Blaze Bayley

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Black Wizard said:
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BLAZE BAYLEY To Release 'Live In Czech' Live Album And DVD

In spring 2019, former IRON MAIDEN singer Blaze Bayley launched the "Tour Of The Eagle Spirit", taking in venues in Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Belgium, France, U.K., USA and Canada. In September 2019, Blaze took that tour on the road a second time, with a sequence of shows across...
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Blaze is releasing a live album and DVD of his show in Brno in the Czech Republic. I'm pretty sure he only had a live release from a show in France last year. Who is actually buying all this stuff?
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Blaze fans. They are probably limited editions.
 
I'm surprised Bloodstock hasn't snapped him up to be honest! Local-ish (still the Midlands), and a nice size festival for him. Stick him on mainstage, on the Sunday at about 3 in the afternoon, and bob's your uncle.
 
I've mentioned this before I'm sure, but I wish Blaze was asked to sing for Black Sabbath. I think he could do a lot of older material (especially Ozzy) justice and just imagine his voice with Iommi's riffs!
 
A random thought I had: So far the trend has been that after every 3 albums, Blaze has started fresh for the following one with an entirely new band. I'm kind of thinking that pattern might continue again, especially now that the sci-fi trilogy is done. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes in a different direction for his next album with a completely new backing band.
 
Lampwick 43 said:
A random thought I had: So far the trend has been that after every 3 albums, Blaze has started fresh for the following one with an entirely new band. I'm kind of thinking that pattern might continue again, especially now that the sci-fi trilogy is done. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes in a different direction for his next album with a completely new backing band.
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This trend is what caused me to lose interest after Promise and Terror, especially as the bands backing him have got progressively worse. The first line up was his best chance at having a good solo career.
 
srfc said:
This trend is what caused me to lose interest after Promise and Terror, especially as the bands backing him have got progressively worse. The first line up was his best chance at having a good solo career.
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I like the current lineup more than the Promise and Terror one though. The guitarist is killer.

The production leaves a lot to be desired though, although that's understandable, given what money Blaze has to spend. You don't get the Andy Sneap BLAZE albums production for that kind of money.
 
Yax said:
I like the current lineup more than the Promise and Terror one though. The guitarist is killer.

The production leaves a lot to be desired though, although that's understandable, given what money Blaze has to spend. You don't get the Andy Sneap BLAZE albums production for that kind of money.
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Actually, not having Sneap is definitely a huge factor, more than the line up changes.
 
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Black Wizard said:
Who is actually buying all this stuff?
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I buy just about everything he puts out, and have rarely been disappointed. As mentioned above, he's a nice guy, generous with his time if you want to talk to him/have him sign stuff after the show, and is genuinely grateful for the small following he has. I still remember seeing a copy of Promise and Terror that someone posted online and he wrote across it "Thank you for believing in me." So, it's a nice feeling to be helping the guy keep doing what he loves and get great albums in return.

Whereas with Maiden, all you can say is they're set. They don't offer meet and greets because hey, they don't need to take time for their fans (and given their respective ages and sizes of their bank accounts, I don't begrudge them that a bit--they've earned the ability to spend their time how they choose). If they retired tomorrow, they'd be just fine. Just like he was in Maiden, Blaze is the underdog, and I like rooting for and supporting the underdog.

And on to what Lampwick 43 said about him changing the lineup again, I imagine he's going to keep on with the current lineup. He's managed by the guitarist's brother, who I imagine hooked him up with his backing band (Absolva) in the first place. That, and it seems that they've got a good working relationship all around.
 
CA Bryers said:
I buy just about everything he puts out, and have rarely been disappointed. As mentioned above, he's a nice guy, generous with his time if you want to talk to him/have him sign stuff after the show, and is genuinely grateful for the small following he has. I still remember seeing a copy of Promise and Terror that someone posted online and he wrote across it "Thank you for believing in me." So, it's a nice feeling to be helping the guy keep doing what he loves and get great albums in return.

Whereas with Maiden, all you can say is they're set. They don't offer meet and greets because hey, they don't need to take time for their fans (and given their respective ages and sizes of their bank accounts, I don't begrudge them that a bit--they've earned the ability to spend their time how they choose). If they retired tomorrow, they'd be just fine. Just like he was in Maiden, Blaze is the underdog, and I like rooting for and supporting the underdog.

And on to what Lampwick 43 said about him changing the lineup again, I imagine he's going to keep on with the current lineup. He's managed by the guitarist's brother, who I imagine hooked him up with his backing band (Absolva) in the first place. That, and it seems that they've got a good working relationship all around.
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I basically agree, and yet I can't help feeling that the middle paragraph is a bit unfair on Maiden. Their profile is much higher than Blaze's, and yes they have earned the standing they now have, but the flipside of this is that they now need to actively protect their personal space because there's more potential for it to be encroached upon. When they are in a situation (eg on tour) when the level of public interest in them is high they will need to control the level of access the fans have to them, for the sake of their own sanity. Consider how many people would turn up for a free meet and greet with Maiden - time was when they used to do them but now ... it's probably just not practical any more. (Sorry, slightly off topic ...)

I'm not actually sure if I like thinking of Blaze as the underdog, although I suppose ultimately he is one. He's not mainstream, but then the mainstream is notoriously fickle so who cares. He's doing his own thing on his own terms, and the quality of his material is increasingly being recognised and respected. And he has burgeoning fan base, who are loyal and appreciate him for himself, and don't expect him to be Bruce. I'd call that a result ...
 
Black Abyss Babe said:
I basically agree, and yet I can't help feeling that the middle paragraph is a bit unfair on Maiden. Their profile is much higher than Blaze's, and yes they have earned the standing they now have, but the flipside of this is that they now need to actively protect their personal space because there's more potential for it to be encroached upon. When they are in a situation (eg on tour) when the level of public interest in them is high they will need to control the level of access the fans have to them, for the sake of their own sanity. Consider how many people would turn up for a free meet and greet with Maiden - time was when they used to do them but now ... it's probably just not practical any more. (Sorry, slightly off topic ...)
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I wasn't trying to take a dig at Maiden for them not doing meet and greets. We're in an age where if you're a musician and the ability to live off album and ticket sales isn't altogether feasible anymore. SOOOO many bands do VIP meet and greet upgrades to survive. Maiden could offer that, but they offer First to the Barrier instead. Again, it's their prerogative and they deserve to have 100% say as to how they spend their time before shows. A very likely possibility is that the reason they don't do VIP upgrades is to manage the size of crowds who would pay for that experience. Likely, they'd have to price it ridiculously high like KISS (which were what...$1200 on the tour BEFORE End of the Road, and now they're probably up in the $5K-$7K range?), and they don't want to price gouge their fans like KISS does.

None of what I've said is meant to imply they don't care about their fans. Even on the recent tours, I don't think I've heard a single instance where they're spotted on the street, in a hotel lobby or bar and they're not happy to take pictures with fans. It apparently happened when they hit a local bar near the venue they played at my stop on the LotB tour. And just like Blaze, that's for free, with Maiden it's just unscheduled and based on purely on luck.

And just in case it doesn't come across in text, I don't mean to sound argumentative, just clarifying my comment and along the way you've made me think of a more likely reason for them not doing VIP in the process. :)
 
CA Bryers said:
I wasn't trying to take a dig at Maiden for them not doing meet and greets. We're in an age where if you're a musician and the ability to live off album and ticket sales isn't altogether feasible anymore. SOOOO many bands do VIP meet and greet upgrades to survive. Maiden could offer that, but they offer First to the Barrier instead. Again, it's their prerogative and they deserve to have 100% say as to how they spend their time before shows. A very likely possibility is that the reason they don't do VIP upgrades is to manage the size of crowds who would pay for that experience. Likely, they'd have to price it ridiculously high like KISS (which were what...$1200 on the tour BEFORE End of the Road, and now they're probably up in the $5K-$7K range?), and they don't want to price gouge their fans like KISS does.

None of what I've said is meant to imply they don't care about their fans. Even on the recent tours, I don't think I've heard a single instance where they're spotted on the street, in a hotel lobby or bar and they're not happy to take pictures with fans. It apparently happened when they hit a local bar near the venue they played at my stop on the LotB tour. And just like Blaze, that's for free, with Maiden it's just unscheduled and based on purely on luck.

And just in case it doesn't come across in text, I don't mean to sound argumentative, just clarifying my comment and along the way you've made me think of a more likely reason for them not doing VIP in the process. :)
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It's okay, I don't take you for argumentative. I just thought your previous post seemed to be comparing Maiden unfavourably to Blaze because he is able to do something they can't anymore. And I agreed with the observation, just not with your apparent interpretation of the reasons (but then I always prefer to find a solution where everyone wins - that's just the way I am :)).

I agree with your assessment that they don't want to fleece the fans by doing paid meet and greets etc. (I expect it follows from the same reasons that they don't charge their support bands for the slot - they just don't think it's right.) And I'm glad they don't because those things are a measure of the depth of your pockets much more than the depth of your fandom ;)
 
Speaking of production, Blaze might not be financially able to get someone like Sneap, but couldn't he get someone in like Waldemar Sorychta? Or maybe Peter Tagtren? Ultimately he just needs someone to turn his damn vocals down a bit (and maybe add a touch of reverb, but that's just me) because as awesome as his new trilogy of albums are, they are hard to listen to for me because of how upfront and center his voice is. It reminds me of Darkthrone's "Panzerfaust" album, except instead of being ugly and kvlt it's instead a bit annoying and feels like Blaze is screaming of a pre-recorded track from another band.
 
I'm listening to the "Tenth Dimension" record for the first time in a while, 18 years since it was released this month. I got the record back in 2009 in a combined package with Silicon Messiah, while the SPV releases were still in stock in some places.
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It for sure has a special sound and not the usual "Sneap production" style with much low end on the guitars and a different drum sound.

Would be great with a vinyl release someday.
 
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Blaze's future plans according to his newsletter published today:

[...]
Apart from our Brazil Tour this month, Burr Fest in March and summer festivals, we will concentrate on song-writing for a brand new full metal album planned for release in March 2021. As you can see below, Blaze and Chris have already started and early reports from Blaze are that the results so far are very exciting.
image


Tenth Dimension
So, what's happening in the later part of 2020? We're thrilled to say that in September we plan to re-issue the 'Tenth Dimension' album which will be re-packaged with upgraded artwork and we'll also release for the first time a vinyl version. In many ways that album is a prequel to the trilogy and so it's interesting to explore that more deeply.

To go with that re-issue we are soon to announce a European Tour for September-October, and a UK Tour for November, both featuring a 'Tenth Dimension' setlist.

So, that gives you a clear idea of where we're heading with our plans for 2020-2021....

April 2020 : 'Live in Czech' CD and DVD

September 2020 : 'Tenth Dimension' CD re-issue and vinyl LP

March 2021 : new full metal studio album

[...]
 
Honestly, Blaze is the most wholesome and hard working out of all the Maiden guys, past and present. I salute his drive and work ethic. If he comes to Stoke or near by again later this year, I'll definitely get a ticket.
 
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