The_7th_one
Ancient Mariner
I checked that online paper and I guess if Bruce have 2 page spread or a little article is going to be about his divorce and all that shit.
The_7th_one
Ancient Mariner
Interview to Bruce for a catalan & spanish newspaper El Periódico:
Here the interview in spanish
Translation in English by google translator (it's very good I promise):
Headline: Bruce Dickinson: "Being the singer of Iron Maiden is fucking important"
The British vocalist offers on Sunday a personal show, monologue open to questions from fans, at the Catalonia Barcelona Plaza hotel
Bruce Dickinson returns to Barcelona this Sunday, but not to sing, but to offer a monologue open to questions from the public. The show ‘An evening with Bruce Dickinson’ will bring him closer to his fans at the Catalonia Barcelona Plaza hotel, two years after taking inventory in the book ‘What does this botton do?’ (‘An autobiography’, Dome Books, 2018). We spoke by telephone with the singer of Iron Maiden, a group that next summer, on July 25, will perform for the first time at the Olympic Stadium. The journalist has previously been told not to focus the interview on Maiden but on the other facets of the singer: monologuist, writer, air pilot, beer entrepreneur ... In the 12th minute, Dickinson concludes the conversation.
Habituated as it is to the great venues, what motivates you to face small-scale personal shows like this Sunday in Barcelona?
It is not the first time I do this show, I have to take about 40 shows made all over the world. I just arrived from Toronto, where I made one on Saturday. At first it was an experiment, see what happened, as a continuation of the book. I like to entertain people, so we have developed the ‘show’ and now it goes far beyond the book. In the first part I tell stories with an intention of entertaining, perhaps giving some information ... But above all it is that, entertainment, looking sideways at life. Then there is a pause and the second part is improvised and open to questions. There it will be the public who writes the script.
Many artists believe that their music speaks for itself and that it is not necessary to explain it. Do you not see it that way?
Well, I don't talk about that in these ‘shows’. They are built from what I think works as entertainment. They ask me questions about music, life ... anything. In part it is a bit ‘stand-up comedy’ and partly telling stories in a simple and straightforward way.
In Quebec, the other night, You sang with a symphony on the 50th anniversary of the, Concerto for group and orchestra ’, by Jon Lord, the missing Deep Purple keyboardist. Years ago you had the opportunity to meet these musicians, what feelings do you have?
I have a good story about Ian Gillan, but let me tell you on Sunday at the ‘show’. I keep it by then.
How did you feel occupying the square of your admired Gillan?
Well, the first half of the ‘show’ was the ‘Concerto’ and the other half was Deep Purple and Jon Lord. But I will not sing any Deep Purple song on Sunday, or anyone else, nor will there be an orchestra, band or music, it will be all ‘spoken word’.
You are involved in many activities as an entrepreneur. Is music just one more or is it still the center of your life?
Well, if you want to know the answers to this kind of thing, you must come to the ‘show’ and you will find out.
This is an interview. It's normal to ask questions like this.
I know, well, well, I appreciate the interview, but I would like to talk about my ‘one-man show’, not Iron Maiden.
My question was not about Iron Maiden, but, tell me, what activities are you currently involved in outside the group?
I just spent a weekend in Quebec singing with the symphony orchestra, which represents a lot of music. I also did a ‘one-man show’ in Toronto, and that was very interesting. I do a lot of things. I tell stories. In the end, whether you go on stage for one of those 'shows' or to make music, it's about telling stories. That's what I do. I tell stories when I sing songs and when I write music.
Do you consider yourself an entrepreneur?
I am that too. But so what? (laughs) What does that represent? I can be a good musician or anything else. Music centers my life, but I do many other things.
…like to produce beer
Of course. It's a stupid question that you ask me! (laughs) People already know exactly everything I do! That song, that I produce beer, that I have piloted planes and that I do a lot of things, also ‘one-man shows’ and, of course, that I am the singer of Iron Maiden, which is fucking important.
This interview is for a newspaper, not for a heavy metal magazine, and I don't think it should be taken for granted that the reader knows everything about his life.
Oh, yes, OK, OK ... The idea behind the ‘one-man show’ is that sideways glance at life, to see how an English boy became that great god of rock. You just see that in all this there is some accident, and fun, and mistakes that can be very human. To see it you have to come to the ’show’
You distinguish between clients and fans.
Yes, relationships should be based on emotions, and this is generally the case. They ask me why Maiden is still so successful, and the message is very simple: we are sincere, direct, we have integrity, we believe in what we do and we are proud of it. If you establish your relationship from there, people usually respond. Companies should perhaps consider whether they always meet those conditions. But that's one of the things I talk about with my company, but not what I will talk about on Sunday, where what I will do is tell a lot of dirty and rude jokes. I will talk about cancer and many things, and laugh, I promise.
So enjoy close contact with people, to exchange emotions.
When you're in front of 20,000 people jumping, shouting "Maiden, Maiden ...", yes, that's pretty good. But this is not an interview about Iron Maiden, and I have another call right now, so thank you very much and good luck.
When I've read this tense interview I was little bit surprised for Bruce's attitude.
In my opinion, Bruce was a little bit irreverent. he could have been friendlier. The journalist didn't ask him about Maiden like the publishing company or his agent tell him. At the end the journalist's revenge can be seen in the headline.
Here the interview in spanish
Translation in English by google translator (it's very good I promise):
Headline: Bruce Dickinson: "Being the singer of Iron Maiden is fucking important"
The British vocalist offers on Sunday a personal show, monologue open to questions from fans, at the Catalonia Barcelona Plaza hotel
Bruce Dickinson returns to Barcelona this Sunday, but not to sing, but to offer a monologue open to questions from the public. The show ‘An evening with Bruce Dickinson’ will bring him closer to his fans at the Catalonia Barcelona Plaza hotel, two years after taking inventory in the book ‘What does this botton do?’ (‘An autobiography’, Dome Books, 2018). We spoke by telephone with the singer of Iron Maiden, a group that next summer, on July 25, will perform for the first time at the Olympic Stadium. The journalist has previously been told not to focus the interview on Maiden but on the other facets of the singer: monologuist, writer, air pilot, beer entrepreneur ... In the 12th minute, Dickinson concludes the conversation.
Habituated as it is to the great venues, what motivates you to face small-scale personal shows like this Sunday in Barcelona?
It is not the first time I do this show, I have to take about 40 shows made all over the world. I just arrived from Toronto, where I made one on Saturday. At first it was an experiment, see what happened, as a continuation of the book. I like to entertain people, so we have developed the ‘show’ and now it goes far beyond the book. In the first part I tell stories with an intention of entertaining, perhaps giving some information ... But above all it is that, entertainment, looking sideways at life. Then there is a pause and the second part is improvised and open to questions. There it will be the public who writes the script.
Many artists believe that their music speaks for itself and that it is not necessary to explain it. Do you not see it that way?
Well, I don't talk about that in these ‘shows’. They are built from what I think works as entertainment. They ask me questions about music, life ... anything. In part it is a bit ‘stand-up comedy’ and partly telling stories in a simple and straightforward way.
In Quebec, the other night, You sang with a symphony on the 50th anniversary of the, Concerto for group and orchestra ’, by Jon Lord, the missing Deep Purple keyboardist. Years ago you had the opportunity to meet these musicians, what feelings do you have?
I have a good story about Ian Gillan, but let me tell you on Sunday at the ‘show’. I keep it by then.
How did you feel occupying the square of your admired Gillan?
Well, the first half of the ‘show’ was the ‘Concerto’ and the other half was Deep Purple and Jon Lord. But I will not sing any Deep Purple song on Sunday, or anyone else, nor will there be an orchestra, band or music, it will be all ‘spoken word’.
You are involved in many activities as an entrepreneur. Is music just one more or is it still the center of your life?
Well, if you want to know the answers to this kind of thing, you must come to the ‘show’ and you will find out.
This is an interview. It's normal to ask questions like this.
I know, well, well, I appreciate the interview, but I would like to talk about my ‘one-man show’, not Iron Maiden.
My question was not about Iron Maiden, but, tell me, what activities are you currently involved in outside the group?
I just spent a weekend in Quebec singing with the symphony orchestra, which represents a lot of music. I also did a ‘one-man show’ in Toronto, and that was very interesting. I do a lot of things. I tell stories. In the end, whether you go on stage for one of those 'shows' or to make music, it's about telling stories. That's what I do. I tell stories when I sing songs and when I write music.
Do you consider yourself an entrepreneur?
I am that too. But so what? (laughs) What does that represent? I can be a good musician or anything else. Music centers my life, but I do many other things.
…like to produce beer
Of course. It's a stupid question that you ask me! (laughs) People already know exactly everything I do! That song, that I produce beer, that I have piloted planes and that I do a lot of things, also ‘one-man shows’ and, of course, that I am the singer of Iron Maiden, which is fucking important.
This interview is for a newspaper, not for a heavy metal magazine, and I don't think it should be taken for granted that the reader knows everything about his life.
Oh, yes, OK, OK ... The idea behind the ‘one-man show’ is that sideways glance at life, to see how an English boy became that great god of rock. You just see that in all this there is some accident, and fun, and mistakes that can be very human. To see it you have to come to the ’show’
You distinguish between clients and fans.
Yes, relationships should be based on emotions, and this is generally the case. They ask me why Maiden is still so successful, and the message is very simple: we are sincere, direct, we have integrity, we believe in what we do and we are proud of it. If you establish your relationship from there, people usually respond. Companies should perhaps consider whether they always meet those conditions. But that's one of the things I talk about with my company, but not what I will talk about on Sunday, where what I will do is tell a lot of dirty and rude jokes. I will talk about cancer and many things, and laugh, I promise.
So enjoy close contact with people, to exchange emotions.
When you're in front of 20,000 people jumping, shouting "Maiden, Maiden ...", yes, that's pretty good. But this is not an interview about Iron Maiden, and I have another call right now, so thank you very much and good luck.
When I've read this tense interview I was little bit surprised for Bruce's attitude.
In my opinion, Bruce was a little bit irreverent. he could have been friendlier. The journalist didn't ask him about Maiden like the publishing company or his agent tell him. At the end the journalist's revenge can be seen in the headline.
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KidInTheDark666
What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine too
He definitely sounds like an arrogant dick in that interview.
The_7th_one
Ancient Mariner
Absolutely.
Poto
Ancient Mariner
Not for the first time tbh.
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
Absolutely. What a twat.
Regardless of how Bruce markets himself (wannabe entrepreneur, pilot, fencer, etc.), to the vast majority of people he is known as a heavy metal singer. Better getting used to that rather than keep on living in a parallel reality!
Back in the early 90s he was quite critical about himself and Maiden being surrounded by too many people that always told them how great they were. Perhaps he is going through a similar phase nowadays of being worshipped every day but without him being self-critical.
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The_7th_one
Ancient Mariner
Yeah, it reminds me to those times.
Ruflux
Ancient Mariner
Small correction: journalists don't decide headlines, editors do. In this case however it's pretty obvious what motivated that particular headline.
But yeah, what a mess of an interview. I don't know if Bruce thought acting like a petulant child ("no, don't ask me about that!") would make him look cool or the interviewer bad, but all it did was further lower my opinion of him. You're a professional and a public figure. Act like it, or just don't do interviews.
Fact of the matter is, Bruce Dickinson is Iron Maiden's singer first and foremost. That's his claim to fame. That is literally the only reason he's allowed to do these book tours or gets interviewed in papers. You'd think that after nearly 40 years he'd finally gotten used to it, but apparently not. Pretending that it's not true, that he's earned this position by some other merit is absurd, but that almost seems to describe his attitude here.
D
Deleted member 7164
Guest
That did not come from thin air though, and not until he left Maiden. He was still full of himself, left Maiden, and then heard what people thought of him for real.
Meliegree
Evening The Odds.
I don't know. I just heard that:
KidInTheDark666
What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine too
Ohh... That doesn't sound too good. Flight of Icarus might not be the best choice for an acapella performance.
The_7th_one
Ancient Mariner
I think it's not bad but I don't understand why he has to show he knows how to sing. Anyway I thought it was a talked show Bruce LOL
Ruflux
Ancient Mariner
I'm starting to think he's been doing these talks for too long, because that's the only explanation I have for why he thought doing FoI without instrument backing or warmups was a good idea. Key wise he was all over the place and it just didn't sound half as good as Revelations which is in a far more comfortable range for him, it seems. Feels like ego boosting to me.
Black Abyss Babe
I live for my dreams and a pocket full of gold
There's no real getting around the fact (because let's face it , it is one) that Bruce's connection with Maiden is the main reason anyone is interested in anything he is doing. I think he's always known this underneath but he seems to have some sort of love-hate relationship with the idea.
In the sleeve notes to his "best of" he says that "in retrospect I was locked into a cycle of self-mutilation that nobody else really understood at the time. I was very uncomfortable with the automatic respect accorded to be because of being in Iron Maiden. I felt I didn't deserve respect automatically. It had to be earned. I did two things. First I learned to fly aeroplanes, second I quit Iron Maiden". (The idea that maybe the respect he received was due to his contribution to Maiden seems to have passed him by completely.)
When this didn't quite work out and he returned to Maiden he seems to have gone completely the other way. Trooper beer is one obvious example (which, despite his stated intention of cutting it loose to do its own thing, still bears very prominent Maiden branding), but there's also the Ed Force One flight sim at Caerdav (or whatever the heck they're called now), the so-numerous-I-gave-up-counting Maiden references that pepper the Chemical Wedding film like they'd been fired indiscriminately from a blunderbus, the time he went to a black tie event at the Globe theatre wearing an Eddie cummerbund ... basically if he was trying to play down his Maiden connections (to stop them overshadowing his other projects?) he was going about it a very strange way.
Now it seems the pendulum has swung back and he's throwing luvvie fits again. Come on Bruce, get off the see-saw!
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GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
Trying to sing a challenging song like that after speaking for 3 hours and without warming up is probably not a good idea, but I bet the people that were there did enjoy it...