Future past…..live album

AncientMariner_Essex

AncientMariner_Essex

Ancient Mariner
We’re now into February and nearly 2 months after the last date in the future past tour and no news yet of a live album.

Does anyone think we will actually get one?

I was sure we would get one but as time ticks on i’m starting to doubt it. The new tour starts in less than 4 months and I would have thought they would get a live album of the previous tour out well in advance of the new tour starting.
 
07-SMS:A1L said:
Do we really want one though?
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Yeah I’d like one.

Bruce sounded amazing when I saw them and from
Some of the YouTube clips I’ve seen he was consistently good most of the tour. The band sounded great with only Nicko slightly off but that’s fine to me.

There’s too many great songs on this tour that aren’t on a live album already so it would be a real missed opportunity if we don’t end up with an album.
 
onurb said:
He did much better in 2024.
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Would have been much better if Run for Your Lives was the 2023-2024 tour saying goodbye to Nicko, while 2025-2026 was 40th anniversary Future Past tour celebrating Somewhere in Time with Simon. I was beyond excited for a SiT themed live album, but the performance quality for the band in total is worse than Blaze Bayley era.
 
You would be surprised how the guys sound live when soloed (hint; we're not talking Dream Theater level of tightness with barely any mistakes). Steve, for instance, is rather sloppy. I've been having fun with using AI to isolate the tracks from bootlegs from the 90s and onwards. After going through a few of them, I think people here in general are being a bit hard on Nicko.
 
Yax said:
You would be surprised how the guys sound live when soloed (hint; we're not talking Dream Theater level of tightness with barely any mistakes). Steve, for instance, is rather sloppy. I've been having fun with using AI to isolate the tracks from bootlegs from the 90s and onwards. After going through a few of them, I think people here in general are being a bit hard on Nicko.
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To be fair this is the biggest heavy metal band in the world. Blaze Bayley out of key or Nicko out of shape is not going to work on a live album.
 
07-SMS:A1L said:
To be fair this is the biggest live band in the world. Blaze Bayley out of key or Nicko out of shape is not going to work on a live album.
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Or Steve going off time, losing track of what to play and coming back into it a bar later (and not because Nicko is throwing him off) or being a 4th or 8th note off every now and then. I've seen plenty of that. Like, I think all Maiden live albums are a bit touched-up, because stuff like that can be found in every damn bootleg there is. Maiden aren't exactly flawless live and actually rarely have been.

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07-SMS:A1L said:
One of the best moments in Iron Maiden history? Might be!
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Like, the breakdown here isn't rocket tight. Steve is fumbling slightly the first two bars. And it's fine. But if I were to listen to it soloed, I'd be "wow, go practice Steve!"
 
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07-SMS:A1L said:
So Future Past live album with Simon rerecording the drums in studio?
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Nah, probably just some slight editing, choose the right performances, some sample reinforcement to get some power in the tom hits every now and then, tightening up Steve’s bass tracks a bit, fixing some off chording by copy-paste or nudging time and we’re set. Like really, you’re being too hard on Nick. Maiden aren’t note perfect live, and there certainly is potential for a decent live compilation.
 
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I think there would be plenty to be excited about with a live album from TFPT. Loads of songs that haven't been played in decades, some brand new ones. I loved the Glasgow show and that wasn't even Nicko at his best post-stroke. Sure there's fills and nuances missing, but for the slower songs I thought Nicko sounded really solid.
 
Good question. I'm a bit worried now. If we don't have news on this in March (En Vivo schedule; or April at the latest, although dunno). I thought a live & video album from TFP tour was a sure thing, since they didn't record the 1986 tour.

Who knows if they band really wants it because of Nicko's performances or even if he wants it himself, but it's not like we won't enjoy it. The 2024 performances were better and improved. The tour's theme and songs are just too good to miss - also, the last tour with the Reunion lineup!
I mean, it's a must. Fans know Nicko gave it his best. And it's not like the whole show was struggling, only a few songs. The setlist (apart from some must-have picks and the opener) was chosen with Nicko's playing in mind, I'm sure. Still I think it sounded good enough. Even the last date. Solid playing from Nicko, for the most part. Plus they've already allowed/released 5 official live songs from Wacken 2023.

One show is possible (the last date of the tour?) or again from multiple shows, which might help Nicko.

Usually live albums/video are released before a new tour starts, right. And we still don't know when the band will release the rumored documentary. Maybe after the tour.
 
My guess is that we won't see a live album from this tour. Album pressings are in general expensive, and although Maiden is a band who can still make money on albums physically and digitally, the profit margins are lower. And lower still when you consider that they can just drop stuff on Youtube and get a fair bit of money back from it. While I think we all loved a tour full of new album + deep cuts, the likelihood of all that selling well is low.

It's possible something from this goes into the vault to be dripped out after Maiden retires.
 
If they can put out legacy of the beast live with all the sound problems that had I’m sure they could put out a future past live package and it would sell well.

Loads of bands are still putting out decent packaged physical products and Maiden has a built in fan base that would lap up not only a new live album but a lot of fans would buy multiple versions to add to a collection.
 
07-SMS:A1L said:
Do we really want one though?
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Well, considering Nicko's situation, this is some will from him! And in 2024 some of the fills came back and the overall playing improved. This clip, the playing is a bit slower (set spot), but it's not that bad, rather nice. 2024 performances are fine enough, at least for me.
AncientMariner_Essex said:
Yeah I’d like one. Bruce sounded amazing when I saw them and from Some of the YouTube clips I’ve seen he was consistently good most of the tour. The band sounded great with only Nicko slightly off but that’s fine to me. There’s too many great songs on this tour that aren’t on a live album already so it would be a real missed opportunity if we don’t end up with an album.
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This.
07-SMS:A1L said:
Would have been much better if Run for Your Lives was the 2023-2024 tour saying goodbye to Nicko, while 2025-2026 was 40th anniversary Future Past tour celebrating Somewhere in Time with Simon. I was beyond excited for a SiT themed live album, but the performance quality for the band in total is worse than Blaze Bayley era.
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Material-wise, but I'm glad that Nicko played SIT (Alexander!) and the new songs. Not to his best, unfortunately. Plus it wouldn't have been possible with the new album. They played songs from it in 2022 because of TFP theme.

I still wonder, if all was by plan, SIT would have had its own History tour - after the one for SSOASS?
07-SMS:A1L said:
Blaze Bayley out of key or Nicko out of shape is not going to work on a live album.
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This is a valid comment, but the situations are different. And live shows are not perfect or for some not the best performances.
Yax said:
Nah, probably just some slight editing, choose the right performances, some sample reinforcement to get some power in the tom hits every now and then...
Like really, you’re being too hard on Nick.
...and there certainly is potential for a decent live compilation.
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Well said.
Trevoire said:
I think there would be plenty to be excited about with a live album from TFPT. Loads of songs that haven't been played in decades, some brand new ones. I loved the Glasgow show and that wasn't even Nicko at his best post-stroke. Sure there's fills and nuances missing, but for the slower songs I thought Nicko sounded really solid.
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Yes. And not just the slower songs, imo. If I have to say something about Nicko's performances:
CSIT - overall one of the best sounding songs from the tour. He did a very good job, probably not all nights.
SIASL - worked great, very fitting groove for him.
TWOTW - same as the above.
DOFP - not a hard song for him, straightforward playing.
Time Machine - a bit tricky song for the whole band, despite not being fast. The transitions and the lively second part for him, but it should have a fine enough performance.
Prisoner - he always played it differently (fills) than the original and if we omit the intro, the energy was great.
DOTC - he sounded better in 2024, it was fine most nights iirc.
CIPWM - fine, added for him I think.
HCW - he played it a little differenty and it worked for the most part.
ATG - some rough nights, but overall a good groove for him.
FOTD - overall one of the rough songs for him.
IM - it wasn't that easy of a song, but the 2024 performances were improved. He can allow ''different'' playing for it.
Hell On Earth - omitting some fills, but it worked, proper tempo and groove.
Trooper - another rough song, had its moments in 2024.
Wasted Years - again rough song, but it's a must to have it from Sao Paulo.
AncientMariner_Essex said:
If they can put out legacy of the beast live with all the sound problems that had I’m sure they could put out a future past live package and it would sell well.
Loads of bands are still putting out decent packaged physical products and Maiden has a built in fan base that would lap up not only a new live album but a lot of fans would buy multiple versions to add to a collection.
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Agreed.
 
I definitely think Nicko's condition is going to prevent a live album from this tour. Maybe if they cobble together a best of compilation in the style of Book of Souls live chapter, but even then I am not sure if there is a great performance of each song out there since there are several songs and parts that Nicko was basically unable to play (Trooper jumps to mind, Caught Somewhere in Time while workable was often rough). And even if they do have some solid performances, Nicko has directly acknowledged online comments about his playing so the band is clearly aware of what's said here and on other platforms, so I reckon they just won't want to draw more attention to it.

On the other hand, we still don't know of any Maiden releases this year. They usually release something every year, even if small, and we haven't really had a new live album since 2020 (unless you count the Beast Over Hammersmith live issue). Unless there's something special cooking for the 50th or the documentary is real, I could see an opening for a release this year.
 
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