Daniels - Iron Maiden: the ultimate unauthorized history of the beast

THE ULTIMATE UNAUTHORIZED HISTORY OF THE BEAST

by

NEIL DANIELS

with

GAVIN BADDELEY

DANIEL BUKSZPAN

GARRY BUSHELL

IAN CHRISTE

ANDREW EARLES

RYAN LAMAR

MARTIN POPOFF

JOHN TUCKER

and

MICK WALL

I n September 2015, Iron Maiden released their sixteenth studio album, The Book of Souls. It hit No. 1 in more than twenty countries. Not only does this accomplishment boldly state that heavy metal is far from dead, but it rather loudly underscores the fact that Iron Maiden is undoubtedly one of the most successful heavy metal bands of all time. There is little argument that, in their forty-year history, Maiden has done more for the metal cause than any other band. The band has always been full of charisma and energy, but it is the almost unnerving dedication to their artand indeed it is art, despite the genres often frivolous imagerythat has kept them busy for so many years.

Maiden has often been out of vogue, with little help from the mainstream media, but their strict work ethic and tireless drive are to be greatly admired. Unlike a lot of bands, Maiden has a taut relationship with their management and its the relationship particularly between bassist and Maiden mastermind Steve Harris and manager Rod Smallwood that evidently has kept the Maiden machine in motion regardless of setbacks. Its often been commented that Maiden is Steve Harris band, and theres certainly some truth to that statement.

With more than 90 million albums sold, countless awards, and two thousand-plus concerts played to millions around the world, Maidens legacy is evidently assured for quite some time.

The band formed in London in 1975, and after several lineup changes they cemented their status as pioneers of the now legendary New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) movement that lasted from around 1979 to about 1981. NWOBHM represents a short period of time, but it spawned many bands that garner mention in this book.

While Maidens first two albumsIron Maiden and Killersare iconic in their own ways, it was not until former Samson singer Bruce Dickinson replaced Paul DiAnno in 1981 that Maidens flight to success properly took off. The trilogy comprising The Number of the Beast (1982), Piece of Mind (1983), and Powerslave (1984) gave the band worldwide fame and success in the United States. Those three albums are often included in polls of the greatest heavy metal albums and have lost none of their appeal more than twenty years later.

While the band suffered a downward slide in the mid-90s after the departure of Bruce Dickinson and the hiring of ex-Wolfsbane Blaze Bayley, Maiden made a steady comeback beginning with 2000s reunion album, Brave New World. Indeed, the band continued rebuilding their career right up to the end of the decade. At this writing, in 2016, they are quite simply a force to be reckoned with.

Iron Maiden is a very British band; their working-class mentality has never diminished and their Britishness is widely known, yet they are extremely popular elsewhere. Their popularity in the United States, while sometimes tumultuous, has not been lost among the countless bands that followed in their wake. The whole Bay Area thrash metal scene of the 80s owes a massive debt to Maiden, as do all the other thrash metal bands that formed not just on the West Coast but elsewhere in the States during that decade. Its a lengthy list that includes such high-profile players as Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Annihilator, and Exodus. In addition, several big-name metal bands from the 1990s onward, such as Marilyn Manson, In Flames, and Trivium, have been greatly inspired by Iron Maiden.

Looking at the bands prevalence another way, how many celebrity it girls do you see wearing Iron Maiden T-shirts? For them it may not be about the music, but it does show that Maiden has touched many corners of pop culture. Heavy metal is very much an image-led genre, with all the great album covers, T-shirts, and posters. Iron Maiden has always been conscious of that, and while many can claim the visuals are all nonsense, few can argue that such imageryincluding Iron Maidenshas not had a massive impact on popular culture. There are all kinds of Maiden-related multimedia devices and apps, not to mention all the band merchandise. Iron Maiden is more well-known than their peers mostly because theyve made more right decisions than wrong.

Not surprisingly, there are many books out there on the history of Iron Maiden. This book is by no means the definitive tale of Iron Maiden, but it is not supposed to be. It is a celebration of their music, a good starting point for newcomers, and an illustrated archive worthy of the attention of longtime fans who argue that Iron Maiden is the most influential heavy metal band of all time. Sure, Metallica and others have sold more albums, but would there be such bands if it werent for Iron Maiden?

Above and Below: Mick Hutson/Redferns/Getty Images

BEGINNINGS OF THE BEAST
THE EARLY YEARS, 19751978

Well, I didnt start the band as any kind of crusade against punk as people seem to think. I couldnt have because Maiden began in 1975, before all that. It was when Zep and Purple were finishinga lot of the influences came from them, the twin guitars from Wishbone Ash and Thin Lizzy, the time changes from Yes and Jethro Tull. We wanted to get all the ingredients in there and come up with something different. But after a year or so we realized we werent getting gigs any more. Then we did ate punk.

Steve Harris, quoted by Phil Sutcliffe,
Q, January 1991

T he roots of perhaps the greatest British heavy metal band of all time can be traced back to 1975, when rock music was still popular with the masses and before punk made it seem like an unfashionable and outdated trend. Trailblazing hard-rock bands like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple were doing good business, and a young East End London lad by the name of Steve Harris wanted in on the action.

Maiden was formed, rather ironically given the bands (misperceived) association with the occult and all things devil-worshipping, on Christmas Day.