Gangland

How good is Gangland on a scale of 1-10?


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I think the problem with Gangland lies with the vocal lines and lyrics in the chorus. The rest is golden.
 
I have always liked Gangland!!! I think that Total Eclipse was almost too different to be an album track. Well, saying that: it reminds me a bit on Children Of The Damned and 22 Acacia Avenue, with those slow moody breakdowns in there. To me, Number Of The Beast was always some kind if favourite album, so whatever...
 
Watching this again, Adrian said something curious about the drum intro and the riff of ''Gangland'':

''Clive was listening to a lot of Cozy Powell at the time and he loved Ian Paice, so I think it was an inspiration from that. And I kinda took inspiration from something that maybe Gary Moore would have done over that drum pattern.''
 
Another great drum intro! Definitely the album’s weakest track, but it’s still good. It just doesn’t have the same oomf as the rest. Bruce has a couple great high notes though. Also R.I.P. to that second solo. 7/10
 
As many others have said, easily the weakest song on the album. Not an awful track, but - along with “Invaders” - one of two that stick out as being much weaker than the rest of an otherwise stellar album (although I rate “Invaders” slightly higher because that at least has a really cool riff during the verses). ”Total Eclipse” absolutely should’ve been on the record in its place.

The story about the solo being left off is probably the most interesting thing about it!

Speaking of lead guitar, does anyone know who plays the little fills during the final final chorus? Are they Adrian as well?
 
An interesting little track that reminds me a bit of Invaders in the verses. Compared to Total Eclipse it's easily the better song and I'm glad that it made the album instead of the other track. That said, it's unfortunately nothing special, with the instrumental section before the solo being its saving grace. That section almost feels like a proto Powerslave (the album, not the song). All in all a rather inoffensive 5.
 
Did Bruce co-write this song or have I dreamt it?

I have "always" been sure he co-wrote four NOTB songs, Children of the Damned, The Prisoner, Run to the Hills and Gangland, but was it only Children, Prisoner and Hills?
 
I have "always" been sure he co-wrote four NOTB songs, Children of the Damned, The Prisoner, Run to the Hills and Gangland, but was it only Children, Prisoner and Hills?
I can only find direct references to those last three, though @GhostofCain had a number of posts including "Gangland" in that group. Maybe he has a source he can cite?

EDIT: Found it in an interview with The Bruce Dickinson Well-Being Network from many moons ago (Skunkworks tour, 1996):

Mattias: But did you contribute with anything?
Bruce: Well, it's difficult to say. (laughter) But I think you could say I had a very big moral contribution to certain songs. Like "Children of the damned", "Run to the hills" and "The prisoner" Those three songs were the songs in which I had the biggest moral contribution.

Mattias: Was it lyrically or musically?
Bruce: Ehh, I had a fairly big moral contribution. (laughter) I had a very big moral contribution on "Gangland" too. But "Gangland" kind of sucks. "Gangland and "Invaders" are my two least favourite songs on that record.
 
I can only find direct references to those last three, though @GhostofCain had a number of posts including "Gangland" in that group. Maybe he has a source he can cite?

EDIT: Found it in an interview with The Bruce Dickinson Well-Being Network from many moons ago (Skunkworks tour, 1996):

Mattias: But did you contribute with anything?
Bruce: Well, it's difficult to say. (laughter) But I think you could say I had a very big moral contribution to certain songs. Like "Children of the damned", "Run to the hills" and "The prisoner" Those three songs were the songs in which I had the biggest moral contribution.

Mattias: Was it lyrically or musically?
Bruce: Ehh, I had a fairly big moral contribution. (laughter) I had a very big moral contribution on "Gangland" too. But "Gangland" kind of sucks. "Gangland and "Invaders" are my two least favourite songs on that record.

That’s the source!
 
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He most likely wrote the lyrics and vocal lines.

The reason he says moral contribution is because he was under contract or something like that with Samson and couldn't be credited.
Ah, right. I was aware about the contract and not being allowed to be credited, but I thought he could theoretically talk more freely about that. Makes sense though to phrase it that way.
 
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