Bruce Dickinson

[GhostofCain]

Despite all the controversy, falling out, Mrs Bruce acting like Mrs Ozzy on social media and Roy generally coming off like a nutter these days, it would be disingenuous to not include Roy in the process for this record in particular.

Forgetting the Olsen session stuff, this was Bruce essentially taking Roy's band and doing something with them, rather than Roy going to work with Bruce. Tribe of Gypsies are so prevalent on Balls to Picasso, in everything from the arrangements through to percussion and the huge Latin influence, Bruce simply couldn't have made this album without them. It would be like remixing Skunkworks and not including Alex Dickson et al - they are products of a band sold under the Dickinson monicker with him as co-writer and lead singer, rather than a solo musician creating a recording band and a touring band to realise his own stuff.

Even with Accident of Birth, it was Roy who asked Bruce if he wanted to just go and make a "fucking good metal record".

 

[Melony]

I've just realized that we will get another additional version of 2 songs that we didn't know before.

1. Gods Of War (Live in the Studio)*
12. Shoot All The Clowns (Live in the Studio)*

* previously unreleased

 

[Melony]

PS. I saw it has already been mentioned here. The many versions are starting to confuse me.

 

[Belshazzar]

PS. I saw it has already been mentioned here. The many versions are starting to confuse me.

Bruce released his original albums as they were made (of course). A few had some special editions, like Japanese editions which had some extra tracks on (mainly B sides as bonus tracks).

Then in the early millennium, they were remastered and released in nice CD slip cases, and included lots of bonus tracks that were recorded around the time of the original album.

Now, some twenty years later, we're getting remasters that have been - apparently - extensively touched up, to create what are meant to be the "definitive" versions, that will be the "proper" versions going forward.

The album with the biggest list of changes is Balls to Picasso, which is going to be released as More Balls to Picasso. This has actually had extra guitars and instruments recorded for this release, and mixed into the existing tracks to create a record that features all the same songs and the same recordings, but with the extra arrangements and remastered production. Nothing has been removed from the album - the recordings of the songs remain the original ones - but they HAVE had extra bits added to them which weren't there to start with.

Some songs sound like they've been extensively reworked, while others feature only minor improvements, such as bringing the drums forward.

Despite Bruce saying they've "beefed up the guitars, added extra rhythm guitars", the currently released track from More Balls to Picasso - More Gods of War - sounds identical to the original when it comes to the guitars. If you don't believe me, go and listen to them both back to back, which I have done. The drums sound a lot clearer, but the fat crunchy rhythm guitar was already there.

 

[Melony]

Thanks for the summary!
I'm a little surprised that 8 August wasn't chosen as the release date.
From a strategic point of view, many fans would have been looking for some compensation for the end of the Maiden tour at this point.

 

[Belshazzar]

Thanks for the summary!
I'm a little surprised that 8 August wasn't chosen as the release date.
From a strategic point of view, many fans would have been looking for some compensation for the end of the Maiden tour at this point.

Yeah, and it'd be close to Bruce's 67th (!) birthday.

 

[Blood On The World´s Hand]

Even though I don`t like leaving traces of internet use on the days that end in nine, I just might make an exception now. For today it has been exactly 35 years since Bruce´s first ever solo gig in Mayfair Ballroom, Newcastle upon Tyne, 19th June 1990.

Bruce Dickinson Setlist at Mayfair Ballroom, Newcastle upon Tyne

Get the Bruce Dickinson Setlist of the concert at Mayfair Ballroom, Newcastle upon Tyne, England on June 19, 1990 from the Tattooed Millionaire Tour and other Bruce Dickinson Setlists for free on setlist.fm!

www.setlist.fm