Does Iron Maiden dislike the USA?

Sea of Madness

Sea of Madness

Invader
For some reason I've always got the impression that they don't like us too much. I'm from the US and am a huge Maiden fan. I've just always wondered this. Just by listening to some of the little things they say sometimes, I just wonder if they don't like us too much. Or if people from Britain in general don't really like us? I don't know If most people on this forum are from Britain or the US or what. Not trying to start fights, just wondering. Also, if you'd like to reply, state which country you're from. Just like to see where everyone's from and how much of the globe is represented here.
 
I know Bruce (particularly after the reunion) has had some unkind things to say about American audiences, complaining about people sitting in the front row eating burgers or whatever. I don't doubt he saw those things and it has to be frustrating when you're busting your butt onstage, but it's a generalization he's brought up on a number of occasions that he's applied to all American audiences. The rest of the band? Who knows. Nicko lives in the US (Florida) if that matters at all to what he might think of the country.
 
As an outsider on this UK/US thing, hasn't there always been a bit of banter going on between the two peoples? The US being founded by British emigrants and after a long time becoming the larger world power of the two, surely must be good breeding ground for a friendly rivalry? I think at least some of the things Bruce says, must be interpreted with that in mind.
 
Nah, I just think that American Maiden audience (not all of course, so don't accuse me of generalizing) tends to be less... lively? loud?... than South American or European. Plus I bet they are still holding a bit of a grudge for the "Play Classics!" banner :p
 
It's not just American Maiden audience. I've heard other bands describe US hard rock/metal fans as tame and even musicians saying that if it wasn't for Europe and South America, they would be retired.
 
CA Bryers said:
I know Bruce (particularly after the reunion) has had some unkind things to say about American audiences, complaining about people sitting in the front row eating burgers or whatever. I don't doubt he saw those things and it has to be frustrating when you're busting your butt onstage, but it's a generalization he's brought up on a number of occasions that he's applied to all American audiences.
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I believe that Bruce's anger wasn't that much aimed at the audience, in general. More about how the concerts were orchestrated by people with links to corporate bullshit. Result: uninterested popcorn eating relatives get front row seats to see "entertainment" and passionate American fans need to stay behind, literally. (especially in 2005 during Ozzfest Bruce was criticizing this)
 
Forostar said:
I believe that Bruce's anger wasn't that much aimed at the audience, in general. More about how the concerts were orchestrated by people with links to corporate bullshit. Result: uninterested popcorn eating paid egg-throwing relatives get front row seats to see ruin"entertainment" and passionate American fans need to stay behind, literally. (especially in 2005 during Ozzfest Bruce was criticizing this)
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Fixed that for you :p
 
When you're used to playing sold out shows to hundreds of thousands of South Americans or festivals in Europe that are 100% dedicated to metal...I can imagine that an American amphitheater audience would be quite lackluster.

EDIT: Am an American.
 
Breaking on U.S. market was priority for both band and management in early '80s. After they went on first club/arena headlining tour in 1983, immense number of concert dates was allocated to U.S. audiences throughout subsequent tours, even secret shows were played there. After early 90's American audiences treated Maiden like any other classic metal band, with contempt. They played a 1000 people shows there while they were playing 10,000 people shows in Europe or 30,000 in South American case. Simply put - after that mid '90s happened, U.S. won't get that 'special treatment' they had in 1980s, ever again.

There's enough shows in the states. It's a big country - from my perspective it's like a continent. You cannot expect them to visit your particular state any more then I can expect them to visit my country on an European tour.

Bruce had some strong opinions on Americans, Balls To Picasso lyrics are a good source. But that was out of Maiden and Maiden as a music group or enterprise doesn't endorse individual opinions of members, on anything, let alone something volatile as having an 'opinion' about particular county or people.
 
I just notice that hardly any of the influences they name are American bands. Except Dave or Adrian who were influenced by Hendrix maybe. I think Rush is like the only American band Steve admits to being influenced by. It just seems as though they just don't really like us very much for ______ reason.
 
I don't think Maiden dislikes us too much or they wouldn't play here at all. They still seem to give it their all in front of American audiences and put on great shows. It is too bad they've cut back on the number of shows they play though and don't do 40+ cities anymore.
 
Sea of Madness said:
I just notice that hardly any of the influences they name are American bands. Except Dave or Adrian who were influenced by Hendrix maybe. I think Rush is like the only American band Steve admits to being influenced by. It just seems as though they just don't really like us very much for ______ reason.
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Which American bands and artists, except the afore mentioned Hendrix, would be natural influences for an up-and-coming hard rock musician in the 70s? Aerosmith maybe, which others? Forgive my ignorance of great US bands from the 70s.
 
Can't say they were influenced by him but they covered I've Got the Fire by Ronnie Montrose. That's about the only US artist I can connect with Maiden. But I might have forgotten some mentioned in an interview or bio.

edit: And Roll Over Vic Vella was based on Roll Over Beethoven (Chuck Berry).
 
Sea of Madness said:
I just notice that hardly any of the influences they name are American bands. Except Dave or Adrian who were influenced by Hendrix maybe. I think Rush is like the only American band Steve admits to being influenced by. It just seems as though they just don't really like us very much for ______ reason.
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Generally Maiden are influenced by earliest metal (and/or hard rock) bands, and prog rock bands. Likes of Sabbath, Zep, Purple, Lizzy, UFO, Genesis, Floyd...
I don't think you have bands of same quality in same era in U.S.
 
I am an American and I can say first hand the crowds are better elsewhere. I had a chance to catch Maiden in Poland on the last tour and the crowd there was 10X better than the average US crowd. What is sad is that it was not always like this, in the 80s the crowds were much better. But part of the problem might be half their crowds in the US are those same people (myself included) that were there in the 80s.

I only have one show to base this on, but the crowd in Poland also skewed younger than the crowds in the US on the last several tours (there were certainly some fans from the 80s there, just a smaller percentage it seems). I think metal is connecting better with the younger crowds overseas than in the US

Also ... I am pretty sure Adrian lives in Los Angeles .. so half the band lives in the US and Steve is closer (geographically) to the US than the UK at this point .. FWIW
 
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