Bruce Dickinson

[Yax]

This is true to the extent that I would have no problem with either.

I'd rather see Maiden without either Adrian or Janick than Dave though, but maybe that's just me. After all, that worked well enough in the past.

 

[Dick Brucinson]

Well, at least we get 2 guitars now. That's a plus.

Well, Simon & Garfunkel also are two guitars. Doesn't nescessarily have to fit the whole thing.

 

[Azas]

If Roy can't go on tour, Bruce should have chosen Adrian. Fans would be sad for a minute but happy for a whole tour. Adrian already was in Bruce's solo band, he knows style, etc. If Adrian did not wanted to participate, Bruce should have kidnapped him. Sure, at first Adrian would be mad, but later they would reconcile. Adrian loves to play live and he sure loves to hear screams of middle aged men: Hadrian! Hadrian! You rule! Please, please look at me. Yeah, He winked at me! What a great show!

 

[Iron Lurker]

If Roy can't go on tour, Bruce should have chosen Adrian. Fans would be sad for a minute but happy for a whole tour. Adrian already was in Bruce's solo band, he knows style, etc. If Adrian did not wanted to participate, Bruce should have kidnapped him. Sure, at first Adrian would be mad, but later they would reconcile. Adrian loves to play live and he sure loves to hear screams of middle aged men: Hadrian! Hadrian! You rule! Please, please look at me. Yeah, He winked at me! What a great show!

Bruce would have to drag Adrian away from Kotzen.....Wait. Drag along Kotzen, too!

 

[TheMercenary]

 

[GhostofCain]

Intro tape for The Mandrake Project tour?

 

[Mosh]

I'd rather see Maiden without either Adrian or Janick than Dave though, but maybe that's just me. After all, that worked well enough in the past.

Yea, the sentiment for me is that my threshold for not wanting to see Maiden/Bruce live is pretty high. I get people being bummed about Roy Z especially since it was advertised as such when tickets were purchased, but I would jump at a chance to see a Dickinson solo set no matter who is or isn’t on guitar.

 

[Rick]

Back in 1998, the reason that was given for Roy Z missing the tour was that there were some family matters he had to dealt with (sick parents, if I remember correctly).

His father was sick. It was announced at the time and Roy later came back to tour. I still remember being in the front row and a girl asking me to help hold this big poster which said, "Roy, how is your father"? And at some point he saw, smiled and signed ok with his hands.

Rio de Janeiro, April 20th, 1999.

 

[redandtheblack92]

Are we saying that this man thought everything would be the same/better post Brexit? You’re moving from being a Socialist to a Capitalist. Do you really think things are gonna get better?! Even if they have to, it’s gonna take a while before you see the good as this is a major shift in the way the nation would wanna function.

 

[Cosmiceddie]

I prefer two guitar players to one any day of the week, no matter who they are.

 

[Kalata]

Imho, Roy isn't happy with the mixing and mastering of 'The Mandrake Project'. He surely didn't appreciate that it's Brendan Duffey who did his job. Roy Z is a very good producer, the sound on 'Tyranny Of Souls' was perfect. So it was on Judas Priest's 'Angel Of Retribution'. That's why Bruce and him are a little bit disagreeing each other.

Wait, isn't Roy the solo producer and everything of the album? Bruce has always spoken highly of him not only as a guitarist and songwriter, but also as a producer. He wants only him to produce his albums, he always said that.

Well... To me going to see Bruce without Roy Z is like going to see Maiden without Dave. Yeah, I know the name of band on the ticket but band is Bruce AND Roy. Without him is like cover band with original singer.

Unless Im wrong and Bruce also write music for all his songs.

I completely agree. At the same time, one has to see Bruce solo live, no matter what.

And yes, Bruce said he writes and has written music (and parts) for a few songs on TMP.

 

[Starblind]

Maiden without Dave and Bruce without Roy comparison is not right or equal I think. Dave is always there on stage, on the other hand Roy didn’t tour for Bruce except AoB. So these are way different situations. And Roy didn’t tour for Halford, even he is the main writer and producer of that albums.

 

[Vaenyr]

Roy is important to the songwriting and the production of the albums, but I never felt that he is outright required for the live shows. He's a great guitarist but he's not really unique. It's not like Jerry Cantrell in Alice In Chains or Ian D’Sa in Billy Talent where the guitarists (and their backing vocals) are an integral part of the music.

So while it would be fun to see Roy, I'm surprised at the negativity here. Having two guitarists replace him is a much more interesting proposition in my eyes.

 

[Kalata]

I listened to RotG just now with a new perspective. I will be stating the very obvivous, but it hits different when you kind of experience it on your own.
If there are balls to the wall songs on the album, good. If not, I will eventually accept it for what it is and find the beauty (if there is any of course).

I agree.

Importantly Roy is a shredder. I’ve never heard Dave shred except for on the Mercenary solo. He almost never shreds & a lot of Bruce’s songs have shredding solos especially Tyranny

I think Dave can fit the material. His style is not that different.

This is true to the extent that I would have no problem with either.

Wow! The whole band since 1999 is too important for any changes.

 

[Kalata]

I don't see them having a falling out, it's probably something else and to be honest: It's none of our business. I get that it is frustrating, but they have no obligation to give us the details. They informed us and if they want they can elaborate later. If not that's fair as well.
Didn't we get the hint a couple of days ago that Roy has started writing music for the next record already? Can't see them falling out in the span of two (or so days). I'd say we all chill a bit and just wait until we get more information.

This.

Leana just commented on Instagram that H is busy with Smith/Kotzen as the reason why he is not touring. So I think that H would be touring with Bruce, if he was free, but is simply prioritizing Smith/Kotzen at the moment which is fair. Also makes sense with Bruce's more extreme comments "H is more into blues rock now...".

That's good to hear. I kind of think even if Adrian was not busy, he would prefer to extend his holiday. Idk, but if Adrian was involved, Roy would have participated for sure unless his reason is respectful.

I get the disappointment, but I never saw Roy as an integral part of Bruce's live act. He did exactly one tour with them, hired out the Guru on the next tour, I don't think he did the 2002 gigs where Bruce brought Chris Dale back, and no tour for Tyranny.

Yeah, but he is important for the sound.

So while it would be fun to see Roy, I'm surprised at the negativity here. Having two guitarists replace him is a much more interesting proposition in my eyes.

Two guitarists was the best possible decision, but the question is, can they do a proper justice to Roy and Adrian's parts. You just can't replace them or the band feel. Roy is a curious case, a guitarist who enjoys writing and recording more than touring. And his last tour with Bruce was in 1999.

 

[Dick Brucinson]

I still think about some immigration restrictions on Roy, really. Is there any documented concert he ever played in any European country over the past decades? And has he ever been seen in the UK visiting Bruno, or is it always Bruno flying over to L.A.?

 

[Melony]

Why? What did he do? And why the announcement of that line-up then? You check things like that in advance.

 

[GhostofCain]

I still think about some immigration restrictions on Roy, really. Is there any documented concert he ever played in any European country over the past decades? And has he ever been seen in the UK visiting Bruno, or is it always Bruno flying over to L.A.?

Roy Z definitely was on stage when I saw Bruce in Madrid in 1997… He did not have a problem to play all over Europe back then.

 

[Melony]

…
So while it would be fun to see Roy, I'm surprised at the negativity here. Having two guitarists replace him is a much more interesting proposition in my eyes.

I think the reactions have a lot to do with how it all went down, so unprofessionally.
The fans already had a firm idea of what the band would look like from the photos and the announcement of the line-up and bought tickets afterwards.
Then this happens completely unexpectedly and is communicated in very unclear terms.

I think if from the beginning Bruce had explained that Roy was "only" his songwriting partner and producer, but not coming on tour, some people would have thought it was a pity but I don't think it would have been a big deal.

I belive there are many excellent guitarists who can play the material live very well and 2 of them, great,
but I don't know these two. I don't know why they were chosen. Do they have to live around the corner from Bruce?

 

[Dick Brucinson]

Why? What did he do? And why the announcement of that line-up then? You check things like that in advance.

Actually yes, but not if you have a plan B in the backhand anyway. (Plan B in this case: Late announcement of two different guitarists. It'd be a massive dealcracker in terms of presales to announce a new album while it's already clear Roy wouldn't be part of the tour.) Possible scenario: Roy still can't enter Europe, but they made their honest attempts to get him in. In the end they found out about travel restrictions still remaining on Roy during visa application processing for Europe while they were optimistic things would be fine this time. I don't know what he did, if he did anything at all. It can be cause of citizenship or whatever reasons. It also might have to do with former drug abuse, and he was a crack addict years ago. Anyway. This turn of events let the never-happened tour on ToS and also his no-show for all Europe in 1998 (and after) appear in a whole different light if you ask me. It reframes all those pictures of the past to one whole new. It's hard for me to believe in a sum-up of coincidence here.