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Formed in London in 1976, Iron Maiden were at the forefront of the so-called New Wave Of British Heavy Metal movement. Their specialty was radio-unfriendly powerhouse metal, played louder than hell, and performed with whiplash dexterity and technical aplomb. Their songs were cleverly structured with lyrics--usually by bassist Steve Harris or their most well-known singer, Bruce Dickinson --that ditched typical car/girl/teen topics in favor of sci-fi, horror/fantasy or mythology. They could get spacey and at times overly epic, but as of yet, they've never recorded a power ballad, and for that we thank them.
Led by Harris and guitarist Dave Murray (the only two original Maidens still on board 20 years later), the band was inspired equally by the early '70s Triumvirate Of Evil (Purp -Sab -Zep ) and the punk rock do-it-yourself ethos. They self-released their demo, The Soundhouse Tapes, and nabbed a deal with Harvest/EMI in 1980. After two ripping LPs and a live EP, original singer Paul Di'Anno left for a solo career which never took off. Dickinson joined, and the group enjoyed a gold or platinum album and sold-out world tour each year for six straight years. Maiden was also probably the only major band of any genre to have a mascot--the lurching, seven-foot-plus rotting-corpse named Eddie was their only theatrical trapping and appeared on every LP cover.
The band became increasingly progressive in the late '80s, but following the departure of Dickinson in '93 and the entrance of ex-Wolfsbane screecher Blaze Bayley, Maiden returned to its familiar galloping rhythms and brain-bludgeoning heaviness. Die-hard fans seem to have rolled with the changes, but in '97 doubt remains as to whether Maiden can capture a new generation of metalheads. Beyond question, the band will continue as a touring machine, delivering a live show nothing short of a heavy metal how-to lesson.
Iron Maiden Discography
Album
2003 Dance of Death
2002 Live After Death [Enhanced]
2002 Powerslave [Limited Edition]
2002 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son [Limited Edition]
2002 Fear of the Dark [Limited Edition]
2002 A Real Dead One [Limited Edition]
2002 Fear of the Dark [Enhanced]
2002 Live After Death [Limited Edition]
2002 Live at Donnington [Limited Edition]
2002 Somewhere in Time [Limited Edition]
2002 No Prayer for the Dying [Limited Edition]
2002 Virtual XI [Limited Edition]
2002 A Real Live One [Limited Edition]
2002 Rock in Rio
2002 X Factor [Limited Edition]
2001 Audio Biography CD
2000 Maximum Maiden
2000 Brave New World
1998 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son [Expanded]
1998 Virtual XI
1998 Somewhere in Time [Expanded]
1998 Powerslave [Bonus Disc]
1998 Live After Death [Expanded]
1998 Virtual XI [Japan]
1998 Powerslave [Bonus Video Tracks]
1995 The X Factor
1995 The X Factor [Clean]
1994 Live at Donnington
1993 A Real Dead One
1993 A Real Live One
1992 Fear of the Dark
1991 Interview: Playing with Madness
1991 Playing with Madness
1990 Stranger in a Strange Land
1990 Trooper
1990 No Prayer for the Dying
1990 Running Free Run to the Hills
1988 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
1988 Conversation
1987 Interview Picture Disc
1986 Somewhere in Time
1985 Live After Death
1984 Powerslave
1983 Piece of Mind
1983 Brain Damage Tour of Europe
1983 Piece of Mind [Limited Edition]
1982 The Number of the Beast
1982 The Number of the Beast [Limited Edition]
1981 Killers [Limited Edition]
1981 Killers
1980 Iron Maiden
1980 Iron Maiden [Limited Edition]
1979 Soundhouse Tapes
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