18th Studio Album discussion

Hope they do one more album then knock it on the head. There is such a thing as going on too long. Seeing Jeff Lynne barely able to stand let alone sing was a sad reminder of this.

Bruce is obviously enjoying his solo band, looking forward to his new album whenever it arrives, and BL for that matter.
 
Melony said:
Yes, but interestingly, he still seems to have approached Steve regarding a new Maiden album.
Click to expand...
My tinfoil hat take on it is that if Maiden had previously decided to hang it up--a possible motive as to why Bruce is restarting his solo career--he's trying to change Steve's mind by doing a new album and keeping the Maiden thing going longer. Keep in mind, AoB and TCW received some of the best critical reviews of his career. Financially and crowd-wise, though, he was going nowhere. That's ultimately why he came back to Maiden, and he did so with two demands--hire a top-notch producer and make the best album possible.

So, the "top-notch producer" thing lasted one whole album before Steve started getting his fingers into things again and muddied up the production on every succeeding album. From an armchair perspective, it would make sense that Bruce let that demand go after BNW simply because he was back in front of monstrous crowds again. Keeping the Maiden machine going keeps him in front of those monstrous crowds. Once solo for good, the arenas and stadiums will be a thing of the past.

Or he's just genuinely excited to do an album with Simon. Who knows.
 
Rob77 said:
Hope they do one more album then knock it on the head. There is such a thing as going on too long. Seeing Jeff Lynne barely able to stand let alone sing was a sad reminder of this.

Bruce is obviously enjoying his solo band, looking forward to his new album whenever it arrives, and BL for that matter.
Click to expand...

If Bruce and Steve are able to carry on solo and with BL, then why do you think Maiden should retire?
 
Rob77 said:
Nicko has already retired. I don't want Maiden to get to the point of having just Harry and some session musicians on stage (we can all think of bands like that).

Better to go out at the top.
Click to expand...
I've said it before, but hitting that 50 year mark was probably as important as life itself for Steve (well, Maiden IS his life) and replacing a drummer was a necessity to reach that goal. But I'm sure it hurt. Now, there's still a lot of work going forward with a huge second leg world tour but beyond that... I agree. I don't really see a new album on the horizon. And I would certainly be sad if they stopped now (at the absolute top!) but not angry or disappointed or anything like that. I would be very very grateful that I had the opportunity to see them 15 times or so after the grim 90's when I, a teenager, thought everything was over already.
 
cyanopsis said:
I've said it before, but hitting that 50 year mark was probably as important as life itself for Steve (well, Maiden IS his life) and replacing a drummer was a necessity to reach that goal. But I'm sure it hurt. Now, there's still a lot of work going forward with a huge second leg world tour but beyond that... I agree. I don't really see a new album on the horizon. And I would certainly be sad if they stopped now (at the absolute top!) but not angry or disappointed or anything like that. I would be very very grateful that I had the opportunity to see them 15 times or so after the grim 90's when I, a teenager, thought everything was over already.
Click to expand...
I think that is the tour for all public and there will be another tour with deep cuts or rare songs. If there is no nee record
 
dickinson1978 said:
I think that is the tour for all public and there will be another tour with deep cuts or rare songs. If there is no nee record
Click to expand...

I doubt there will be another deep cuts tour like the DoFP.
I think the band are looking to play at the stadium level in their twilight years, which is fair enough.
And they can only sell out stadiums in most markets with a set list giving a big focus on their big songs and a few deep cuts - like the current tour.
 
BQOBD said:
I doubt there will be another deep cuts tour like the DoFP.
I think the band are looking to play at the stadium level in their twilight years, which is fair enough.
And they can only sell out stadiums in most markets with a set list giving a big focus on their big songs and a few deep cuts - like the current tour.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, this sounds accurate. I'd love an "X Factor to Senjutsu" tour, but after getting a taste of stadiums, I have a hard time imagining the band would dedicate a tour to their least popular albums, especially since it would mean a big downgrade in attendance (revenue), on what would likely be their final gallop (2027-28?)

If the band tours again (even that isn't guaranteed), the most likely approach would be promoting a new album (5-7 songs from there, 5-7 greatest hits, and maybe 3-4 surprises). Or, if they don't record any more albums, probably a Legacy of the Beast type tour where it's mostly big hits, but a few surprises.
 
CA Bryers said:
So, the "top-notch producer" thing lasted one whole album before Steve started getting his fingers into things again and muddied up the production on every succeeding album. From an armchair perspective, it would make sense that Bruce let that demand go after BNW simply because he was back in front of monstrous crowds again. Keeping the Maiden machine going keeps him in front of those monstrous crowds. Once solo for good, the arenas and stadiums will be a thing of the past.

Or he's just genuinely excited to do an album with Simon. Who knows.
Click to expand...
Such an important point that doesn't get reflected on much. Bruce's big demand was for an independent top notch producer, and he got that for BNW only. Having said that, I don't find the DOD and AMOLAD production bad at all, but its clear Steve is back and heavily involved from 2003 again in aspects Bruce didn't tend to appreciate.

The other fact around Bruce's motivation will be the paycheck, giving him all the money to play with investing in airships, Caerdav maintenance, his personal aircraft etc. I assume by the late 90s he was heading to a very different financial experience of middle age with just his solo career.
 
Helmuth Von Moltke said:
It doesn't sound like it to me, that's the album Kevin seems to have the cleanest run at. It also sounds more produced and less raw. I'm sure Steve was involved but not to the same extent as albums immediately before and after?
Click to expand...

You're just making assumptions there, (apart from he was obviously more involved than Kevin in VXI). It's this myth that's grown on the internet, that if Maiden fans dislike something Steve must be to blame. The idea that Steve is basically sitting there with his feet up for the most important album of Maiden's career is just something, and I'm making assumptions here, that doesn't hold any water given all we know about Steve.

The reality is that BNW got bashed by the fans for it's production at the time. People who became fans around that time, and have that album as their reference point for Maiden as a result, see it differently today. But at the time it was released, the big problem people had with it was the production.
 
Rob77 said:
And Steve didn't fancy it.
Click to expand...
Well, as of now.
CA Bryers said:
a possible motive as to why Bruce is restarting his solo career--he's trying to change Steve's mind by doing a new album and keeping the Maiden thing going longer. Keep in mind, AoB and TCW received some of the best critical reviews of his career. Financially and crowd-wise, though, he was going nowhere. That's ultimately why he came back to Maiden, and he did so with two demands--hire a top-notch producer and make the best album possible.
Or he's just genuinely excited to do an album with Simon. Who knows.
Click to expand...
Good call.
Helmuth Von Moltke said:
It doesn't sound like it to me, that's the album Kevin seems to have the cleanest run at. It also sounds more produced and less raw. I'm sure Steve was involved but not to the same extent as albums immediately before and after?
Click to expand...
This. BNW production is one of Maiden's best, especially the drums.
BloodOnTheBassistsHands said:
If the band tours again (even that isn't guaranteed), the most likely approach would be promoting a new album (5-7 songs from there, 5-7 greatest hits, and maybe 3-4 surprises). Or, if they don't record any more albums, probably a Legacy of the Beast type tour where it's mostly big hits, but a few surprises.
Click to expand...
^Yeah, this is the option to make interesting enough setlists without new music (3-5 surprises plus classics and popular songs, from all eras, we still have quite a few that could be played again). Instead of just RFYL Part 2 (which would sell well enough, some stadiums too). They would ''act'' like new album songs. With the new stage show, they don't need a main theme for the decors (less unique, always will be the same), just for the tour theme, they always need it (even GME had). But the question is, how to present something different with this approach...

The problem with the new album is probably that the others besides Bruce aren't really pushing for it. Steve will be inspired if so, I guess.
 
Last edited:
srfc said:
You're just making assumptions there, (apart from he was obviously more involved than Kevin in VXI). It's this myth that's grown on the internet, that if Maiden fans dislike something Steve must be to blame. The idea that Steve is basically sitting there with his feet up for the most important album of Maiden's career is just something, and I'm making assumptions here, that doesn't hold any water given all we know about Steve.

The reality is that BNW got bashed by the fans for it's production at the time. People who became fans around that time, and have that album as their reference point for Maiden as a result, see it differently today. But at the time it was released, the big problem people had with it was the production.
Click to expand...
I was a fan long before BNW came out and I don’t remember many people bashing the production of the album at the time.

To be fair I wasn’t very active on forums as 25 years ago the internet wasn’t as available as it is now and social media didn’t exist but amongst the fans I knew and spoke with I don’t remember anyone moaning about the production.

When compared to all the other reunion albums BNW sounds the most produced and cleanest to my ears. After that I believe is when Maiden started talking about capturing the live sound in the studio.

I could be very wrong here but always felt that when Bruce came back to the band one of his demands was to get a big name producer and make a killer sounding album and I always felt that this is what they did for BNW. Steve sat back a bit and let the producer do most of the work and then after this one album Steve got more hands on again like he was in the 1990’s.

I don’t have a problem with how any of the bands reunion albums sound and I actually like the live ish feel they try to capture in the studio so I’m not bashing Steve but all albums post BNW definitely sound like Steve has been more hands on. BNWs production sounds the closest they have ever been to the Martin Birch sound.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top