Steve 'Loopy' Newhouse's blog

But don't you think those parts I indicated sound (OK, I am now as far as saying are different) from Dave?
 
I think that if Dave was told to lay down the "other guitar part" by Steve that he would play it as other guitarist had played it.
 
The solos in Invasion, the only ones I had time to check out right now, does sound different. But there is still a lot to this story that doesn't make any sense.
 
The best thing anyone could do to confirm or disprove this story is to bring in some sources to back it up. Look up the producers/engineers on The Soundhouse Tapes and ask them if they remember a second guitarist in the studio at the time. Or ask Neil Kay who was handed the demo if he remembers a 5th member...
 
Hi guys, Forostar messaged me and I just finnished reading all the topic. As long as I wasn't obviously involved on TST production nor lived in England, people can always find a way to tell it's conspiracy... guys making a joke out of something... but that's not the case. Anyway, my opinions are all based on my researches - which also comprize trading e-mails with old crew members - so you judge.

I'll get back to you very soon to shed a light on Paul Cairns events. His demise, his recent message to Nicko (very honest, just wrong addressed) and why I believe Paul is the 2nd guitar player on TST. Remember, Maiden even considered Paul Todd as a member (he stayed for a week) as long as the guy auditioned and was accepted. That wouldn't be different with Cairns.
 
I really don't see why Maiden would not include him (if he exists) when they've mentioned all the other 30+ members of pre-1980 Maiden. Add to that, that no one else from their crew or old members have spoken about the guy, ever.

Surely they have, though? Isn't Paul Cairns the "Mad Mac" guy, referred to by Maiden in the past? Of course, I could be mis-remembering here!

More generally, the first time I hear the Soundhouse "Prowler", my first thought was that the opening riff didn't sound like Dave at all. I suppose I've always chalked it up to developing styles - but the Youtube vid / commentary posted by Forostar makes a convincing argument, in my opinion.
 
I don't know?. I've never heard about Paul Cairns or "Mad Mac" ever before. Only thing I can find about him is on that site metaltalk.net that the story is on. And yes I agree the solos sounds different... still it would be nice with some actual proof of all this :)
 
From internal evidence I agree with Forostar --the two Invasion leads (the first & third) are absolutely not Dave Murray. The style, the tone, the bends --everything about the guitar work is not Dave. Ditto Forostar's analysis of Prowler & Strange World. The idea that Dave maybe played differently to give the impression of two different guitarists (I don't think anyone is saying this anyway) is totally untenable. (Where is the evidence that this was attempted, or likely?) Therefore, if it was Dave, it would sound like him. It doesn't, because (I believe) it's not.
 
I knew all this sounded familiar! http://forum.maidenfans.com/threads/paul-cairns-mad-mac-played-on-the-soundhouse-tapes.20885/

Perhaps that's why I'm making a Cairns/Mad Mac connection. BUT the picture of Mad Mac included on the Early Years DVD tallies with Loopy's blog description of Paul Cairns being a rockstar-looking kinda guy. He definitely looked the part!

I'd also have to agree that any musician - even a musician as brilliant as Dave - would struggle to disguise their style with a completely different method of playing in an attempt to sound like a different musician. Not an easy thing to do - especially under the pressure of an against-the-clock first ever studio session!
 
As mentioned in the other thread "Mad Mac" wouldn't do anything live and was asked to leave on The Early Years DVD. But do they say he was part of the Soundhouse Tapes sessions? I'll have to re-watch it.
 
Totally agree clivetiger. Why would Dave (Maiden) attempt to "disguise" Dave's normal playing (very difficult, as you say), & give the impression that it was a different guitarist? It's just sounds preposterous. The only other explanation is that it was another guitarist.
 
Okay now everything sounds more credible. Didn't know he was mentioned on the Early Days DVD! (didn't know it was the same person) before that it sounded like a guy no one ever knew existed.
 
Everything's been said already, so I don't have much to add. But, if I say that Mike Kemp, the Soundhouse Tapes recording engineer, said for the Clairvoyant book that he was pretty sure that there were two guitarists present but couldn't swear to it after all these years, I'll probably just add to the confusion and uncertainty that this thread represents, right? :D
 
I'm watching The Early Days DVD right now and when Dave is naming off the Soundhouse Tapes lineup he seems to get cut off just before he names a 5th person. "Paul, myself, Steve, Doug,....."
 
If I remember right, Mad Mac was in the band for only a few gigs and left due to massive stage fright. It's stuff like that story that justify not telling every single detail of who was in the band during the early days. Granted, this doesn't exactly work as an excuse for not saying there was another player on Soundhouse Tapes; but I wouldn't be surprised if there are more players we haven't heard about who were only in for a short time and the band decided they were simply not worth mentioning.
 
Hi guys,
My name is Barry and between myself and Lira we discovered that Paul Cairns played on the Soundhouse Tapes, the story of which was published in the Clairvoyant book.
Pretty much most of the evidence has been discussed already.

back in early 2010 I noted that Hugh Cairns (Paul's Brother) posted on the Spaceward Studios site that his brother was part of the line up at the time and the copy of the tape they had has gone missing.
Sometime afterwards Lira wrote to me discussing the possibility that Paul Cairns possibly played on the Soundhouse Tapes.
I then managed to get in touch with Paul who passed me the information of what parts he played.
Paul emailed me the photo showing the band (in the snow as mentioned on the various DVD interviews) outside the pub adjacent to the studio. Note Paul's Dog Nelson was also in the photo (Laz specifically mentions in the Early Days doc that Pauls dog went everywhere with the band)

Pauls first gig with Maiden was the Bridgehouse on the 15 Feb 1979 (i think this may have been the official photo). This would have been Paul Dianno's first gig as well.
Pauls last gig was the Ruskin Arms on 7 April 1979 - A well known Maiden fan called Cod was interviewed mentioning that Paul failed to turn up for a gig at the Brecknock on 9 April 1979 and would not again appear with the band.
Paul has since said that he had been in hospital and one of the reasons he was quiet on stage and not into the gigs as much was that he was in pain.

The Soundhouse Tapes were not released until late 1979 and Paul was well out of the band by that time. It would not have made sense to have him listed on the sleeve. Any monies made from the record may well have been put back into the band for sound or stage show.

As mentioned earlier by MikeJwF during Dave Murray's interview. He rattles off four names "Paul, myself, Steve, Doug,....."
one after the other and is cut off. It would make sense that Dave would have added "and Paul Cairns"

For those that might be interested I have some web pages I created.

http://www.maidenrelations.webs.com/ with this site I am trying to list all the recordings made by current and former members of Iron Maiden

http://www.evilways-urchin.webs.com/ My tribute site to Adrians old band Urchin

http://blazerblazer-broadwaybrats.webs.com/ Nickos Blazer Blazer and Adrians Broadway Brats

Note all site are works in progress.
Cheers
Barry
 
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