18th Studio Album discussion

[Josh]

I had this idea that if anything, they should record one more album without touring it. I know it sounds crazy considering Steve writes a lot of the songs with a live crowd in mind but imagine the different approach and what it could result in. Kick back and take your time without the worry of getting on the road.

Hey...maybe even package it with a new live album covering the Future Past tour and the current one.

Again, crazy idea.

 

[dickinson1978]

I had this idea that if anything, they should record one more album without touring it. I know it sounds crazy considering Steve writes a lot of the songs with a live crowd in mind but image the different approach and what it could result in. Kick back and take your time without the worry of getting on the road.

Hey...maybe even package it with a new live album covering the Future Past tour and the current one.

Again, crazy idea.

Another time steve has talk about it. Record albums in semi retirement. Retire from touring. But for a live band like them is not clear that situation

 

[Dick Brucinson]

Well, when you're the greatest metal drummer on earth, I think you've earned some arrogance.

No, the others were always cool. while I found Nicko always weird and unfriendly. When I asked him e.g. to sign my ticket in 2005, he returned the pencil to me, without any word, because I forgot to pull the lid off from it and such stuff. (I had to guess what the actual "problem" was.) And this was obviously not for humourous reasons or so. I personally found him rude, unfriendly and arrogant - ever since. And no drumming justifies such a behavior.

It is often said Bruce was moody, but I can't confirm that at all. Whenever I talked to him he was super friendly. Same goes out for the rest of the band.

 

[AncientMariner_Essex]

No, the others were always cool. while I found Nicko always weird and unfriendly. When I asked him e.g. to sign my ticket in 2005, he returned the pencil to me, without any word, because I forgot to pull the lid off from it and such stuff. (I had to guess what the actual "problem" was.) And this was obviously not for humourous reasons or so. I personally found him rude, unfriendly and arrogant - ever since. And no drumming justifies such a behavior.

It is often said Bruce was moody, but I can't confirm that at all. Whenever I talked to him he was super friendly. Same goes out for the rest of the band.

So you had one experience with Nicko once for a few seconds and judged him as completely rude an arrogant all the time

I love how fans are so quick to judge an entire personality over a whole lifetime just because for the few seconds they demand attention and want an autograph said person might just not be interested and have other things in their mind.

 

[Azas]

About recording music in semi-retirement… what’s the point? There’s no real money to be made from it, so I seriously doubt they’ll keep making albums once they stop touring. Maybe one more album at most—as a thank you to the fans.

 

[Dick Brucinson]

So you had one experience with Nicko once for a few seconds and judged him as completely rude an arrogant all the time

I love how fans are so quick to judge an entire personality over a whole lifetime just because for the few seconds they demand attention and want an autograph said person might just not be interested and have other things in their mind.

Wrong. I was sharing nothing but my personal experience with him. Please show me at what point my original post would suggest I was judging him "rude and arrogant all the time".
It was all about my personal experience with him, and I never liked his personality since I always thought he was a weirdo. Great drummer tho.

Btw, he placed his signature exactly on that part of the ticket that would be torn of at entry, while there was enough space on the ticket. I kept the snippet anyway. But he was mehh.
.

 

[naranja]

Do I think Steve writes samey stuff and a lot of it is too long etc? Yeah

Did I still get excited when I saw there was a number of Harris solo tunes on the new album? Yes of course.

And The Parchment had a very un Steve, un Maiden like main riff which was pretty different for Maiden. And Hell on Earth was incredible. Lost in a lost world had a nice outro. Celts was alright.

But when it's a real flawed (as in we are all flawed) but very talented human behind these songs, I'm always fascinated to hear their new ideas. (That's also why an AI song will never be interesting)

What I'm trying to say is i hope Steve writes for one more album with Maiden

 

[naranja]

After a break they will tour again and i see after the big hits tour a rare songs tour with all songs forgotten or barely played in their tours

You poor, poor fool

 

[redandtheblack92]

Do I think Steve writes samey stuff and a lot of it is too long etc? Yeah

Did I still get excited when I saw there was a number of Harris solo tunes on the new album? Yes of course.

And The Parchment had a very un Steve, un Maiden like main riff which was pretty different for Maiden. And Hell on Earth was incredible. Lost in a lost world had a nice outro. Celts was alright.

But when it's a real flawed (as in we are all flawed) but very talented human behind these songs, I'm always fascinated to hear their new ideas. (That's also why an AI song will never be interesting)

What I'm trying to say is i hope Steve writes for one more album with Maiden

Having more songs like The Parchment is really the reason I’m waiting for a new maiden album. And now it seems like we might have one in 2027

 

[riff]

And The Parchment had a very un Steve, un Maiden like main riff which was pretty different for Maiden.

It's nearly the same riff as The Book of Souls.

 

[Kalata]

I think we have no clue. Because of their age, they doing this grueling tour? They should be doing shorter tours then.
The demand would still be there in 2027. They could have played festivals in Europe with the same show in 2027, also additional cities.
A lot of fans prefer a third leg over nothing.

All true. Maybe they have some ''obligations'' with the current (anniv) tour and it was planned with Nicko after all. Simon brought a needed energy.

I had this idea that if anything, they should record one more album without touring it. I know it sounds crazy considering Steve writes a lot of the songs with a live crowd in mind but imagine the different approach and what it could result in. Kick back and take your time without the worry of getting on the road.
Hey...maybe even package it with a new live album covering the Future Past tour and the current one.
Again, crazy idea.

A possible idea, although it's hard to see it with Maiden, but with all these surprises...

 

[Kalata]

Here are my thoughts.

1. By the start of next year, it will be 7 years since they last recorded an album. They don’t seem in a rush…
2. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that their album input has decreased in the last 20 years. Not only are they getting older, but it lines up perfectly with the decrease in revenue that bands receive physical media.
3. The band members who want to write and record are still doing via their own projects. Janick and Dave clearly don’t want a side project. I would be the same in their shoes. Just because you are a musician doesn’t mean that you want to do it all the time!
4. From a musical perspective, they have nothing to prove anymore. If anything, producing new music opens you up to further criticism. Why not bask in the glory of your past?

1.unfortunately yes.
2.yeah, but most of the other old/older bands around the same age release more often. Bruce will too.
3.fair enough; but since Jan and Dave don't have solo projects...
4.and yet the latest album proved that they can still come up with interesting and fresh ideas.

....However, Senjutsu showed me that they have taken the tropes of the reunion era to the limit.

I think you're probably right.

Maybe we are "reading" too much in this interview. Maiden have never used magazines to make huge annoncements, this is not their traditionnal channel, let alone their "official" one. The tones of this interview seem kind of spontaneous, and what I understand is that Bruce speaks openly about his desire to make a new record (perfectly knowing that they can't do it now because of schedule constraints) and that Steve doesn't wan't to think about it now. The man is maniacally methodical and likes to think one step at a time. He has this BL tour, then a huge Maiden tour, and doesn't want to have the pressure of a new Maiden album in mind well ahead.
One thing makes me think that they will tour again after 2026. Steve would not want the last Maiden concert to take place abroad. This could happen, but by accident, because they suddenly realize/learn they can not tour again, but certainly not as a planned thing.

Let's hope you're right. Spontaneous indeed. It wasn't a magazine (iirc), but back in 2018 Steve said they will record a new album early next year in a interview at the start of the tour. The current press release is full of big announcements, atypical of them to be so open about the future.

Touring after 2027 with no new music and with - are two very different things for me.

Besides, it is nonsense. Albums by “old” bands are released all the time.

Well, Nicko was grumpy to record SJ.

Do I think Steve writes samey stuff and a lot of it is too long etc? Yeah
Did I still get excited when I saw there was a number of Harris solo tunes on the new album? Yes of course.
And The Parchment had a very un Steve, un Maiden like main riff which was pretty different for Maiden. And Hell on Earth was incredible. Lost in a lost world had a nice outro. Celts was alright.
But when it's a real flawed (as in we are all flawed) but very talented human behind these songs, I'm always fascinated to hear their new ideas. (That's also why an AI song will never be interesting)
What I'm trying to say is i hope Steve writes for one more album with Maiden

For me, Steve's writing is special. His 4 epics on the latest album are all different. Lost World and Parchment are riff-y for him now. Long songs in Maiden always have magic, despite some flaws. New music is what keeps the interest in a band, always has been. Few things come close to the excitement of a Maiden release. Probably even more so than tours. I always want to hear new ideas.

Having more songs like The Parchment is really the reason I’m waiting for a new maiden album. And now it seems like we might have one in 2027

And Hell On Earth. Overall, but his songs the most.

 

[Helmuth Von Moltke]

For me, I am in a weird position as a Maiden fan. I have always loved getting a new album. However, Senjutsu showed me that they have taken the tropes of the reunion era to the limit. TWOTW was fresh and different, but the rest of the album did not live up to its expectations (although there are some absolute classics like He’ll on Earth).

Some of my concern circulates around this. I like Senjutsu a great deal but they have settled into a groove with the reunion era that is starting to feel stale. Maybe Steve cannot write for Maiden in any other way now, 'glueing' ideas that Janick or others bring to the table into mini-epics , or writing lengthy material of his own. Maybe he is stuck in this groove and that's part of the stress of it all?

If there is another album they really need some fresh creative impulses. Simon's presence may help, even if it gets the other to write in a different way around his style.

The other thing that might help are the influences of the soon to be five (!) side project albums three members have released since 2020 (2x Smith Kotzen albums; 2x Bruce solo albums; 1x British Lion).

It would really suck if what has happened is Maiden's summer tours (and Bruce's fresh pitch for paid speaking slots) subsidise an endless stream of side project albums for Bruce, Steve and Adrian. Without any focus on the creative heart of Maiden.

 

[Kalata]

Some of my concern circulates around this. I like Senjutsu a great deal but they have settled into a groove with the reunion era that is starting to feel stale. Maybe Steve cannot write for Maiden in any other way now, 'glueing' ideas that Janick or others bring to the table into mini-epics , or writing lengthy material of his own. Maybe he is stuck in this groove and that's part of the stress of it all?

Stratego showed the opposite. Steve said he prefers to write longer songs/glue others ideas and that's not easy I imagine, but that doesn't mean he can't write shorter songs. He just doesn't want. Interesting is key for him. Stale or not. If he wants to change his approach, then that's a challenge, he usually likes them, but at this stage of their career is different I guess. The pressure to deliver is on him the most.

If there is another album they really need some fresh creative impulses. Simon's presence may help, even if it gets the other to write in a different way around his style.
The other thing that might help are the influences of the soon to be five (!) side project albums three members have released since 2020 (2x Smith Kotzen albums; 2x Bruce solo albums; 1x British Lion).
It would really suck if what has happened is Maiden's summer tours (and Bruce's fresh pitch for paid speaking slots) subsidise an endless stream of side project albums for Bruce, Steve and Adrian. Without any focus on the creative heart of Maiden.

Well said about Simon and Bruce's many solo ideas. But Steve should and probably want to be involved in almost all songs. His songs are pure Maiden, Janick is next and then Bruce and Adrian might come up with something a bit different. The last sentence, they're not a cabaret act, right!

 

[Jer]

If Steve is burned out on the idea of writing a new album, and the whole reunion style has gotten stale, why not take a step back and let the rest of the band handle all the songwriting for the next album? It would be guaranteed to sound different in overall style while still being undeniably Maiden, and there would be lots more short rockers in the mix.

 

[dickinson1978]

If Steve is burned out on the idea of writing a new album, and the whole reunion style has gotten stale, why not take a step back and let the rest of the band handle all the songwriting for the next album? It would be guaranteed to sound different in overall style while still being undeniably Maiden, and there would be lots more short rockers in the mix.

I dont want an iron maiden album without a maiden style. Agree there should. Be more hard rockers

 

[naranja]

My dream is Blaze does backing vocals on one chorus of one song. Will never happen but still

 

[redandtheblack92]

If Steve is burned out on the idea of writing a new album, and the whole reunion style has gotten stale, why not take a step back and let the rest of the band handle all the songwriting for the next album? It would be guaranteed to sound different in overall style while still being undeniably Maiden, and there would be lots more short rockers in the mix.

Well then you have only Bruce, Adrian and Janick. Dave barely writes and his ideas aren’t usually accepted (God knows what went wrong post dance of death). Can’t say anything about Simon.

 

[Jer]

Well then you have only Bruce, Adrian and Janick.

Yep, that would still sound like Maiden and have more short rockers, like I said.

 

[naranja]

Well then you have only Bruce, Adrian and Janick. Dave barely writes and his ideas aren’t usually accepted (God knows what went wrong post dance of death). Can’t say anything about Simon.

Benjamin Breeg