What's the point of recording a new album? They released Senjutsu, and the wave of hate surrounding it was absurd (and still is today). And at the end of the day, the people who complain about repetitive setlists will be the same ones who will complain if they release a new album and add a lot of new songs to the set. People will never be satisfied with anything.
Steve's mindset has changed a bit in recent years. From what he's been saying, I don't think he wants to record a new album (in the medium term). He suggests he wants to continue touring, with the band playing their existing catalog.
And it doesn't matter if Bruce said he wants to record a new album, I think Steve still has the final say in these kinds of internal band matters.
I don't think SJ was received badly, the opposite. Maiden don't care about criticism (I think most of the fans want more and more new music), an artist should do what they like. What's the point? An artist's desire to express himself again, which he has with BL too.
Steve is the boss, yes, but will they continue playing the same classics plus some Reunion era songs (the most popular) from now on? Ofc they have enough different songs to play from the whole discography, but will they play them. His mindset may have changed now (he feels the most pressure, Dave and Janick prefer to tour), but why is he developing his new ideas then?
I guess having solo projects is unfortunate for Maiden's creativity now. Especially Bruce, but he wants to write a new Maiden album, so it's something else. The other band members' desire... please no more replacements.
I’ve said I think they’ll be no new album and I stand by that, despite others not agreeing. I hope I’m proved wrong I really do as I’d love a new album but I don’t think it’s gonna happen.
Here’s my take on Maidens future:
I think once Nicko hung up the drum sticks the rest of the band, especially Steve sat down and had a serious talk and were seriously contemplating ending things. I remember a documentary a few years back, might have been the matter of life and death doc but I may be wrong and Steve said the reunion line up is so strong that they would all quit if one member did. I also remember Steve in the past saying he’ll never play with another drummer if Nicko stopped.
Now in steps Rod. He reminds the band that they’ve all signed contracts for the run for your lives tour so if they really did want to stop it would be a complex thing, would involve losing a lot of money and would put a lot of road crew out of a job.
The band decide to honour the run for your lives tour and that’s why they choose Simon to drum. He’s been playing with Steve for over a decade and can easily slot in and the intention was to just finish up the tour and retire after in 2027. No point hiring a big name or a younger guy as theirs no long term future really for the drummer.
Rod comes up with the idea of testing the waters with stadium dates. The reason for playing stadiums is to see how they go with the idea being that Maiden will never truly retire and if it’s successful they can always stop touring and just pull out the odd stadium gig when they feel like it. This is what Knebworth is next year. They’ve sold out the London stadium so now they’ll see how many they can pull to knebworth. If a success then it shows they could do just one summer festival like date in the uk each year instead of a full tour.
2027 is still going to be the year they retire. They won’t say this and have said already they are just taking a year out but this is really the retirement year. I can see a release of a live boxset with run for your lives album and blu ray and even perhaps a future past release. Towards the end of the year they’ll announce run for your lives pt. 2 in 2028 which will be a set made up mainly from the reunion era with a handful of classics still in the mix to appease the casuals. This will be a much shortened tour and probably not even an actual tour just a few stadium gigs. As they’ve been away a year the demand to see maiden live will have grown so they can get away with not doing another full blown classics tour.
This will go on till 2030 at which time they will just fade away after with the odd festival headline date and maybe their own knebworth style concerts in various countries.
A new album is a big undertaking and yes as others have pointed out of course they have other people around them to do the grunt work but Steve and Bruce especially have a big say in the design of the new Eddie and the merch campaign and theme of the album. A new album is a big commitment with a build up a release and a tour to support it. A new album will commit the band to at least 3 years minimum and I just don’t think it’s gonna happen.
You can’t compare a new maiden album to a new album by other artists of a similar age as a new Saxon or priest album isn’t as big an event as a new maiden album.
That’s my take. By 2030 they’ll all be mid 70’s and ready to kick back and enjoy retirement with the door open to play the odd big gig and Bruce, Adrian and Steve all have other side projects to scratch the itch of new music.
You made some fair points, but what's the point of doing a few big shows per year with the same songs/stage and calling that active? For the next, what, 5 years. That's so un-Maiden, but Steve thought about semi-retirement (which includes releasing new music, right?) Yes, it's easier than writing, recording and thinking about new album and tour, but what about not being a cabaret act? Why not combining Part 2 with a new album (the demand will be there, ofc). Committing 3 years for a new album? It's always 2, don't count the writing year/months, and it could be 1 year now. Especially with less shows. A new Maiden album is a bigger event, but touring shouldn't be an excuse (look at Priest and Saxon), especially taking an year off. Also, they could have retired with Nicko after the current tour, but they want to continue, in what way, let's see. Idk, taking a whole year off is normal and worrying at the same time now.
edit: just to clarify, I will always be grateful for Maiden, even more so now, it's normal to play their hits on every tour, but I mentioned the cabaret thing because they've said so in the past. I don't think they are, and they still sound great live. The same can be said for other older bands like Priest, Saxon, Accept, Metallica, Helloween. And I compare their activity to them, the quality is always there with Maiden. I just want as much as new music as possible.
