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For other uses, see Iron maiden. For other uses see Iron maiden.
Iron Maiden
L-R: Steve Harris, Dave Murray, Janick Gers, Adrian Smith.
L-R: Steve Harris, Dave Murray, Janick Gers, Adrian Smith. Stephen Percy Harris (born March 12, 1956 in Leytonstone, London, England) is the Bassist, band leader and primary Dave Murray (born David Michael Murray on 23 December 1956, Edmonton, London) is an English Guitarist Janick Robert Gers (pronounced YA-nik Gerz (born January 27, 1957 in Hartlepool, England) is one of three current Guitarists Adrian Frederik "H" Smith (born February 27 1957 in Hackney, East London, England) is a Guitarist and one of three Guitarists
Background information
OriginLeyton, East London, England
Genre(s)Heavy metal
Years active1975 - present
Label(s)EMI, Sanctuary, Columbia, Portrait, Capitol, Epic, CMC International
Associated actsBlaze Bayley, ASAP, Wolfsbane, Paul Di'Anno, Urchin, The Untouchables, Psycho Motel, Lauren Harris, Samson, Trust, The Entire Population of Hackney
Websitehttp://www.ironmaiden.com
Members
Steve Harris
Dave Murray
Nicko McBrain
Bruce Dickinson
Adrian Smith
Janick Gers
Former members
See: Iron Maiden band members

Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in the East End of London. Leyton is an area of East London and part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest. East London is the name commonly given to the north eastern part of London, England on the north side of the River Thames. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music The EMI Group is a British music company comprising the major record company EMI Music – which operates several labels and is based in Kensington in Sanctuary Records is a Record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Columbia Records is an American Record label founded in 1888 Columbia is the oldest surviving Brand name in pre-recorded sound being the first record company Portrait Records is a sister label of Epic Records. Cyndi Lauper signed to Portrait but was released via Epic Capitol Records is a major United States -based Record label owned by EMI and located in Hollywood California and New York City as Epic Records is an American Record label. It is owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment. CMC International is a Record label, a division of its parent label - Sanctuary Records. Blaze Bayley (Formerly known as Blaze is a British heavy metal band formed in 1999 by former Wolfsbane and Iron Maiden ASAP was a Progressive rock band created by guitarist and vocalist Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden fame Paul Andrews (born 17 May, 1958, in Chingford, Essex) better known as Paul Di'Anno, was the first prominent vocalist Urchin (originally Stone Free) was formed in 1972 by childhood friends Dave Murray and Adrian Smith. This article is about the English progressive rock band For the Washington D Psycho Motel was a British Progressive rock band formed by Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith. Not to be confused with Lawren Harris the Canadian painter or Lauren Harries the child celebrity Samson was a British Hard rock band formed in 1977 by guitarist and vocalist Paul Samson. For the Junior Eurovision Song Contest contestant see Trust (2007 band. The Entire Population of Hackney is the name used for a project featuring members of Iron Maiden, FM and Urchin that played two concerts in 1985 Stephen Percy Harris (born March 12, 1956 in Leytonstone, London, England) is the Bassist, band leader and primary Dave Murray (born David Michael Murray on 23 December 1956, Edmonton, London) is an English Guitarist Michael Henry McBrain (born June 5, 1952 in Hackney, London, England) is the Drummer for heavy metal band Paul Bruce Dickinson (born 7 August 1958 in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England) is a British singer Airline pilot, radio show Adrian Frederik "H" Smith (born February 27 1957 in Hackney, East London, England) is a Guitarist and one of three Guitarists Janick Robert Gers (pronounced YA-nik Gerz (born January 27, 1957 in Hartlepool, England) is one of three current Guitarists Leyton is an area of East London and part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The band were formed in 1975 by bassist Steve Harris, formerly a member of Gypsy's Kiss and Smiler. A bass player (bassist is a Musician who plays a Double bass, Bass guitar, keyboard bass or wind Stephen Percy Harris (born March 12, 1956 in Leytonstone, London, England) is the Bassist, band leader and primary Iron Maiden is one of the most successful and influential bands in the heavy metal genre, having sold over 100 million albums worldwide[1] without significant mainstream or radio support. A genre (ˈʒɑːnrə also /ˈdʒɑːnrə/ from French "kind" or "sort" from Latin: genus (stem gener-) is a loose set The band won the Ivor Novello Awards for international achievement in 2002,[2] and were also inducted into the Hollywood RockWalk in Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles County, California during their tour in the United States in 2005. The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the Cardiff born entertainer Ivor Novello, are Awards for Songwriting and Composing. Guitar Center is the largest chain of Musical instrument retailers in the world and is located throughout the United States. Sunset Boulevard is a Street in the western part of Los Angeles County California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles Los Angeles County is a county in California and is by far the most populous county in the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Iron Maiden are influenced by Thin Lizzy, UFO, Wishbone Ash and Deep Purple amongst others. Thin Lizzy are an Irish Hard rock band who formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1969 UFO are an English Hard rock band formed in 1969 UFO became a transitional band between early Hard rock and heavy metal and the New Wishbone Ash are a British rock band who achieved particular success in the early and mid-1970s with their most critically acclaimed records including Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertfordshire in 1968

Contents

History of Iron Maiden

The early days (1975–1978)

Iron Maiden were formed on Christmas Day 1975, by bassist Steve Harris, shortly after he left his previous group, Smiler. A bass player (bassist is a Musician who plays a Double bass, Bass guitar, keyboard bass or wind Stephen Percy Harris (born March 12, 1956 in Leytonstone, London, England) is the Bassist, band leader and primary Harris attributes the band name to a movie adaptation of The Man in the Iron Mask, which he saw around that time, and so the group was christened after the purported torture device. The Man in the Iron Mask is a 1977 television film loosely adapted from The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas père and presenting several An iron maiden is a Torture device usually an Iron cabinet, but can be built with wood or iron [3]

Steve Harris and guitarist Dave Murray remain the longest-surviving members of Iron Maiden to this day. Dave Murray (born David Michael Murray on 23 December 1956, Edmonton, London) is an English Guitarist Original vocalist Paul Day was fired as he lacked "energy or charisma onstage". Paul Mario Day (born April 19 1956 was the original lead vocalist of Iron Maiden from 1975 to 1976 [4] He was replaced by Dennis Wilcock, a Kiss fan who utilised fire, make-up and fake blood during live performances. Dennis Wilcock was the second singer for the band Iron Maiden. Kiss (also typeset as KISS) is an American rock band formed in New York City in December 1972 Wilcock's friend, Dave Murray, was invited to join, to the frustration of guitarists Dave Sullivan and Terry Rance. [5] This fueled Harris to temporarily split the band in 1976,[5] though the group reformed soon after with Murray as the sole guitarist.

Iron Maiden recruited another guitarist in 1977, Bob Sawyer, who caused a rift between Murray and Wilcock, prompting Harris to fire both Murray and Sawyer. [6] A poor gig at the Bridgehouse in November 1977, with a makeshift line-up including Tony Moore on keyboards, Terry Wapram on guitar, and drummer Barry Purkis resulted in Harris firing the entire band. Tony Moore (born Antony Moore October 11 1958 in Bristol) is an English Singer/songwriter, Musician, radio Presenter and Music Thunderstick (aka Barry Graham or Barry Purkis was a Drummer for the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden briefly in 1977. [7] Dave Murray was reinstated and Doug Sampson was hired as drummer. Doug Sampson (born June 30 1957 in Hackney, East London) was the third drummer for Iron Maiden.

Rise to fame (1978-1981)

A chance meeting at the Red Lion pub in Leytonstone evolved into a successful audition for vocalist Paul Di'Anno. Leytonstone is an area of East London and part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest. Paul Andrews (born 17 May, 1958, in Chingford, Essex) better known as Paul Di'Anno, was the first prominent vocalist Steve Harris has stated, "There's sort of a quality in Paul's voice, a raspiness in his voice, or whatever you want to call it, that just gave it this great edge. "[8]

Iron Maiden had been playing for three years, but had never recorded any of their music. On New Year's Eve 1978, the band recorded a demo,[9] The Soundhouse Tapes. New Year's Eve is on December 31, the final day of the Gregorian year and the day before New Year's Day. The Soundhouse Tapes is an EP by Iron Maiden. The Soundhouse Tapes are the very first recordings of Iron Maiden Featuring only three songs, the band sold all five thousand copies within weeks. [10] One track found on the demo, "Prowler", went to number one on Neal Kay's Heavy Metal Soundhouse charts in Sounds magazine. " Prowler " is the first track from the eponymous debut album of British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. Neal Kay is a London-based DJ who along with Tommy Vance was a significant factor in the rise of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM [11] Their first appearance on an album was on the compilation Metal for Muthas (released on 15 February 1980) with two early versions of "Sanctuary" and "Wrathchild". Metal for Muthas is the name given to two heavy metal compilations made during the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) " Sanctuary " is the second single released by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden.

From late 1977 to 1978, Murray was the sole guitarist in the band until Paul Cairns joined in 1979. Shortly before going into the studio, Cairns left the band. Several other guitarists were temporarily hired until the band finally settled on Dennis Stratton. Dennis Stratton (b November 9, 1954 in Canning Town, East London, England) is a guitar player who is best known Initially, the band wanted to hire Dave Murray's childhood friend Adrian Smith, but Smith was busy with his own band, Urchin. Adrian Frederik "H" Smith (born February 27 1957 in Hackney, East London, England) is a Guitarist and one of three Guitarists Urchin (originally Stone Free) was formed in 1972 by childhood friends Dave Murray and Adrian Smith. [12] Drummer Doug Sampson was also replaced by Clive Burr (who was brought into the band by Stratton). Doug Sampson (born June 30 1957 in Hackney, East London) was the third drummer for Iron Maiden. Clive Burr (born March 8 1957, East Ham, East London) was the Drummer in the British band Iron Maiden. In December 1979, the band landed a major record deal with EMI. The EMI Group is a British music company comprising the major record company EMI Music – which operates several labels and is based in Kensington in [13]

Iron Maiden's eponymous 1980 release, Iron Maiden, made number 4 in the UK Albums Chart in its first week of release,[14] and the group became one of the leading proponents of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Iron Maiden, released on April 14, 1980, is the debut album by heavy metal band Iron Maiden, reaching number 4 in the UK The UK Albums Chart is a list of Albums ranked by sales in the United Kingdom. The New Wave of British Heavy Metal (frequently abbreviated as NWOBHM) is a heavy metal music movement that started in the late 1970s in Britain, and achieved [15] In addition to the title track, the album includes other early favourites such as "Running Free", "Transylvania", "Phantom of the Opera", and "Sanctuary" — which was not on the original UK release but made the U. " Running Free " was the first single released by Iron Maiden. " Transylvania " is a well known instrumental piece by the band Iron Maiden, which was composed by founder and bassist Steve Harris while he was " Phantom of the Opera " is a song from Iron Maiden 's debut album Iron Maiden. " Sanctuary " is the second single released by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. S. release and subsequent re-releases. The band played a headline tour of the UK then went on to open for Kiss on their 1980 Unmasked Tour's European leg. The Metal For Muthas Tour and the Europe 80 Tour were two Concert tours by the Heavy metal band Iron Maiden, consisting of 155 shows from Kiss (also typeset as KISS) is an American rock band formed in New York City in December 1972 The Unmasked Tour is a 1980 Concert tour by the hard rock group Kiss. Iron Maiden also supported Judas Priest on select dates. Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in 1970 in Birmingham. After the Kiss tour, Dennis Stratton was fired from the band as a result of creative and personal differences. Dennis Stratton (b November 9, 1954 in Canning Town, East London, England) is a guitar player who is best known [16] Stratton was replaced by Adrian Smith in October 1980. Adrian Frederik "H" Smith (born February 27 1957 in Hackney, East London, England) is a Guitarist and one of three Guitarists

In 1981, Maiden released their second album, titled Killers. Killers, released on February 9 1981 on EMI in the UK is the second Album by Iron Maiden. This new album contained many tracks that had been written prior to the release of the debut album, but were considered surplus. With songs already shaped on the road well in advance, only two new tracks were written for the album: "Prodigal Son" and "Murders in the Rue Morgue"[17] (the title was taken from the short story by Edgar Allan Poe). " The Murders in the Rue Morgue " is a Short story by Edgar Allan Poe published in Graham's Magazine in 1841 Edgar Allan Poe (January 19 1809 – October 7 1849 was an American poet, short-story Writer, editor and Literary critic,

International success (1981-1986)

By 1981, Paul Di'Anno was demonstrating increasingly self-destructive behaviour, particularly through cocaine usage. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Paul Andrews (born 17 May, 1958, in Chingford, Essex) better known as Paul Di'Anno, was the first prominent vocalist Cocaine ( benzoylmethyl ecgonine) is a Crystalline Tropane Alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the Coca plant [18] His performances began to suffer, just as the band was beginning to achieve large-scale success in America. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the At the end of 1981 the band fired Di'Anno and began to seek a new vocalist.

Bruce Dickinson, previously of Samson auditioned for Iron Maiden in September 1981 and joined the band shortly afterwards. Paul Bruce Dickinson (born 7 August 1958 in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England) is a British singer Airline pilot, radio show Samson was a British Hard rock band formed in 1977 by guitarist and vocalist Paul Samson. He then went out on the road with the band on a small headlining tour. In anticipation of the band's forthcoming album, the band played "Children of the Damned", "Run to the Hills", "22 Acacia Avenue" and "The Prisoner" at select venues, introducing fans to the sound that the band was progressing towards. " Run to the Hills " is Iron Maiden 's sixth single and the first single from their 1982 album The Number of the Beast.

Dickinson's recorded debut with Iron Maiden was 1982's The Number of the Beast, an album that claimed the band their first ever UK Albums Chart number 1 record[19] and additionally became a Top Ten hit in many other countries. Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) The Number of the Beast is a heavy metal Album released in 1982 (see 1982 in music) by Iron Maiden on EMI in the UK [20] For the second time the band went on a world tour, visiting the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, UK and Germany. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The tour's U. S. leg was marred by controversy stemming from an American right-wing political pressure group that claimed Iron Maiden was Satanic because of the new album's title track. For other uses of the word see Satanism (disambiguation. Satanism can refer to a number of belief systems depending on the user and context [20] The band members' attempts to deflect the criticism failed to dampen persistent accusations. A group of Christian activists went on to destroy Iron Maiden records (along with those of Ozzy Osbourne) in protest against the band. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Activism, in a general sense can be described as intentional action to bring about social or political change John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born December 3 1948) is a British singer

Dickinson, at the time, was still in legal difficulties with Samson's management, and was not permitted to add his name to any of the songwriting credits. However, he was still able to lend "creative influence" to many of the songs.

In December 1982, drummer Clive Burr left the band due to personal and tour schedule problems. Clive Burr (born March 8 1957, East Ham, East London) was the Drummer in the British band Iron Maiden. He was replaced by Nicko McBrain, previously of French band Trust. Michael Henry McBrain (born June 5, 1952 in Hackney, London, England) is the Drummer for heavy metal band This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. For the Junior Eurovision Song Contest contestant see Trust (2007 band. Shortly afterwards, in 1983, the band released Piece of Mind. Piece of Mind is the fourth studio album by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden.

Following the success of Piece of Mind, the band released Powerslave on September 9, 1984. Powerslave is the fifth studio album by the British Heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on September 3, 1984. The album featured fan-favourites "2 Minutes to Midnight", "Aces High", and "Rime of the Ancient Mariner",[21] the latter based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem of the same name and running over 13 minutes in length. " 2 Minutes to Midnight " is the tenth single released by Iron Maiden and the second track from their 1984 album Powerslave " Aces High " is a Song written by Steve Harris. It is Iron Maiden 's Eleventh single and the second from the 1984 The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (original The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere) is the longest major Poem by the English Poet "Back in the Village" followed up on an earlier hit "The Prisoner", both based on the television show starring Patrick McGoohan. Patrick Joseph McGoohan (born March 19, 1928) is an American born Actor, raised in Ireland and England who rose to fame in the British

The tour following the album, dubbed the World Slavery Tour, was the band's biggest to date and consisted of 193 shows over 13 months. The World Slavery Tour was a Concert tour by the Heavy metal band Iron Maiden from August 9 1984 to July 5 1985 This was one of the biggest tours in music history. [22] Many shows were played back-to-back in the same city, such as in Long Beach, California, where most of the recordings were made for their subsequent live release Live After Death. Long Beach is a city located in southern California, USA, on the Pacific coast Live After Death is a Live album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on October 14, 1985. This tour was physically grueling for the band and they took a 6-month break when it ended. This was the first break in the band's history, even cancelling a proposed supporting tour for the new live album. [23]

Experimentation (1986-1990)

Returning from their break, the band adopted a different approach for their 1986 studio album, titled Somewhere in Time. Somewhere in Time is the sixth studio album by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 29 June[[ 986]] This was not a concept album, though it was themed loosely around the idea of time travel. In Popular music, a concept album is an Album which is "unified by a theme which can be instrumental compositional narrative or lyrical" This article details time travel itself For other uses see Time Traveler. It also included associated themes - history, the passage of time, and long journeys. It featured, for the first time in the band's history, synthesized bass and guitars sounds to add textures and layers to the sound. Though considered different from the norm of Maiden sounds, it charted well across the world, especially with the single "Wasted Years". " Wasted Years " was the fourteenth single released by Iron Maiden and the first from their Somewhere in Time album The band had resisted using synthetic sounds before, and still insisted on not using keyboards. At the time they claimed the music was still 'real' since actual guitars/bass guitars had been used.

The experimentation on Somewhere in Time led to a follow-up in Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, 1988. The seventh son of a seventh son is a concept from Folklore regarding special powers given to or held by such a son Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Adding to Iron Maiden's experimentation, it was a concept album featuring a story about a mythical child who possessed clairvoyant powers. In Popular music, a concept album is an Album which is "unified by a theme which can be instrumental compositional narrative or lyrical" Clairvoyance (from 17th century French with clair meaning "clear" and voyance meaning "visibility" is the apparent ability to gain For the first time, the band used keyboards on a recording, as opposed to guitar synthesisers on the previous release. Critics stated this produced a more accessible release. [24] It was a huge success, and became the band's second album to hit #1 in the UK charts.

In 1990, to close Iron Maiden's first ten years of releasing singles, Iron Maiden released The First Ten Years, a series of ten CDs and double 12" vinyls. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) The First Ten Years is a series of 10 Cds and double 12" singles by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released between February A Compact Disc (also known as a CD) is an Optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio Between February 24 and April 28, 1990, the individual parts were released one-by-one, and each contains two of Iron Maiden's singles, including the B-sides. Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the Events 1192 - Assassination of Conrad of Montferrat (Conrad I King of Jerusalem, in Tyre, two days after his title Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar)

Upheaval (1990–1994)

In 1989, after touring with Iron Maiden, guitarist Adrian Smith released a solo album with his band ASAP entitled Silver and Gold. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) ASAP was a Progressive rock band created by guitarist and vocalist Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden fame In 1990, vocalist Bruce Dickinson launched a solo career with former Gillan guitarist Janick Gers, releasing Tattooed Millionaire. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Paul Bruce Dickinson (born 7 August 1958 in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England) is a British singer Airline pilot, radio show Gillan was a hard rock band formed in 1978 by Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan. Janick Robert Gers (pronounced YA-nik Gerz (born January 27, 1957 in Hartlepool, England) is one of three current Guitarists Tattooed Millionaire is a hard rock Album released in 1990 by Bruce Dickinson. The band had spent 1989 off, and Dickinson took this time to work on the album. Though seen as good creations at the time, these solo albums would eventually inspire both band members to leave later on.

Soon after work on a new album began, Adrian Smith was let go due to lack of enthusiasm. Bruce Dickinson's solo project guitarist Janick Gers was chosen to replace Smith - the first new member in seven years. When Dickinson left Maiden in 1993, he would later regroup with Smith.

In 1990, Iron Maiden released the album No Prayer for the Dying. No Prayer for the Dying is the eighth studio Album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. This album had a raw sound compared to their recent releases and featured one last song co-written by Adrian Smith, "Hooks in You", despite Smith's having left the band prior to the recording of the album.

The band obtained their first (and to date, only) UK Singles Chart number one hit single with "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter", originally recorded by Dickinson for the soundtrack to A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child. The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company (OCC on behalf of the British record industry Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter is the second single from the album No Prayer for the Dying, Iron Maiden 's first full-length album A Nightmare on Elm Street 5 The Dream Child ( 1989) is an American Slasher film. It was released on December 24, 1990, and was one of the first records to be released on several different formats with different B-sides. Events 563 - The Byzantine church Hagia Sophia in Constantinople is dedicated for the second time after being destroyed by Earthquakes Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) The single holds the record for being the fastest release straight in to number one and straight out of the charts again over the following couple of weeks. [25]

Dickinson performed a solo tour in 1991 before returning to the studio with Iron Maiden for the album Fear of the Dark. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. "FOTD" redirects here For the Doctor Who episode see Forest of the Dead. Released in 1992, the album was noticeably longer (due to this being Iron Maiden's first album recorded for CD rather than LP) and had several songs which became fan favourites, such as the title track and "Afraid to Shoot Strangers". Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) A Compact Disc (also known as a CD) is an Optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio " Fear of the Dark " is a song written by Steve Harris,bass player and main songwriter for Iron Maiden, as the title track to Iron Maiden's 1992 The disc also featured "Wasting Love," one of the band's softer songs, and "From Here to Eternity," the third installment of the 'Charlotte the Harlot' narrative (although some fans will argue that 'Hooks in You' is actually the third installment, making 'From Here. " Wasting Love " is the third single from the Iron Maiden album Fear of the Dark, released in 1992. " From Here to Eternity " is the second single from the Iron Maiden album Fear of the Dark, released in 1992. . . ' the fourth). The album featured the first songwriting by Gers, and no collaboration at all between Harris and Dickinson on songs.

In 1993, Bruce Dickinson left the band to further pursue his solo career. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Paul Bruce Dickinson (born 7 August 1958 in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England) is a British singer Airline pilot, radio show However, Dickinson agreed to stay with the band for a farewell tour and two live albums (later re-released in one package). The first, A Real Live One, featured songs from 1986 to 1992, and was released in March 1993. A Real Live One is a Live album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released in March 1993 The second, A Real Dead One, featured songs from 1975 to 1984, and was released after Dickinson had left the band. A Real Dead One is a live album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, recorded in 1992/93 at concerts across Europe, and released He played his farewell show with Iron Maiden on August 28, 1993. Events 475 - The Roman General Orestes forces western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his Capital Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) The show was filmed, broadcast by the BBC, and released on video under the name Raising Hell. Raising Hell is the name of a video released ( 1993) by the heavy metal band Iron Maiden, filmed on August 28 1993

Winds of change (1994-1999)

Blaze Bayley with Iron Maiden in 1995.
Blaze Bayley with Iron Maiden in 1995.

In 1994 the band auditioned hundreds of vocalists, both known and unknown before choosing Blaze Bayley, formerly of the band Wolfsbane. Blaze Bayley (born Bayley Alexander Cook, 29 May 1963, Birmingham, England) is the lead singer for the Bayley had a different vocal style from his predecessor, which ultimately received a mixed reception among fans. [26]

After a two year hiatus (and three year hiatus from recording - a record for the band at the time) Iron Maiden returned in 1995. Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Releasing The X Factor, the band faced their lowest chart position since 1981 for an album in the UK (debuting at number 8). The X Factor is the tenth Studio album, released October 2, 1995, by Iron Maiden. Chief songwriter Harris was experiencing personal problems at the time with the break-up of his marriage, and many fans and critics feel the album's sound is a reflection of this.

The album included the 11-minute epic "Sign of the Cross", the band's longest song since "Rime of the Ancient Mariner". It also included "Man on the Edge", based on the movie Falling Down. " Man on the Edge " is a single from the Iron Maiden Album The X Factor. Falling Down is a 1993 Film directed by Joel Schumacher about the character William "Bill" Foster (played by Michael Douglas The band toured for the rest of 1995 and 1996, before stopping to release The Best of the Beast. Best of the Beast was Iron Maiden 's first "best of" album released in 1996 in three formats a 34 track (four disc Vinyl, a 27 track (two The band's first compilation, it included the single "Virus", a new song. " Virus " is a single from Iron Maiden, released in 1996. "Virus" was released as a single and themed around the backlash the band received for their changing of vocalist. Indeed, Maiden were playing in slightly smaller venues for their The X Factour as a result of this. The X Factour was a Concert tour by the Heavy metal band Iron Maiden from September 28 1995 to September 7 1996

The band returned to the studio for Virtual XI, released in 1998. Virtual XI (pronounced Virtual Eleven is the 11th studio album by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Chart positions of the album were the band's lowest to date,[27] failing to reach the one million mark in worldwide sales for the first time in Iron Maiden's history. At the same time, Steve Harris assisted in remastering the entire discography of Iron Maiden up to Live at Donington (which was given a mainstream release for the first time) and released the set.

Reunion (1999–2005)

In February 1999, Bayley left the band by mutual consent. At the same time, the band shocked their fans when they announced that both Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith were rejoining the band, and that Janick Gers would remain. Paul Bruce Dickinson (born 7 August 1958 in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England) is a British singer Airline pilot, radio show Adrian Frederik "H" Smith (born February 27 1957 in Hackney, East London, England) is a Guitarist and one of three Guitarists Iron Maiden now had three guitarists and a hugely successful reunion tour, The Ed Hunter Tour. Tour dates This tour also supported the band's newly released computer game Ed Hunter. A personal computer Game (also known as a computer game or simply PC game) is a Video game played on a Personal computer, rather Ed Hunter, a Rail Shooter Video game, was released in 1999 and is based on and accompanied by Iron Maiden 's music

Steve Harris and Bruce Dickinson.
Steve Harris and Bruce Dickinson.

Iron Maiden's first studio work after the reunion with Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith came in the form of 2000's Brave New World. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Brave New World is the twelfth studio Album by Iron Maiden released on 30 May 2000 (see 2000 in music) The album was met with much critical acclaim. Thematic influences continued with "The Wicker Man"—based on the 1973 British cult film of the same name, and "Brave New World"—title taken from the novel of the same name. " The Wicker Man " is a song by Iron Maiden, released as the first single from their album Brave New World, released in April 2000 Brave New World is a 1932 Novel by Aldous Huxley. Set in the London of AD 2540 (632 A

The world tour that followed consisted of well over 100 dates and culminated on 19 January 2001 with a show at the Rock in Rio festival in Brazil, where Iron Maiden played to an audience of around 250,000. Events 1419 - Hundred Years' War: Rouen surrenders to Henry V of England completing his reconquest of Normandy. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Rock in Rio, the largest rock festival in the world (15 million people in the first edition 700 thousand in the second about 1 million in the third and in the 3 international editions This performance was recorded and subsequently released on CD and DVD in March 2002 under the name Rock in Rio. Rock In Rio is a live album recorded in Brazil by Iron Maiden in 2001

In 2003, Iron Maiden released Dance of Death. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Dance of Death is Iron Maiden 's 13th studio Album, released first in Japan on September 2 and rest of the world on September As usual, historical and literary influences continued—"Montsegur" in particular being about the Cathar stronghold conquered in 1244 and "Paschendale" relating to a significant battle during World War I. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All

Their performance at Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, Germany, as part of the supporting tour, was recorded and released in August 2005 as a live album and DVD, entitled Death on the Road. Westfalenhalle is a Trade fair center indoor sporting arena and concert venue located in Dortmund, Germany. Dortmund (ˈdɔʁtmʊnt is a City in Germany, located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. A live album &ndash commonly contrasted with a Studio album &ndash is a recording consisting of material (usually music recorded during stage performances DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is Death on the Road is a live CD, LP, and DVD released by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden on

In 2005, the band announced a tour to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the release of their first album, Iron Maiden, and the 30th anniversary of their formation. The tour also was in support of the 2004 DVD entitled The Early Days and as such during the tour they only played material from their first four albums. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is The Early Days DVD set features an exhaustive thoroughly complete history of the early years of Iron Maiden, from their humble beginnings in As part of the celebration of their early days, the "Number of the Beast" single was re-released, which went straight to number 3 in the UK Singles Chart.

At Iron Maiden's last Ozzfest performance (August 20, 2005 at the Hyundai Pavilion at Glen Helen in San Bernardino, CA), Sharon Osbourne interrupted their performance by turning off the PA system and chanting: "Ozzy! Ozzy!". Ozzfest is an annual festival tour of the United States (and in some years Europe) featuring performances by many heavy metal and Hard rock Sharon Rachel Osbourne (née Levy, previously Arden; born 9 October 1952) is an English Music manager and promoter A public address or " PA " system is an electronic amplification system with a mixer, Amplifier and Loudspeakers used to [28]

The band completed this tour by headlining the Reading and Leeds weekend festivals on the 26th[29] and 28 August, 2005. [30] For the second time, the band played a charity show for former drummer Clive Burr's Clive Burr MS Trust Fund charity. Etymology The word "charity" entered the English language through the Old French word " charité " which was derived from the

Recent years (2006-present)

In Autumn 2006, Iron Maiden released A Matter of Life and Death. A Matter of Life and Death is the 14th studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. While the album is not a concept album,[31] war and religion are recurring themes in the lyrics throughout, as well as in the album's artwork. War is an international relations Dispute, characterized by organized Violence between National Military units A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos

A successful North American and European tour followed, during which they played the album in its entirety, a first for the band. The band have announced that a live album recorded from this tour will be released. It was during this tour in 2007 that Iron Maiden played in Bangalore, India for the first time in front of crowd 35,000, making them the 1st mainstream Heavy Metal act to play in the country. Bangalore ( officially Bengaluru ( Kannada: ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು) is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The band also headlined The Desert Rock Festival in Dubai selling out the festival with a crowd of 20,000. Iron Maiden recorded a live session at Abbey Road Studios for Live from Abbey Road in December 2006. Abbey Road Studios, established in November 1931 by EMI in London, England, is a Recording studio located at number 3 Abbey Road, Live from Abbey Road is a 12 part one hour Performance series / documentary filmed during 2006 at Abbey Road Studios in London Their performance was screened in an episode alongside sessions with Natasha Bedingfield and Gipsy Kings in March 2007 on Channel 4 (UK) and June 2007 on the Sundance Channel (USA). Natasha Anne Bedingfield (26 November 1981 is an English pop singer and Songwriter. Gipsy Kings are a music group from Arles and Montpellier, France. Channel 4 is a public-service Television and Radio broadcaster in the United Kingdom centred around a television channel of the same name which began Sundance Channel is a Cable television network devoted to airing independent feature films, World cinema, documentaries, Short

In November 2006, Iron Maiden and manager Rod Smallwood announced that they were cutting off their 27 year old ties with Sanctuary Music and have started a new company named Phantom Music Management. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. However, no other significant changes were made.

In 2007, the band confirmed several major festival appearances worldwide for the year to form the second leg of the A Matter of Life and Death tour,[32] now dubbed A Matter of the Beast to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Number of the Beast album. The band announced plans to play 5 songs from A Matter of Life and Death and 5 from The Number of the Beast as part of their set but the band played only 4 songs from The Number of the Beast. On the June 24th they ended the tour with a one-off performance at London's Brixton Academy in aid of The Clive Burr MS Trust fund. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place The Brixton Academy or Brixton is one of London 's leading music venues Multiple sclerosis (abbreviated MS also known as disseminated sclerosis or encephalomyelitis disseminata) is an autoimmune condition in which the In Common law legal systems a trust is an arrangement whereby Property (including real tangible and intangible is managed by one person (or persons or organizations

On September 5, 2007, the band announced their Somewhere Back in Time World Tour. Events 1590 - Alexander Farnese 's army forces Henry IV of France to raise the siege of Paris. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Somewhere Back in Time World Tour was a concert tour by Iron Maiden in 2008 to support the DVD release of their 1985 concert video Live After Death [33], which ties in with the DVD release of their Live After Death album. The setlist for the tour will consists of hits from the 80s, with a specific focus on the Powerslave era for set design. The tour started in Mumbai, India on February 1, 2008 where the band played to an audience of about 30,000. Mumbai ( Marathi:,, IPA: formerly Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the financial India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The first leg of the tour consisted of 24 concerts in 21 cities, travelling over 50,000 miles in the bands own chartered plane "Ed Force One" - the band played their first ever concerts in Costa Rica and Colombia and their first Australian show since 1992. Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( Spanish: Costa Rica or República de Costa Rica,) is a Country in Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. On May 12th, the band released a new compilation album, titled Somewhere Back In Time - The Best Of: 1980-1989. This album contains a selection of tracks from their 1980 self-titled debut to 1988's Seventh Son of a Seventh Son including several live versions from Live After Death. This tour also marks the first Western Canada leg in 20 years, on which all Canadian dates sold out within a couple of days.

During the Somewhere Back In Time tour, Bruce Dickinson has implied Iron Maiden will write and record a new album in the near future.

Janick Gers and Steve Harris.
Janick Gers and Steve Harris.
Dave Murray and Adrian Smith.
Dave Murray and Adrian Smith.
(L-R) Adrian Smith, Dave Murray, Janick Gers, Steve Harris.
(L-R) Adrian Smith, Dave Murray, Janick Gers, Steve Harris.

Image and legacy

Iron Maiden were ranked #24 in VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock",[34] and in Kerrang! magazine were ranked as the most important band of the last 25 years. VH1 (known as VH-1 Video Hits One from 1985 to 1994 and VH1 Music First until 2003) is an American Cable television Kerrang! is a weekly rock Magazine published by Bauer Consumer Media in the United Kingdom. The band were ranked fourth on MTV's "Top 10 Greatest Heavy Metal Bands of All Time". [35] Iron Maiden were named the third best metal band of all time on VH1 Classic: Top 20 Metal Bands. [36] The band also won the Ivor Novello Award for international achievement in 2002. The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the Cardiff born entertainer Ivor Novello, are Awards for Songwriting and Composing. [37] The band was also inducted into the Hollywood RockWalk during their tour in the United States in 2005.

Iron Maiden's mascot, Eddie, is a perennial fixture in the band's sci-fi and horror-influenced album cover art, as well as in live shows. The term mascot – defined as a term for any person animal or object thought to bring Luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common Eddie, whose full name is Eddie the 'Ead or Edward the Head also known as Edward the Great (see below is the Mascot for the British A concert is a live Performance, usually of Music, before an Audience. Eddie was drawn by Derek Riggs until 1992, although there have been various incarnations by numerous artists including Melvyn Grant. Derek Riggs (born February 13, 1958 in Portsmouth England is a contemporary British artist best known for creating the heavy metal band Iron Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Melvyn Grant (born in London, England) is an English digital Graphic artist and Illustrator. Eddie is also featured in a first-person shooter video game from the band, Ed Hunter, as well as numerous books, graphic comics and band-related merchandise. A first-person shooter ( FPS) is an action Video game from the Shooter game The initial development of Maze War A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. Ed Hunter, a Rail Shooter Video game, was released in 1999 and is based on and accompanied by Iron Maiden 's music

Discography

Main article: Iron Maiden discography

Audio

Band members

For more details on this topic, see List of Iron Maiden band members.

Current members

with

See also

References

Books and videos

Footnotes

  1. ^ "Iron Maiden", Gigwise Official Website, at [1]
  2. ^ "Iron Maiden honoured with Ivor Novello award", 18 September 2002, Sanctuary Group Official Website, at Sanctuarygroup.com; last accessed October 11, 2006. Events 1138 - A massive earthquake struck Aleppo, Syria. 1531 - Huldrych Zwingli is killed Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
  3. ^ Barton, Geoff. "BLOOD AND IRON: HM from the punky East End and nothing to do with Margaret Thatcher, sez Deaf Barton", 27 October 1970, Sounds magazine, reported at NWOBHM.com; last accessed October 8, 2006. Events 314 - Roman Emperor Licinius is defeated by his colleague Constantine I at the Battle of Cibalae, and loses Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
  4. ^ Wall, Mick (2001), p. 32.
  5. ^ a b Wall, Mick (2001), p. 33.
  6. ^ Wall, Mick (2001), p. 46.
  7. ^ Wall, Mick (2001), p. 50.
  8. ^ Wall, Mick (2001), p. 53.
  9. ^ Fuentes Rodríguez, César (2005), p. 17.
  10. ^ Wall, Mick (2001), p. 104.
  11. ^ Wall, Mick (2001), p. 103.
  12. ^ Wall, Mick (2001), pps. 163-164.
  13. ^ Wall, Mick (2001), p. 108.
  14. ^ Wall, Mick (2001), p. 143.
  15. ^ Fuentes Rodríguez, César (2005), pps. 19-21.
  16. ^ Hinchcliffe, Jon. "Dennis Stratton Interview: October 1999", 27 October 1999, at Praying-Mantis.com; last accessed October 8, 2006. Events 314 - Roman Emperor Licinius is defeated by his colleague Constantine I at the Battle of Cibalae, and loses Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
  17. ^ Wall, Mick (2001), p. 183.
  18. ^ Siva, Shan. "Paul Di'anno", at BattleHelm.com; last accessed October 8, 2006. Events 314 - Roman Emperor Licinius is defeated by his colleague Constantine I at the Battle of Cibalae, and loses Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
  19. ^ Wall, Mick (2001), p. 227.
  20. ^ a b Wall, Mick (2001), p. 228.
  21. ^ Wall, Mick (2001), p. 244.
  22. ^ Stenning, Paul (2006), p. 102.
  23. ^ Stenning, Paul (2006), p. 104.
  24. ^ Adrian's Album Reviews : Iron Maiden
  25. ^ The Official UK Charts Company : ALL THE No.1's
  26. ^ Rough Edge: Iron Maiden CD Reviews
  27. ^ Iron Maiden Official Website - Virtual XI
  28. ^ Harris, Chris. "Iron Maiden Pelted With Eggs At Final Ozzfest Performance", 22 August 2005, at MTV.com; last accessed October 7, 2006. Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar) Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
  29. ^ Williams, Scott. "Iron Maiden Reading 2005 Review", 31 August 2005, at EFestivals.com; last accessed October 11, 2006. Events 1138 - A massive earthquake struck Aleppo, Syria. 1531 - Huldrych Zwingli is killed Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
  30. ^ NME's Official Website, "Iron Maiden rise above Osbourne's drama at Leeds", 2005, at NME.com; last accessed October 11, 2006. Events 1138 - A massive earthquake struck Aleppo, Syria. 1531 - Huldrych Zwingli is killed Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
  31. ^ IRON MAIDEN Drummer, Guitarist Talk About New Album. Blabbermouth (2006-07-05). Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1295 - Scotland and France form an alliance the beginnings of the Auld Alliance, against England. Retrieved on 2006-09-17. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1176 - The Battle of Myriokephalon is fought 1462 - The Battle of Świecino (or Battle of Żarnowiec
  32. ^ Iron Maiden Official Website
  33. ^ World Tour 08 Announcement at official website; last accessed 2007-11-01.
  34. ^ VH1's Official Website, "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock", at VH1.com; last accessed October 7, 2006. Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar) Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
  35. ^ MTV's Official Website, "The Greatest Metal Bands of All Time", 2006, at MTV.com; last accessed October 7, 2006. Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar) Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
  36. ^ [2]
  37. ^ "Iron Maiden honoured with Ivor Novello award", 18 September 2002, Sanctuary Group Official Website, at Sanctuarygroup.com; last accessed October 11, 2006. Events 1138 - A massive earthquake struck Aleppo, Syria. 1531 - Huldrych Zwingli is killed Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

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