Bruce Dickinson - What Does This Button Do?

Night Prowler

Night Prowler

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I thought it'd be cool if there was a separate discussion thread for the book so that us who haven't read it yet can avoid spoilers :) So discuss it here :)
 
I've nearly finished reading, it's very good so far.

A couple of interesting anecdotes I've just got to:

Tyranny of Souls was originally written for the Rob Halford, Bruce and Geoff Tate project. Bruce originally wanted Dio rather than Tate but Rod didn't like Dio's manager. The plan was for the three voices to represent the Three Witches in Macbeth. An unproductive meeting with Geoff caused the project to be shelved and it ended up becoming a Bruce solo album.

Bruce doesn't think Dance of Death is very good compared to Brave New World, with the exception of Paschendale. He's also still dreadfully embarrassed by the artwork.
 
Funny how a meeting with Tate ended things.

And wasn't Dio managed by his wife?
Oh what might have been.
 
I opened the thread so that people talk about the book here instead of other threads, because of spoilers.
 
I've got as far as his entry into university (16% in per my Kindle). So far the "plotline" is more or less what we already know from earlier sources ("Run to the Hills" etc), only with considerably more details filled in.

I will say this for it: it's very readable. An author who really knows his readers ...
 
Yeah, despite Niall's deeply philosophical appraisal, it's a really entertaining read. It just sounds like him talking off the cuff, with lots of oddball little observations.
 
Yes, that's exactly it. It's chatty, as though he was sitting talking to you in a pub.

I suppose "off the cuff" basically covers it if he really wrote it in one draft with hardly any alterations. He must think in a very coherent and disciplined fashion, to be capable of that.
 
Brigantium said:
You kind of forget it's not fiction, too, it's a good story.
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Agreed. It flows really well, with very clear prose.

I have yet to read most of it, but so far it is informative and entertaining. The audiobook being read by Bruce is nice too, although I am going to finish reading the book before hearing him read the whole book!

On a related note, Buce did a one hour show reading book excerpts and playing some music at Planet Rock. If anyone is interested, it is available here:

https://planetradio.co.uk/planet-rock/player/12037735/
 
jazz from hell said:
Book is interesting so far, but I also miss a lot. Not much about why he left Maiden, his midlife and professional crisis during the solo years, about personal subjects concerning Maiden or life in general. I respect that he doesn't want to go too personal (and he does some), but still...
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Was there a professional crisis? About general midlife crises and personal subjects, I for one understood that this book is a about the working Bruce and his achievement in that regard. Naturally it would have elaborate parts from personal life that could affect the career(s), but not just for the sake of it.
 
Zare said:
Was there a professional crisis? About general midlife crises and personal subjects, I for one understood that this book is a about the working Bruce and his achievement in that regard. Naturally it would have elaborate parts from personal life that could affect the career(s), but not just for the sake of it.
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Leaving Maiden in 1993 could be seen as some sort of professional crisis combined with a personal one in his mid 30s. Furthermore, Skunkworks did not work as he expected and the music Alex Dickson was coming up after the first album was radically different to what Bruce wanted to do, which was along the lines of songs like Strange Death in Paradise.

I, for one, value the book being presented as memoirs with autobiographical content rather than a book dishing the dirt. Firstly, because he is a rather interesting chap with lots of colourful stories to tell without resorting to cliches, and secondly because the dirt in Maiden was not as widespread as in many other bands. That being said, he does not really shy away from issues that have not been properly explained by Maiden, as illustrated by this bit about Clive (https://forum.maidenfans.com/threads/why-did-steve-harris-fire-clive-burr.32887/page-14#post-692476) or him being embarrassed by the Dance of Death artwork. He is also critical about other aspects of the band's affairs, albeit always politely.

It reminds me a bit of The Waterboys Mike Scott's autobiography, although Mike was a bit more open about personal aspects.
 
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