The Iron Maiden Thread v. The Merge of Souls

[The Curious Orange]

I saw Blaze early on the X Factor tour and he rocked, seriously, 100% a worthy replacement for the other fella. Had the whole place in the palm of his hand. But I've seen videos of later in that tour and from the Virtual XI tour, and it's not the same guy. Much as I loved Blaze when he joined, he just didn't have the stamina to keep up that level of performance night after night.

[TAC]

Poor Blaze...

Here's a great performance by the band of The Educated Fool..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk1x_Td_hO8

But Blaze...oh man..he looks like Smitty from Southie who won a radio contest to sing a song with the band. 


But this is a GREAT song and deserves The Bruce Treatment someday.

Wow, I actually never knew they played this one live.  Good video.

I dunno who Smitty is but Blaze looked way cooler on the X Factor tour.  Now, I can't talk about the backwards baseball cap cause their balding, but it was an awkward look for Maiden during that tour.

Smitty From Southie is just my own characterization or description of just any dude sitting at a bar and gets up to sing.

I saw Blaze early on the X Factor tour and he rocked, seriously, 100% a worthy replacement for the other fella. Had the whole place in the palm of his hand. But I've seen videos of later in that tour and from the Virtual XI tour, and it's not the same guy. Much as I loved Blaze when he joined, he just didn't have the stamina to keep up that level of performance night after night.

I'm so pissed I missed TXF tour. But I did manage to see the VXI tour. I don't remember anything that stood out about Blaze, honestly. I thought he was fairly solid. I saw them in Phoenix and I know they cancelled some shows around that time.

[nick_z]

I know we're focusing on Maiden at the moment but this came up in my Youtube last night and am working my way through it and will continue tonight.  An incredible boot from the Accident of Birth tour.  The band and Bruce here are absolutely killing it.  Really good.

https://youtu.be/z0M5T3fugIw

I watched a bit of this, and it's fantastic. Band's on fire and Bruce sounds amazing.

Man, Accident of Birth is such a good album, I might give it a spin today.

[Stadler]

Poor Blaze...

Here's a great performance by the band of The Educated Fool..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk1x_Td_hO8

But Blaze...oh man..he looks like Smitty from Southie who won a radio contest to sing a song with the band. 


But this is a GREAT song and deserves The Bruce Treatment someday.

I've seen Steve Harris live (either real or on video) hundreds of times, maybe, and I don't think I've ever seen him play bass like that.  I know he doesn't use a pick, but it's almost like he's strumming a rhythm guitar.

I want to like Blaze so bad.  I know he's a top guy and all.  But when I see Dave and Steve, I think "MAIDEN!" and when I think "MAIDEN!" I'm not thinking a guy who looks like Brian Johnson and sounds like me.   

[nobloodyname]

I want to like Blaze so bad.  I know he's a top guy and all.  But when I see Dave and Steve, I think "MAIDEN!" and when I think "MAIDEN!" I'm not thinking a guy who looks like Brian Johnson and sounds like me.

Oh, you horrible person! I love Blaze but I chuckled out loud at that

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

I know we're focusing on Maiden at the moment but this came up in my Youtube last night and am working my way through it and will continue tonight.  An incredible boot from the Accident of Birth tour.  The band and Bruce here are absolutely killing it.  Really good.

https://youtu.be/z0M5T3fugIw

I watched a bit of this, and it's fantastic. Band's on fire and Bruce sounds amazing.

Man, Accident of Birth is such a good album, I might give it a spin today.

Wow, that's a great find. Thx for sharing! 

So cool that they ended with The Prisoner.

[TAC]

Since Wrathchild was posted in the countdown, I mentioned that it was the first song from them that I ever heard. It was because this video that I saw on MTV. I was in the 8th grade, and a 13 y/o TAC thought that Iron Maiden looked like the cooldest band ever! I thought I'd watch it again today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io4ObwuO24w

[Stadler]

Since Wrathchild was posted in the countdown, I mentioned that it was the first song from them that I ever heard. It was because this video that I saw on MTV. I was in the 8th grade, and a 13 y/o TAC thought that Iron Maiden looked like the cooldest band ever! I thought I'd watch it again today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io4ObwuO24w

That entire video is cool.  I prefer the Dickinson Maiden, but there's something undeniable about that early stuff.  Di'Anno did look cool in his own way.

[pg1067]

I don't remember that video from my early MTV days, but we didn't get MTV until a good year after it premiered.

Fun fact:  "Wrathchild" was the 35th video ever played on MTV, appearing between Carly Simon's "Vengeance" and...I did you not..."I Want to Be a Lifeguard" by Blotto (which I'm now going to watch).  "Wratchild" garnered four plays in total on MTV's first day.  Only three videos got more plays:  "You Better You Bet" by The Who, "Just Between You and Me" by April Wine, and "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins (5x each).  The video for the song "Iron Maiden" was also played that day (the 16th video ever and repeated once later in the day).

[wolfking]

I've never heard that Lifeguard song.    I'll check that out later.

[pg1067]

I've never heard that Lifeguard song.    I'll check that out later.

If I've heard the song or seen the video before, I don't remember it.  It's pretty bad to the point that it's funny.

[TAC]

I've never heard that Lifeguard song.    I'll check that out later.

If I've heard the song or seen the video before, I don't remember it.  It's pretty bad to the point that it's funny.

Same. I watched a lot of MTV back then. I would stay at my grandmother's house on the weekend just because she had cable. I have no recollection of that song.

[jammindude]

OMG BLOTTO!!!!!!

I’ve never heard of I Want to Be a Lifeguard...but they experienced a brief stint of popularity when “I’m Turning Into a Heavy Metalhead” got played on Dr Demento, and subsequently got played on some radio stations around the country (where ever the local DJs thought it was funny enough to share)

https://youtu.be/vyJSetm6U0k

[Stadler]

I've heard it; it's funny the way Mexican Radio by Wall of Voodoo is funny. 

[TAC]

I definitely remember Mexican Radio.

[Glasser]

I definitely remember Mexican Radio.

How about the Musical Youth song Pass The Dutchie? 

[gazinwales]

I've heard it; it's funny the way Mexican Radio by Wall of Voodoo is funny.

Then you should check out Celtic Frost's cover of the song, it's hilarious 

[jammindude]

I've heard it; it's funny the way Mexican Radio by Wall of Voodoo is funny.

Then you should check out Celtic Frost's cover of the song, it's hilarious 

Hey! I actually prefer their version! Into the Pandemonium is an avant-garde metal masterpiece! I think it’s the only album I still own that would qualify in some circles as “black metal”

[pg1067]

Mexican Radio, while not really my cup of tea, actually sounded like a song made by professional musicians.  I Want to Be a Lifeguard...not so much - but...they got a video played on MTV and I didn't, so....

[425]

Inspired by all the Blaze... err... discussion(?) in the other thread, tonight I listened to Silicon Messiah (his first solo album) for the first time in probably close to 10 years. And, wow, this really holds up. It's a really strong album. The songwriting is there, and that first "B L A Z E" band could really play. Stare at the Sun is a classic in my book, but The Hunger is also fantastic.

And even as a fan of Blaze's performances on the two Maiden albums, wow does he sound that much better when he has the creative control to tailor the music to his voice.

[The Realm]

Blaze’s vocals on the beginning of Stare at the Sun are fantastic and the overall vocal performance on this solo album is better than anything captured on the Maiden albums. I can listen to this album and enjoy it for what it is but that ‘Blaze tone’ that I don’t enjoy is still present.

[wolfking]

John Salter and Steve Wray were a great guitar duo.  Jeff Singer on drums too.  Terrific album.

[Mladen]

I've loved that album for almost half my life. I finally got it on CD last year. 

[WardySI]

Inspired by all the Blaze... err... discussion(?) in the other thread, tonight I listened to Silicon Messiah (his first solo album) for the first time in probably close to 10 years. And, wow, this really holds up. It's a really strong album. The songwriting is there, and that first "B L A Z E" band could really play. Stare at the Sun is a classic in my book, but The Hunger is also fantastic.

And even as a fan of Blaze's performances on the two Maiden albums, wow does he sound that much better when he has the creative control to tailor the music to his voice.

100% this!

I will add his performance on last year's War Within Me were also stellar and possibly his finest album since Silicon Messiah and Tenth Dimension \m/

[wolfking]

I've loved that album for almost half my life. I finally got it on CD last year. 

The bonus tracks are excellent also.

[nick_z]

Agreed on the first two Blaze albums - the songs are great and the band is fantastic.

[Samsara]

Late to this discussion, but I have nothing but respect for Blaze. In some ways, stepping in for Bruce was the hardest replacement in heavy rock/metal. Think about it. Yeah, Dio replaced Ozzy in Sabbath, but anyone who knows singing knows Ozzy isn't a great singer, even back then. Sammy Hagar replaced David Lee Roth, but again, DLR was not a good singer.

But here comes Blaze replacing Bruce Fucking Dickinson. That's a tall order. And they expected him to sing the stuff like Bruce. Really tough. At least when Ripper Owens replaced Rob Halford, Ripper  had that voice that could do that justice. Blaze was just behind the 8-ball, and it was totally unfair. (Again, commenting in retrospect.)

I prefer the Blaze-era Maiden tunes with Bruce singing. But IMO, that's because they were all written with the "Maiden sound" in mind, which has Bruce all over it. But Blaze doing his own stuff, or things re-arranged for his voice? Dude can sing damn good.

A ton of respect.

[cramx3]

Well said 

[425]

I very much agree with Samsara, with the exception that I prefer a lot of Blaze's performances on his Maiden songs (The Clansman is the notable exception where I think Bruce is markedly better). But I definitely think that Steve asked Blaze to do things that he shouldn't have been asked to do. That's most apparent when you look at them going on tour and playing Bruce-era material in the original tuning. There are songs, like The Clairvoyant, where you can hear Blaze making a valiant effort to modify them to fit his range, but it's still just too high for him to do. He shouldn't have been put in that position.

Of course, you'll never hear Blaze say anything but how grateful he is for the opportunity to sing with Maiden and how meaningful the experience was to him. And I think he has made the most of it while still being committed to having his own creative output as an artist, not just being a nostalgia act.

[Deadeye21]

I think if Maiden had been open to tuning down, Blaze would’ve done a lot better. Seeing as though they lowered the key of Lord of the Flies for Bruce on Death in the Road though, what does that tell you?

[TAC]

I think if Maiden had been open to tuning down, Blaze would’ve done a lot better. Seeing as though they lowered the key of Lord of the Flies for Bruce on Death in the Road though, what does that tell you?

As long as I've been listening to music, that's something I can never pick up on.

[KevShmev]

I think if Maiden had been open to tuning down, Blaze would’ve done a lot better. Seeing as though they lowered the key of Lord of the Flies for Bruce on Death in the Road though, what does that tell you?

Can I answer this?

[wolfking]

I think if Maiden had been open to tuning down, Blaze would’ve done a lot better. Seeing as though they lowered the key of Lord of the Flies for Bruce on Death in the Road though, what does that tell you?

They did?  To be fair, I've never paid attention to Bruces version.  I didn't think Maiden ever did this.

They would have just played it in a different key instead of detuning.  The original from memory is in F# I think.  Maybe they just dropped it to E?  I'm not at home so I can't confirm.

I've always said they should have played in E flat live for Blaze, but I don't think Steve would have a bar of it so I'm shocked they did this for LOTF.

[Deadeye21]

I think if Maiden had been open to tuning down, Blaze would’ve done a lot better. Seeing as though they lowered the key of Lord of the Flies for Bruce on Death in the Road though, what does that tell you?

Can I answer this?

Go on then

[425]

I don't have the music theoretical wherewithal to comment on the tuning of the DotR Lord of the Flies, but I just don't think it's a very good version. It feels too fast, and I don't think the song suits Bruce's voice well. That performance is what keeps me reconciled to stuff like Fortunes of War and Edge of Darkness staying on the shelf forever. Sign of the Cross is a good song for Bruce to sing, it's the best song on The X Factor, and it's kept that album occasionally represented in their setlists.

I do think it would be cool for them to pull out Futureal, though.