The Iron Maiden Thread v. The Merge of Souls

[Stadler]

I'm in!  I'd be thrilled to see Bruce solo, too. I've managed to miss him on his previous solo tours.

[Glasser]

I'm in!  I'd be thrilled to see Bruce solo, too. I've managed to miss him on his previous solo tours.

Same! Now its time to break out his older solo albums!!!

[cramx3]

The quote says they are going to try to take the tour everywhere they can so that makes me think there's no way that show misses New York City, right?! I HAVE to see that. This just shot up my list of most anticipated album/tour for next year.

[Glasser]

The quote says they are going to try to take the tour everywhere they can so that makes me think there's no way that show misses New York City, right?! I HAVE to see that. This just shot up my list of most anticipated album/tour for next year.

Hey, when you go can you see if Bruce's merch tables has the new Myrath cd? 

[cramx3]

The quote says they are going to try to take the tour everywhere they can so that makes me think there's no way that show misses New York City, right?! I HAVE to see that. This just shot up my list of most anticipated album/tour for next year.

Hey, when you go can you see if Bruce's merch tables has the new Myrath cd? 

 

[MirrorMask]

I'm in!  I'd be thrilled to see Bruce solo, too. I've managed to miss him on his previous solo tours.

I missed him too. And you know why? because I'm not-young enough to have lived in the pre-internet era  it was 1998, he came in my town but I didn't have yet proper internet access so I didn't know about it. I discovered about the show and a signing session the day after the fact. I went to the store and I got a leftover poster he signed, I still have it to this day. Damn.

Of course I saw him with Iron Maiden ever since the reunion, but I could have seen the Chemical Wedding tour and I missed it.... a quarter of century later it's damn time to fix that error!

[cramx3]

Getting a signed poster is a nice consolation prize for missing the show though

[Stadler]

I saw on Setlist.fm that he was doing shows for the Deep Purple concerto as well as some other Deep Purple songs? What was that all about (the concerto has vocals, but it's like five minutes out of 60 or something like that).

[wolfking]

Good stuff.  It's been a while coming so I'll reverse the celebrations until it'd actually out there.  Or an official release date at the very least.

[porcacultor]

A Brazilian journalist who usually has insider scoops on upcoming concerts (who I've followed for years and can't recall ever being "wrong" about anything) said that Adrian will be part of Bruce's solo lineup along with Roy Z. Even with this journalist's track record, I'm not sure this is true (though I don't think he would gratuitously compromise his integrity by putting that info out without there being at least a hint of truth to it).

Here's the tweet: https://twitter.com/jnflesch/status/1704880665039163808

Another commenter in that same thread states that the band would have Tanya O'Callaghan (who played those "Deep Purple Concerto" shows with Bruce) on bass and Bruno Valverde (from Smith/Kotzen and Angra) on drums. Just rumors so far, but the snippet of music from the teaser does suggest a skilled drummer like Bruno (and having played in Adrian's band is not the worst calling card for the job).

Very, very excited for the new album.

[MirrorMask]

I wonder also what this means for Iron Maiden.

I thought it was a given that they would bring the Future Past tour to the Americas; maybe they'll do another summer tour, from June to September, and then Bruce will tour Europe in autumn 2024 / winter 2025?

Some guy on YouTube that analyzed the teaser video from Iron Maiden said he heard rumours that they would finally go to Greece as well (to play Alex the Great), of course we should not believe Random Guy on the Internet, but maybe they'll do a second (short) european leg going where they haven't been this year, and squeeze in a short Americas tour as well? 10 dates in Europe, another 10-15 in the US / Canada and the major markets in South America (and Oz if they're lucky) seems doable.

[Mladen]

I saw on Setlist.fm that he was doing shows for the Deep Purple concerto as well as some other Deep Purple songs? What was that all about (the concerto has vocals, but it's like five minutes out of 60 or something like that).

That was some sort of a tribute to Jon Lord. Bruce came out to sing several Deep Purple tracks, but it was basically orchestral performance of Lord's work outside of rock music.

[Zydar]

You can basically say they were doing....




... the Lord's work.

[Mladen]

That was perfect. 

[Grappler]

I wonder also what this means for Iron Maiden.

I'm sure Rod Smallwood is on top of everything.  Maybe the band has some open time, or Bruce is squeezing this in when Maiden has some off-time scheduled during that year.  I'm just happy we're finally getting more Bruce solo material and a tour.  It's been 19 years since Tyranny of Souls came out.

[MirrorMask]

Oh, I don't doubt that Rod has a plan. I was just thinking ahead and trying to guess what Maiden's schedule might look like now that we know that Bruce's gonna tour 

[cramx3]

A Brazilian journalist who usually has insider scoops on upcoming concerts (who I've followed for years and can't recall ever being "wrong" about anything) said that Adrian will be part of Bruce's solo lineup along with Roy Z. Even with this journalist's track record, I'm not sure this is true (though I don't think he would gratuitously compromise his integrity by putting that info out without there being at least a hint of truth to it).

Here's the tweet: https://twitter.com/jnflesch/status/1704880665039163808

Another commenter in that same thread states that the band would have Tanya O'Callaghan (who played those "Deep Purple Concerto" shows with Bruce) on bass and Bruno Valverde (from Smith/Kotzen and Angra) on drums. Just rumors so far, but the snippet of music from the teaser does suggest a skilled drummer like Bruno (and having played in Adrian's band is not the worst calling card for the job).

Very, very excited for the new album.

That would be a pretty awesome band.

I wonder also what this means for Iron Maiden.

I'm sure Rod Smallwood is on top of everything.  Maybe the band has some open time, or Bruce is squeezing this in when Maiden has some off-time scheduled during that year.  I'm just happy we're finally getting more Bruce solo material and a tour.  It's been 19 years since Tyranny of Souls came out.

There 100% is a plan.  I'd guess IM are either doing the US over the summer or in the fall.  Steve's got a tour of British Lion this winter too.  I honestly don't think this news changes anything for the IM plans.  I just hope the plan wasn't all along to skip the US on this tour, but I really doubt it.  Some insiders seem to be 100% sure they are coming to the US in 2024.

[Stadler]

You can basically say they were doing....




... the Lord's work.

Well played.  Well played.

[TAC]

I wonder if this was the news that Bruce was teasing a few weeks ago.

[Pappy]

Dickinson + Roy Z is the most underrated duo in music. Been way too long since we've heard them.

[MirrorMask]

Dickinson + Roy Z is the most underrated duo in music. Been way too long since we've heard them.

I'm 110% that Bruce quickly returned to Iron Maiden, but a part of me wants to visit a parallel universe where Bruce remained solo and his partnership with Roy Z went on right on the heels of the Accident of Birth / Chemical Wedding combo. Who knows what else they could have done together. Maybe just Tyranny of Souls but 5 years earlier? something different? something better?

[Mladen]

I think they were smart to quit while they were ahead. There's zero chance that they would surpass Accident and Wedding, in my opinion.

[wolfking]

I think they were smart to quit while they were ahead. There's zero chance that they would surpass Accident and Wedding, in my opinion.

There's simply no topping Chemical Wedding.

[TAC]

I think they were smart to quit while they were ahead. There's zero chance that they would surpass Accident and Wedding, in my opinion.

There were already diminishing returns by the time they got to Tyranny Of Souls.

[RodrigoAltaf]

Maiden's last album should be produced by Roy Z, with Dianno and Blaze singing a few songs. I know it won't happen, but one can dream...

[TAC]

Maiden's last album should be produced by Roy Z, with Dianno and Blaze singing a few songs. I know it won't happen, but one can dream...

Rodrigo, my man..

[RodrigoAltaf]

Maiden's last album should be produced by Roy Z, with Dianno and Blaze singing a few songs. I know it won't happen, but one can dream...

Rodrigo, my man..

Imagine that, eh? It will never happen though. Steve would have a heart attack when he realized he doesn't have full control.

[jammindude]

You know what I honestly could see happening? Paul and Blaze being asked to do background vocals on one track.

[TAC]

You know what I honestly could see happening? Paul and Blaze being asked to do background vocals on one track.

You know what I honestly could see happening? Not fucking that!

[Stadler]

Dickinson + Roy Z is the most underrated duo in music. Been way too long since we've heard them.

I'm 110% that Bruce quickly returned to Iron Maiden, but a part of me wants to visit a parallel universe where Bruce remained solo and his partnership with Roy Z went on right on the heels of the Accident of Birth / Chemical Wedding combo. Who knows what else they could have done together. Maybe just Tyranny of Souls but 5 years earlier? something different? something better?

Isn't the magic at least in part that there WASN'T an album and tour every year? 

[jammindude]

You know what I honestly could see happening? Paul and Blaze being asked to do background vocals on one track.

You know what I honestly could see happening? Not fucking that!

Oh come on. At least it’s more realistic than imagining that they would take any spotlight moments on a final Maiden album.

[wolfking]

You know what I honestly could see happening? Paul and Blaze being asked to do background vocals on one track.

You know what I honestly could see happening? Not fucking that!

Oh come on. At least it’s more realistic than imagining that they would take any spotlight moments on a final Maiden album.

Yeah, there's zero chance of that lol.  Either of them would probably not even be allowed within 50ft of the recording studio.

[Glasser]

You know what I honestly could see happening? Paul and Blaze being asked to do background vocals on one track.

You know what I honestly could see happening? Not fucking that!

Oh come on. At least it’s more realistic than imagining that they would take any spotlight moments on a final Maiden album.

Yeah, there's zero chance of that lol.  Either of them would probably not even be allowed within 50ft of the recording studio.

 

[porcacultor]

Dickinson + Roy Z is the most underrated duo in music. Been way too long since we've heard them.

I'm 110% that Bruce quickly returned to Iron Maiden, but a part of me wants to visit a parallel universe where Bruce remained solo and his partnership with Roy Z went on right on the heels of the Accident of Birth / Chemical Wedding combo. Who knows what else they could have done together. Maybe just Tyranny of Souls but 5 years earlier? something different? something better?

I do think that the AoB/CW lineup was a key part of why those albums were what they were -- specifically Adrian Smith on second guitar and the Eddie Casillas/David Ingraham rhythm section. The difference in Tyranny of Souls is palpable. I won't fault them for choosing a different lineup (maybe Adrian, Eddie and David weren't even available), but I like how Accident of Birth and Chemical Wedding are metal records made by an arguably non-metal band (those guys were in the Tribe of Gypsies together if I understand it correctly).

There was a swing and freshness in the musicianship that married Bruce's voice and approach like wine and cheese.  I don't expect that to come back in the Mandrake project, but would love to be proven wrong. I do expect some good tunes, though (Tyranny of Souls was no slouch in that department)

[wolfking]

TOS was never going to stack up.  It's a great record with a lot of really nice songs, but anything after CW was simply going to be a step down.