Bruce Dickinson on BBC Radio 4 "Any Questions" (2nd November)

Brigantium said:
Bruce almost certainly has private healthcare. Bear in mind, though, he's coming from a British political and business tradition, so equating his stance with current American political ideas might be adding meanings that aren't there.
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Could be. Either way, I don't think he's obsessed with politics the way some folks are, and it's probably unfair to distill & form-fit his opinions to match a preconceived narrative. I'd like to think he's too complex for that.

Still... can we agree that he's an admirer of Churchill -- and obviously, Sir Winston wasn't exactly a shrieking leftist? So, when it comes to Brexit, WWCD? (Exactly.)

And (just maybe) if you believe free market healthcare played a role in saving your life -- and conversely, socialized medicine thus would've imperiled it -- I could see how that kinda life-scare might reinforce a particular worldview...

...Or not. Just spitballing here.
 
Deuces High said:
Still... can we agree that he's an admirer of Churchill -- and obviously, Sir Winston wasn't exactly a shrieking leftist? So, when it comes to Brexit, WWCD? (Exactly.)
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Churchill was a big supporter of a united Europe, although of a less federalist stance than eventually happened.
 
Deuces High said:
Not with Germany in the driver's seat, my friend!
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He saw West Germany as a proponent of a united Europe, especially in the aftermath of the Iron Curtain descending. Considering that modern-day Germany is broadly West Germany but bigger and still quite strong in its democratic institutions, I do not think he would mind so much as long as other Great Democracies existed in the union to counterbalance the situation.
 
Deuces High said:
And (just maybe) if you believe free market healthcare played a role in saving your life -- and conversely, socialized medicine thus would've imperiled it -- I could see how that kinda life-scare might reinforce a particular worldview...
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The NHS is admired and defended passionately by people from the left and the right side of the political spectrum in the UK. What is seen as "socialist" by people in North America is seen as public services to the benefit of the wider population in most of Europe, UK included.
 
GhostofCain said:
The NHS is admired and defended passionately by people from the left and the right side of the political spectrum in the UK. What is seen as "socialist" by people in North America is seen as public services to the benefit of the wider population in most of Europe, UK included.
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Did Bruce rely on that? Or did he pay out-of-pocket for his own top-of-the-line medical treatment? He went from cancer diagnosis to chemo pretty f'n quickly... thank Gawd.

I'm not trying to pick a fight... I honestly don't know. I **do** know that it's not uncommon for wealthy Europeans to forego the common-feeder lines & opt for the best / quickest healthcare that $$ can buy. (Canadians, too.) When your life is on the line, ya do what ya gotta do, I suppose -- idealism be damned.

Either way, can't argue with the results...

But back to playing amateur psychiatrist: Bruce often writes & sings about the glory days, when the Sun Never Set on the British Empire. He waves the Union Jack. He lionizes Churchill. He lauds the bravery of British soldiers in wars against Russia / Germany. He's in his 60s & white. So I dunno, doesn't seem like a major shocker that he's pro-Brexit.

(BTW, I know nothing about Steve Harris' politics, but wouldn't be surprised if he leaned to the right, too. Just kinda seems like he might from some of the subject matter / lyrics / ethos. But I don't really know.)

Then again, Eddie slayed Thatcher, so who the F knows for sure...?
 
Deuces High said:
Did Bruce rely on that? Or did he pay out-of-pocket for his own top-of-the-line medical treatment?
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I might be wrong, or I might be confusing it with something that I read about someone else, but I think he says in his book he was treated on the NHS
 
Deuces High said:
Did Bruce rely on that? Or did he pay out-of-pocket for his own top-of-the-line medical treatment? He went from cancer diagnosis to chemo pretty f'n quickly... thank Gawd.
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I am pretty sure he had private healthcare, but in the UK the route from cancer diagnosis to treatment is pretty fast (if I am not mistaken, his doctor also works for an NHS Trust).

Deuces High said:
But back to playing amateur psychiatrist: Bruce often writes & sings about the glory days, when the Sun Never Set on the British Empire. He waves the Union Jack. He lionizes Churchill. He lauds the bravery of British soldiers in wars against Russia / Germany. He's in his 60s & white. So I dunno, doesn't seem like a major shocker that he's pro-Brexit.
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You do realise that some of those lyrics were written by Steve Harris. don't you?

Deuces High said:
(BTW, I know nothing about Steve Harris' politics, but wouldn't be surprised if he leaned to the right, too. Just kinda seems like he might from some of the subject matter / lyrics / ethos. But I don't really know.)
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Bruce has defined himself as being centre-right:

https://forum.maidenfans.com/thread...estions-2nd-november.23878/page-6#post-735821

Steve is probably on the right side of the political spectrum, I would think that more than Bruce. It is difficult to forget his rather unfortunate comments to the NME back in 1982, kindly shared by @harrisdevot not long ago; I hope he knows best and is more tolerant nowadays:

https://forum.maidenfans.com/threads/nicko-mcbrain.19107/page-14#post-705613
 
GhostofCain said:
Steve is probably on the right side of the political spectrum, I would think that more than Bruce. It is difficult to forget his rather unfortunate comments to the NME back in 1982, kindly shared by @harrisdevot not long ago; I hope he knows best and is more tolerant nowadays:

https://forum.maidenfans.com/threads/nicko-mcbrain.19107/page-14#post-705613
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Compared to the attitudes of Emperor what Steve said is nothing. (I'm not trying to defend what he said by the way.)
 
Black Wizard said:
Compared to the attitudes of Emperor what Steve said is nothing. (I'm not trying to defend what he said by the way.)
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Excuse me, are you talking about Emperor the band ? I would be very interested in something more specific, as I've always viewed their leader as a reasonable and decent guy.
 
Deuces High said:
Not with Germany in the driver's seat, my friend!

(In fact, Churchill helped lead a pretty big war to PREVENT a certain kind of "unified" Europe... if ya catch my drift)
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So Germany = Nazi, is that what you're trying to say?
 
I was unfamiliar with that interview... and in all candor, he came across less like a conservative, and more like an asshole. (And yes, there IS a difference. Shuddup, you people in the peanut gallery!)

Despite all the partisan butt-hurt that permeates everything nowadays, I know many, MANY politically-active conservatives & liberals -- and for the most part, none of 'em are BAD. They both genuinely, sincerely, legitimately wanna help their fellow man (and woman), but simply have different opinions on how to achieve that end-goal. (So instead, we bloviate endlessly about methodology. Hooray.)

Sadly, there are racists & dickheads in every political party / movement. None of 'em has a monopoly, and none of 'em has immunity.
 
Deuces High said:
Despite all the partisan butt-hurt that permeates everything nowadays, I know many, MANY politically-active conservatives & liberals -- and for the most part, none of 'em are BAD. They both genuinely, sincerely, legitimately wanna help their fellow man (and woman), but simply have different opinions on how to achieve that end-goal. (So instead, we bloviate endlessly about methodology. Hooray.)

Sadly, there are racists & dickheads in every political party / movement. None of 'em has a monopoly, and none of 'em has immunity.
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Perun said:
So Germany = Nazi, is that what you're trying to say?
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You mean today? Nope.

But in the context of the life & times of Winston Churchill? Sorry, but WW2 was kinda a big deal. Look it up: lots of people died. (WW1 also!) So nooo, not just Germany = Nazi, but Kaiser too. Look, if the same country launches TWO world wars over the course of your lifetime, you might not be a member of their fan club. A'ight? (Let's just say that I don't think Winston ate much sauerkraut -- nor would he want Germany at the helm of the European Bobsled.)

'Course, Churchill's rep can been reevaluated by modern standards... some of his opinions on race were pretty terrible...
 
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