Blaze Bayley

[SixesAlltheway]

I have to say there are some great ideas in there, but it definitely suffers from bad production. This album just sounds like a demo tape.

I haven't heard the whole thing but that's what I feel from what I have heard. Blaze doing a full on space opera thing from a script he wrote himself is kinda comical given the low budget-ness of it all. But hey, he can do whatever he wants.

Agree with the consensus here. Some good ideas but mostly "ehhhh". Also, I was afraid to say this... but I don't really think Blaze sounds that good on these songs..

 

[bearfan]

I think Blaze set himself up to fail myself ... Sanctuary would have been thrilled if he sold a zillion albums. In reality he sold what he should sell based on what kind of following he would realistically have

 

[JudasMyGuide]

I have only listened to a couple of the new tracks so far, I think I like the songs, but I agree it sounds horrible.

 

[LooseCannon]

I think Blaze set himself up to fail myself ... Sanctuary would have been thrilled if he sold a zillion albums. In reality he sold what he should sell based on what kind of following he would realistically have

I just don't agree with that. He could have been promoted far better than he was. Instead he was buried with no fanfare.

They didn't treat him like he was Iron Maiden's ex-vocalist, they treated him like he was Wolfsbane's ex-vocalist. Which maybe is how good he is, but that doesn't mean he didn't deserve at least a push.

 

[bearfan]

I just don't agree with that. He could have been promoted far better than he was. Instead he was buried with no fanfare.

They didn't treat him like he was Iron Maiden's ex-vocalist, they treated him like he was Wolfsbane's ex-vocalist. Which maybe is how good he is, but that doesn't mean he didn't deserve at least a push.

I'm not really sure how much that would have mattered ...I just doubt there was all that much interest

 

[LooseCannon]

I'm not really sure how much that would have mattered ...I just doubt there was all that much interest

Look at the timing:
Silicon Messiah was released on May 22, 2000.
Brave New World was released on May 29, 2000.

Blaze could have generated a lot of buzz if his release date was a little more staggered - or if he was on tour with Maiden for the BNW tour. Neither was true. And Silicon Messiah was a great album, easily his best. Tenth Dimension was quite good too. Then he lost his band, and since then, people always say, "lyrically, it's interesting, but musically..."

 

[bearfan]

Look at the timing:
Silicon Messiah was released on May 22, 2000.
Brave New World was released on May 29, 2000.

Blaze could have generated a lot of buzz if his release date was a little more staggered - or if he was on tour with Maiden for the BNW tour. Neither was true. And Silicon Messiah was a great album, easily his best. Tenth Dimension was quite good too. Then he lost his band, and since then, people always say, "lyrically, it's interesting, but musically..."

The release date could work either way, you could have Maiden fans show up at a record store (when we still did that) and see the Blaze album sitting on the shelf and pick up both. Him touring with Maiden would have been a poor idea IMO, part of any possibly draw on a Blaze tour is hearing some Maiden songs and it would not have worked well playing Maiden songs to open for Maiden.

I really do not mean to bash on Blaze, he seems like a good guy, it was not his fault his Maiden stint did not go as well as was expected, he handled the breakup with total class (and still does), he certainly has had his share of bad luck ... but I think he vastly overestimated his draw as a solo artist (and overspent on the first album). There is just not much of a market for him (solo) and there never really was. The best parallel for him is Paul Dianno as far as interest in him as a solo act.

 

[JudasMyGuide]

The best parallel for him is Paul Dianno as far as interest in him as a solo act.

Wow, now that's a bit too harsh. IIRC, even though I didn't listen to him at the time, there was a serious buzz around his work up to somewhere around TMWWND/Promise and Terror. I actually remember reading some review in a net magazine saying something like he was the most consistent and probably one of the best "just heavy metal" artists at the time. Also many people whom I talked to about him said that though they didn't like him in Maiden, his solo career is excellent.

The point is, unlike Dianno I think Blaze has proven himself to be a real artist and - outside his stint in Maiden - I come across people who actually like him. So his absurdly low sales and concert attendance baffles me a bit.

 

[bearfan]

Wow, now that's a bit too harsh. IIRC, even though I didn't listen to him at the time, there was a serious buzz around his work up to somewhere around TMWWND/Promise and Terror. I actually remember reading some review in a net magazine saying something like he was the most consistent and probably one of the best "just heavy metal" artists at the time. Also many people whom I talked to about him said that though they didn't like him in Maiden, his solo career is excellent.

The point is, unlike Dianno I think Blaze has proven himself to be a real artist and - outside his stint in Maiden - I come across people who actually like him. So his absurdly low sales and concert attendance baffles me a bit.

I think you are right here, I am talking about market interest, not quality of work (or as a person)

 

[JudasMyGuide]

I think you are right here, I am talking about market interest, not quality of work (or as a person)

I know, what I wanted to say is that - from my admittedly limited subjective experience - I have met/read about enough people who would be willing to pay medium-priced ticket to see Blaze live (and they might not even know how hard he tries to be good in concerts), compared to many people I've met who wouldn't go see Dianno even for free. Not taking any sides, just saying that Blaze IMHO definitely has a better name than Paul.

 

[bearfan]

I know, what I wanted to say is that - from my admittedly limited subjective experience - I have met/read about enough people who would be willing to pay medium-priced ticket to see Blaze live (and they might not even know how hard he tries to be good in concerts), compared to many people I've met who wouldn't go see Dianno even for free. Not taking any sides, just saying that Blaze IMHO definitely has a better name than Paul.

Fair point, what I was thinking was more along the lines of them being at similar points in their career. Say Paul when Maiden was releasing NOTB through Blaze joining Maiden versus Blaze from BNW through now.

 

[TheTalisman]

And Silicon Messiah was a great album, easily his best. Tenth Dimension was quite good too. Then he lost his band, and since then, people always say, "lyrically, it's interesting, but musically..."

There is nothing wrong with Blood and Belief at all musically, I even think that it is stronger than Tenth Dimension. My opinion is that it is an album which has potential to grow a lot if you give it a real chance. There are no double tracking on the guitars and no backing vocals on it, which makes the sound more close to the style of As Live As It Gets, than the two previous releases.

Both guitarists, Steve Wray and John Slater, stayed in the band to record that album before leaving. It was the last album produced by Andy Sneap as well. Jason Bowld came in and did the drums for them this time, and I think that he did it excellent.

 

[Forostar]

I'd say Blood and Belief contains his best vocal performance of all records he ever sang on. And the sound of the album and most of the songs are excellent. One but best Blaze album, at times even the best.

Hardly anyone talks about it. Very weird. Maybe it's overlooked out here.

 

[Mosh]

Look at the timing:
Silicon Messiah was released on May 22, 2000.
Brave New World was released on May 29, 2000.

Blaze could have generated a lot of buzz if his release date was a little more staggered - or if he was on tour with Maiden for the BNW tour. Neither was true. And Silicon Messiah was a great album, easily his best. Tenth Dimension was quite good too. Then he lost his band, and since then, people always say, "lyrically, it's interesting, but musically..."

Honestly if I was going to the record store to pick up the new Maiden and saw Blaze had a new album out, I probably would've picked up both. Or at least gone home and streamed it or something when I needed a break from Maiden. It could go either way but I don't think the label was purposely trying to harpoon his album, they probably figured most people would check out both and that releasing them in close proximity would help raise awareness of it. I just don't see why they would want to ruin the album in the first place, it's not like there was any realistic chance of him stealing sales from Maiden (I highly doubt anybody who bought Silicon Messiah back then didn't buy BNW too), and either way its the same label so they would only lose money by sabotaging him.

I agree putting him on tour with Maiden would've been a great move and I have no idea why they didn't do that. It seems like the only promotional move that would've actually worked for him: Show him off in a setting that fits his singing style more.

 

[Forostar]

I bought both albums. Maybe "some" other people did not have faith in Blaze and didn't try it. The Maiden album might have put an extra shadow over Silicon Messiah, for these people specifically. Did those people make a dumb choice by ignoring it? Yes they did. I've hardly (or never!) heard people say bad things about the early Blaze albums. These albums were (and still are) simply ignored by a mass of people who didn't have a clue of what Blaze was capable of.

 

[Mosh]

Well that's the issue, if you disliked or merely tolerated the albums he did with Maiden, why even bother with his solo albums? That's why he needed an opening slot with Maiden to really prove his worth to the naysayers.

I think even if you don't like X Factor or Virtual XI, any Maiden fan can at least enjoy Silicon Messiah. I've seen people who the Maiden albums but love SM.

 

[bearfan]

Did Blaze ever say he wanted to open for Maiden? it might not have been offered, but it might not have been asked for either

 

[Mosh]

That's true, didn't think of it.

 

[bearfan]

If he was trying to establish his own non-Maiden identity .. and let's face it, a lot of people did not care for him on those albums .. maybe he wanted to disassociate himself from them. You never saw Bruce open for them and I strongly doubt he would have wanted to if offered.

 

[Forostar]

Some Maiden association.

Steve Harris making a guest performance with BLAZE on their Silicon Messiah World Tour, in December of 2000: