limited time you had. Hope Adrian will do a follow up book all about his music adventures, as I am sure that will be far more appealing to the fans than this book is (not that I'm slagging his book - just that I imagine most Maiden fans care more about his music career and stories than outside interests like fishing).

You're right. But just like with Bruce, we'll get a horribly neutered version of his time in Maiden while the band is still active. The only reason I'm looking forward to them hanging it up one day is so we get 'Bruce's Ultimate Version of The Truth' (not solely about the split, all of it; the composition, the arguments, the compromises). Bruce's book was good but...

We might never get that... knowing Rod Smallwood, he'll probably get these guys to sign Non Disclosure Agreements that will be valid even after the band calls it quits.

Maybe that's Rod's plan, get all the members to sign off on non disclosure while he writes the book 

Just got to finish listening to your interview Rodrigo - great job! Adrian is my favorite member of Maiden, so getting to hear his thoughts on things was great. Shame that you were somewhat forced into how the interview was conducted, limited on your time, etc. but you managed to get a lot in within the limited time you had. Hope Adrian will do a follow up book all about his music adventures, as I am sure that will be far more appealing to the fans than this book is (not that I'm slagging his book - just that I imagine most Maiden fans care more about his music career and stories than outside interests like fishing).

You're right. But just like with Bruce, we'll get a horribly neutered version of his time in Maiden while the band is still active. The only reason I'm looking forward to them hanging it up one day is so we get 'Bruce's Ultimate Version of The Truth' (not solely about the split, all of it; the composition, the arguments, the compromises). Bruce's book was good but...

Bruce's book was not good. My opinion of course.

It's not that it lacked anything controversial of his Maiden days, it's the fact that it lacked anything from his Maiden days.

I didn't like it either. The endless talk about planes was rather boring, to be honest. And although Adrian's book has even less info on Maiden - he only mentions things we already know, for the most part - it came across as a little bit less self indulgent than Bruce's, for some reason.

I enjoyed his book. It was advertised as not being about Maiden so I don't know why you'd hold that against the book.  But sure, Bruce's attitude could be the turn off and I can see that.

[RodrigoAltaf]

 Yeah, spot on about Bruce's stage rants, and that got the band into trouble at Ozzfest. Why would he bash Ozzy at all, but to do it at an even called OZZFEST, of all places???

 Also, I saw Maiden at the Dance of Death tour in Rio in 2004, and Metallica had just cancelled a show there for some reason. With the way things are in the music business today, we all know that bands only cancel a gig if there's a good reason for it. So on stage Bruce said "I'm glad we're here...we don't cancel shows like Metallica did!!!". Completely unnecessary.

[Grappler]

Bruce had been ranting about not being a nostalgia act since 1999, when they initially reunited.  Thats six years prior to the Ozzfest drama.   Granted, it wasn't smart for him to say that when they were invited by a nostalgia act (Sabbath) on that tour, but it wasn't like he was doing anything new or directly calling out Sabbath.

Sabbath just happened to be guilty of what he was saying.

[TAC]

Bruce had been ranting about not being a nostalgia act since 1999, when they initially reunited.

And then this so called non nostalgia act based what 4 or 5 tours now based on....


hmm......




what could it be?....

[cramx3]

Including that 06 Ozzfest was the US leg of the Early Years tour, my first time seeing them.

I do agree, Bruce has a big mouth and should not have ripped on Ozzy while on his tour, but I dont think it means they got what they deserved or anything like that.

[Grappler]

Bruce had been ranting about not being a nostalgia act since 1999, when they initially reunited.

And then this so called non nostalgia act based what 4 or 5 tours now based on....


hmm......




what could it be?....

But look at the other tours in between...they tour on a new album and play a good chunk of it live. Alternating those cycles with the retrospective/nostalgia tours.   They put their money where their mouth is time and time again. 

[cramx3]

Yea, they may have the nostalgia tours but they are far from being a nostalgia act. Was just thinking how cool it was for the Book of Souls tour, first leg had Tears of a Clown on the set but the next leg swapped it with The Great Unknown. For a band this late in their career with a significant amount of classic songs, they play an awful lot of their newer material.

[TAC]

Guys, don't misunderstand what I'm saying. I don't in any way view Iron Maiden as a nostalgia act. They have released some of their best material in the Reunion Era.
You can't deny that half of their tours have been nostalgia tours, and I'm not criticizing the band for it.


 I'm only calling bullshit on Bruce. As usual, he's full of shit.