Confessions Of An Iron Maiden n00b, Pt. 1
So, as mentioned, I picked up my very first Iron Maiden album last week: Piece Of Mind. It is blowing me away.
Yesterday at work, I found the entire concerts from Live After Death and Rock In Rio on YouTube, and listened to them, watching a few bits here and there in between projects. After having done so, I am just flabbergasted that I somehow completely missed this band back in the '80s when they were on their rise.
So after being floored by POM and these two live shows, on impulse, I swung by the Best Buy at my exit on the way home last night. They had a decent selection: Iron Maiden, Killers, NOTB, Somewhere In Time, and Fear Of The Dark. I nabbed NOTB and Somewhere In Time and am familiarizing myself with them.
A couple of things I am noticing right off the bat with all three albums:
First off, the mix is excellent. On these 1998 re-release enhanced CD's, are these remixed and/or remastered, or simply re-releases with bonus content? Just curious whether the mixes on the originals sounded this good. One problem I am having is that these so-called "enhanced CD's" are completely freaking out my work computer and locking it up when I am trying to rip them for listening at work, so I have to take my time and do it when working on projects that do not involve the computer. Anyone else have this issue and know if there is some sort of workaround where the enhanced content won't throw the computer into a tizzy?
Second, the drumming really stands out to me. (as does the bass work, but I've already commented on that) Nicko is a REALLY good drummer. Clive Burr was really good as well, but I can already pick out differences in their style, and I don't like how Clive tends to play just behind the beat. I find it a bit distracting despite all the cool things he is doing. That assumes that it is actually him playing on NOTB. I assume it is, but it was also common during this time period for studio drummers to step in and record without being credited on albums. Don't know if that was the case here. Does anyone know why Clive left the band? Was he just not cutting it despite sounding like a monster in spots, or was there some other reason?
More later...