Bruce Dickinson

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I’d love to share your views on The Mandrake Turd guys. To me it is, by far, the weakest Bruce Dickinson solo album. The highs on Tattooed Millionaire are much better.
 
I've actually never listened to Tattooed Millionaire (I know Son of a Gun, TM, Born in 58, possibly others) and only heard Mandrake twice when it came out so my opinion may count for fuck all but yes, 100%, the highs on TM pish all over Mandrake. And Balls is a class album, always loved it, Gods of War, oh my, wonderful song.

This sudden slew of Mandrake apologists is whack yo.
 
Hendrik said:
I don't have high expectations for this album. I was disappointed by Mandrake, and this album is coming out so soon after it, even though he surely put his best ideas into Mandrake, why not?
But of course, I'd love to be pleasantly surprised.
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I wouldn't say he put his best work in TMP. From what we can gather from interviews at the time, TMP was composed of mostly leftovers from earlier sessions with Roy, along with a few new songs. Sonata in particular was deemed unusable for a long time until Roy reworked it and Leana talked Bruce into putting it on the album. The backing music here was all written by Bruce's new band, likely with a bit of input and lyrics by him.

So, I would say it's difficult to know what to expect here. Bruce is excited about it, and supposedly Steve said it had a song (or more, can't remember) that was the best thing he'd sang on. That said, it's weird Steve said that since he's been known to yoink good Bruce solo material (BYDTTS, IESF), yet didn't yoink anything here. Further evidence Steve wasn't planning on a new Maiden album? You decide. ;)

Since some of us are collectively reevaluating The Mandrake Project, I'd say my opinion hasn't changed much. It's a good album, I think, but one with deep flaws. The compilation aspect of it makes it feel less like a cohesive album is the biggest. The production is a clear step down from TCW and ToS. And I wish I could hop in a DeLorean, hit 88mph, go to Paris, and act like a spooky ghost at Bruce's bedside proclaiming disaster should he listen to his wife and include Sonata.

It sits low in the pack of Bruce's solo work for me, probably 2nd to last above Tattooed. I might've put it above Balls, but I really like the George Lucas-ing work added to it, which elevates that album a bit for me. 2nd sounds bad, but Bruce has a really strong catalogue, IMO, so 2nd isn't terrible in this situation. It has a number of songs I'd consider above average to great, such as Ragnarok, Rain on the Graves, Fingers in the Wound, Resurrection Men, and If Eternity Has Failed (prefer it to Maiden's, production-wise, at least).
 
I like “Sonata”. It definitely feels ad-libbed but it’s far from the worst thing he’s ever done. The chorus rules.
 
About the bruce upcoming tour i hope he brings back king in crimson and trumpets of jericho. I miss those 2 songs on the last tour and for me one of the classics. And i think are easier for him to sing.
 
dickinson1978 said:
About the bruce upcoming tour i hope he brings back king in crimson and trumpets of jericho. I miss those 2 songs on the last tour and for me one of the classics. And i think are easier for him to sing.
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No way in hell he is still able to sing Trumpets of Jericho. He was borderline struggling with it in 1998.

Also, those two require baritone guitars with drop A.
 
matic22 said:
No way in hell he is still able to sing Trumpets of Jericho. He was borderline struggling with it in 1998.

Also, those two require baritone guitars with drop A.
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Men he is singing book of thel,the tower and darskide of aquarius. And if im not mistaken he started the tour with the 3 of them then he dropped 1 and rotate them. How he csnnot sing trumpets?
 
dickinson1978 said:
Men he is singing book of thel,the tower and darskide of aquarius. And if im not mistaken he started the tour with the 3 of them then he dropped 1 and rotate them. How he csnnot sing trumpets?
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Book Of Thel is easier. The Tower too.

He struggled with Darkside very much and has been dropped during the last leg.
 
matic22 said:
Book Of Thel is easier. The Tower too.

He struggled with Darkside very much and has been dropped during the last leg.
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Book of thel easier than trumpets? The tower at the same level the chorus

This is crazy at his 65. He started the tour with 3 of them and then drop one. I think he can sing trumpets and the rest of the song apsrt from the chorus is pretty easy.
www.setlist.fm

Bruce Dickinson Setlist at Maçka Küçükçiftlik Park, Istanbul

Get the Bruce Dickinson Setlist of the concert at Maçka Küçükçiftlik Park, Istanbul, Turkey on July 19, 2024 from the The Mandrake Project Tour and other Bruce Dickinson Setlists for free on setlist.fm!
www.setlist.fm www.setlist.fm
 
dickinson1978 said:
Book of thel easier than trumpets? The tower at the same level the chorus

This is crazy at his 65. He started the tour with 3 of them and then drop one. I think he can sing trumpets and the rest of the song apsrt from the chorus is pretty easy.
www.setlist.fm

Bruce Dickinson Setlist at Maçka Küçükçiftlik Park, Istanbul

Get the Bruce Dickinson Setlist of the concert at Maçka Küçükçiftlik Park, Istanbul, Turkey on July 19, 2024 from the The Mandrake Project Tour and other Bruce Dickinson Setlists for free on setlist.fm!
www.setlist.fm www.setlist.fm
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Yeah, I'd wager Trumpets is easier. Half the verses are speech-singing, and the brief top end singing in the chorus, which sounds impressive, but is rather light, is easier I think than the upper mid belting in Thel and Trumpets that make up the bulk of the singing.
 
From personal experience, Trumpets probably has the most difficult chorus because it’s kinda got a few different peaks happening back and forth. Thel is about on the same level though.

The Tower is the easiest of the three cuz you just go up and stay there.
 
Diesel 11 said:
From personal experience, Trumpets probably has the most difficult chorus because it’s kinda got a few different peaks happening back and forth. Thel is about on the same level though.

The Tower is the easiest of the three cuz you just go up and stay there.
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True, but they are where Bruce usually resorts to a supported falsetto, rather than belting.
 
Diesel 11 said:
That would make it harder.
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No, it would not (and the entire "and the Trumpets..." line bears resemblence to reinforced falsetto anway, not in and out, but falsetto, then descends to head voice on "of Jericho"). Ask Geoff Tate. He has always jumped into falsetto for his top, often mid line. It is a well established technique - it isn't like you're switching registers like a car clutch. Fact is that the top end is light, with little air being pushed and less pressure on the folds, than belting in the upper mid range, which requires exact precision and where it's easy to sing with too much pressure and thus wearing yourself out.
 
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Didn't Bruce say in his interview/podcast with The Charismatic Voice that he uses Trumpets of Jericho as his 'warm-up song', starting at a much lower pitch and building it up to normal? This would suggest he at least thinks he can still pull it off.
 
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