Iron Maiden confirmed on the "Download TV Festival" - June 12-14

For me, the profit of yesterday is the Reincarnation, a classic that perhaps they will never play again. I was desperate for a pro-recording of it with a clean sound. This one is still not a benchmark, especially due to the veiled highs, but I think they did a good job to recover it considering the originally rough sound of that concert.
 
By the way, I've missed The Clairvoyant performance. Did they just play the promo video?
 
Maybe Steve or Bruce couldn't be bothered to do it.

I must admit I am somewhat disappointed with how Maiden have dealt with the whole coronavirus situation. For a bunch of musicians that take so much pride in their relationship with their fans (or at least that is what Rod's PR has been hammering into us all these years), their silence has been deafening. Whenever they want to sell us something we get quotes from Bruce and Steve in the press releases, yet in these strange times we get nothing.

If it were not for Adrian and Nicko's videos you could well think the band had disappeared off the face of the earth.
 
I must admit I am somewhat disappointed with how Maiden have dealt with the whole coronavirus situation. For a bunch of musicians that take so much pride in their relationship with their fans (or at least that is what Rod's PR has been hammering into us all these years), their silence has been deafening. Whenever they want to sell us something we get quotes from Bruce and Steve in the press releases, yet in these strange times we get nothing.

If it were not for Adrian and Nicko's videos you could well think the band had disappeared off the face of the earth.
They put a lot into the relationship with their fans when they are an active band. They are currently not. They are a band. Not politicians who have to publicly adress all sorts of situations and catastrophes all around the world. Iron Maiden are currently not active. We will hear from them when they have something to announce. Like most bands. Metallica is business as usual social media wise, as is Priest. Posting a few live clips here and there. What is it that you are expecting Maiden, as a band, to do?

But it's nice that Adrian and Nicko post their respective personal videos. Halford does the same, as does Faulkner. But it's them making their personal videos, not expressing themselves as representatives for their band.
 
Last edited:
What is it that you are expecting Maiden, as a band, to do?

How about a clip from Steve and Bruce addressing their fans instead of countless promotions of their online game? It would not take that long to record and upload and would show they care.

As I said, after all these years of talking about the Maiden family, blood brothers, etc., their silence is deafening!
 
I am with @GhostofCain on this, to a certain extent. There may be reasons for band members being silent through all of this. Reasons which are none of our business, particularly in Bruce's case. I do agree that it would be preferable to hear from band members rather than Rod, the Killer Krew or see more game promotions, though.

Regarding what Iron Maiden could do for us instead, there are plenty of examples. Metallica have been posting a different concert on Youtube each week, Within Temptation were doing the same for the first few weeks of lockdown and other bands have done live streamed concerts or acoustic sessions. Obviously the latter option is more difficult considering the geographical spread of the band members, but Metallica, Queen and others have managed to perform songs together via Zoom. At least some engagement with fans from a band member would have been nice.
 
I am with @GhostofCain on this, to a certain extent. There may be reasons for band members being silent through all of this. Reasons which are none of our business, particularly in Bruce's case. I do agree that it would be preferable to hear from band members rather than Rod, the Killer Krew or see more game promotions, though.

Regarding what Iron Maiden could do for us instead, there are plenty of examples. Metallica have been posting a different concert on Youtube each week, Within Temptation were doing the same for the first few weeks of lockdown and other bands have done live streamed concerts or acoustic sessions. Obviously the latter option is more difficult considering the geographical spread of the band members, but Metallica, Queen and others have managed to perform songs together via Zoom. At least some engagement with fans from a band member would have been nice.

Hear, hear!
 
I am with @GhostofCain on this, to a certain extent. There may be reasons for band members being silent through all of this. Reasons which are none of our business, particularly in Bruce's case. I do agree that it would be preferable to hear from band members rather than Rod, the Killer Krew or see more game promotions, though.

Regarding what Iron Maiden could do for us instead, there are plenty of examples. Metallica have been posting a different concert on Youtube each week, Within Temptation were doing the same for the first few weeks of lockdown and other bands have done live streamed concerts or acoustic sessions. Obviously the latter option is more difficult considering the geographical spread of the band members, but Metallica, Queen and others have managed to perform songs together via Zoom. At least some engagement with fans from a band member would have been nice.

100% agree. From a marketing point of view, Maiden has chosen rarity over plenty and abundance. Sad.
 
Why should they be obliged to give anything? I could play devil's advocate and say it's a bit cynical of bands using the plague as a source of self promotion.
 
Why should they be obliged to give anything? I could play devil's advocate and say it's a bit cynical of bands using the plague as a source of self promotion.

I am not asking them to use this as a bit of self-promotion (by the way, they have not stopped promoting stuff via their website during the pandemic, have they?), rather to address their fans in these unprecedented times. They are probably too busy in their ivory towers though.
 
Though it may have been done a bit differently, I support their general approach of not talking about everything that happens--be that a political, economic or an environmental crisis. When you begin talking about one, people will expect you to talk about more and more. A little bit of distance to the "real world" issues will make me enter the Maiden content more easily when I see it.
 
I am with @GhostofCain on this, to a certain extent. There may be reasons for band members being silent through all of this. Reasons which are none of our business, particularly in Bruce's case. I do agree that it would be preferable to hear from band members rather than Rod, the Killer Krew or see more game promotions, though.

Regarding what Iron Maiden could do for us instead, there are plenty of examples. Metallica have been posting a different concert on Youtube each week, Within Temptation were doing the same for the first few weeks of lockdown and other bands have done live streamed concerts or acoustic sessions. Obviously the latter option is more difficult considering the geographical spread of the band members, but Metallica, Queen and others have managed to perform songs together via Zoom. At least some engagement with fans from a band member would have been nice.
Exactly my thoughts during these last weeks/months. Metallica, members of Priest, Paul Stanley, Genesis, Bon Jovi, Sammy Hagar and so many other artists have, at least, put a video on Youtube. The irony is that Iron Maiden are one of these bands that are always giving the speech about how importants the fans are to them and how they're lucky to have such great fans (the kind of speech that I've never heard from some other bands, Van Halen or Ac/DC come to mind) but it truly looks like a very well prepared speech as are all of the things they do, it's all part of a well thought marketing plan that they aren't going to change not even a single bit (not even with such special times as the ones we've been living in). From this point of view, Maiden really disappoints me (not that they care...at all, but just my thoughts).
 
Nicko did put a video up at least, I certainly saw him praising frontline workers and telling people to keep safe
 
Nicko did put a video up at least, I certainly saw him praising frontline workers and telling people to keep safe

Nicko and Adrian have taken part in videos, but the silence from the band leaders is deafening.

I mean, Bruce had time to take part in some sort of charity thing with MAT Watches but not to address Iron Maiden fans?
91465236_3606017112806234_4460492045642891264_n.jpg


 
I sincerely believe today's accessability has left people expecting too much of artists. I expect them to release quality music and put on great tours. The rest is a bonus.
 
I sincerely believe today's accessability has left people expecting too much of artists. I expect them to release quality music and put on great tours. The rest is a bonus.

I would argue that expecting a 30-second video from Steve and Bruce in these unprecedented circumstances does not equal to expecting too much from them, particularly as they have been using their relationship with fans over the years as a way of differentiating themselves from other bands.
 
Though it may have been done a bit differently, I support their general approach of not talking about everything that happens--be that a political, economic or an environmental crisis. When you begin talking about one, people will expect you to talk about more and more. A little bit of distance to the "real world" issues will make me enter the Maiden content more easily when I see it.
I agree. They aren't experts in any of this so they shouldn't be expected to mouth off about it. Earlier in the year Jurgen Klopp was asked in a press conference about the pandemic and said that nobody cares what football managers have to say about it. More recently, Floor Jansen was asked by an interviewer for her thoughts on it and she told the interviewer that since she's not a scientist she shouldn't be saying anything.

I'm happy for Iron Maiden to stay out of big issues and stick to the music instead. When Bruce Dickinson came out with his opinions on the European Union there was a bit of consternation about it around these parts and one person seemed particularly unhappy about it and doesn't appear to have much respect for Bruce anymore. It didn't really bother me even if I disagree with him because I'm a fan of his music, not his political views. However, when musicians, actors, sportspeople etc. come out with their political views it can alienate some of their fanbase - just ask JK Rowling! There are some political views that I'd draw the line at, particularly extreme views, but I think I generally have quite a broad tolerance range for musicians' political views, whether they're left or right or whatever.

My problem with Iron Maiden's silence for the past couple of months isn't that the band members have said almost nothing about the pandemic. I don't have any burning desire to hear what Dave Murray thinks about vaccine progress or if Janick Gers thinks we should have 2m or 1.5m social distancing. For me, the problem is that they had this great opportunity to open up the vault while their fans were stuck at home unable to attend their 2020 concerts and give us some live recordings from the past. Instead it's all about the mobile game. Then when Fake Download comes along we get Nicko, which was good, and (as per usual) Rod Smallwood. I've made my thoughts on that clear in a previous post, but I don't have any problem with Rod as a person and I'd rather hear from another band member. How many band mangers get this much limelight? I can name perhaps another three band managers, one of whom is Sharon Osbourne.

I don't think it would be asking too much for Iron Maiden to have given us a little bit more than old Donington footage over the last couple of months and for other band members to contribute to their Fake Download slot. Perhaps there are very good reasons for this and we'll never find out, but it would have been nice to get something over the last couple of months. For example, with all the concerts cancelled they could have said "We were supposed to be playing in Gothenburg this weekend but instead there's the 2005 show on our Youtube channel".

I certainly wouldn't expect something like a live Youtube Q&A with any of the band as that would be total chaos. It's mad enough for small bands who only have two albums. Can you imagine Steve Harris trying to use Instagram Live? :D
 
Back
Top