How good are Iron Maiden (individually)?

Obviously it's a very subjective matter. Sure, complex stuff is impressive, but does that necessarily make it good? No. On the other side of the spectrum would be simple stuff. Not impressive at face value, but is it necessarily bad? No.

So how can you say AC/DC is better than Maiden? AC/DC are masters of the simple, and Maiden are masters of the complex. Could H have ever written something as simple and catchy as You Shook me All Night Long? Could Angus have ever written Isle of Avalon?

Also, does popularity equate to quality? I'm sure most people would say Jimi Hendrix is the best guitarist, he wins every comparison and tops every list, but does that make it true? I think the truly "best guitarist" must be able to compose beautiful songs, have a unique sound and have great chops. That's why I would have to say Larry Carlton is the best in my opinion. He has such an unmistakable style, writes fantastic stuff, and uses some unusual phrasing in his solos but makes it work beautifully. Honorable mention goes to Adrian Smith because he also fits that description, which is something to be said for a rock/metal guitarist.
 
Cap Maronis said:
Ironically, I think the opposite. They're not my favorite band, though I've loved them since childhood, but I do honestly believe no one does everything that factors into making a great rock band better than Iron Maiden. Who else can make quality studio albums for 35 years, be generally regarded as great musicians, an amazing live performance, complete with inclusive call and response style singing with the audience and amazing aesthetics in terms of lighting and etc. sell everything as merchandise and still somehow not sell out, can tour and travel literally to anywhere in the world and play in front of tens of thousands, and be regarded well for their artistic and professional integrity?

The only thing Iron Maiden kind of suck at are promo music videos, but that's okay the ones that matter are where Maiden most matters - live.


So yeah, other than Rush, I can't think of really anyone else who competes, but to be fair there are a few rush albums that I'm just not that partial to
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Yeah I dropped the ball on my statement, it didn't come out exactly the way I intended and figured it would look like revisionist history if I tried to back out of it.  I worded it really poorly and I understand why Jeff laughed at it.  I was trying to say that no matter how much I love Maiden, that I don't think of bands in terms of greatest or 2nd greatest, or anything like that.  I did a real poor job with that line and deserve getting called on it.  Definitely made myself look stupid there.

Suicidehummer said:
That's why I would have to say Larry Carlton is the best in my opinion. He has such an unmistakable style, writes fantastic stuff, and uses some unusual phrasing in his solos but makes it work beautifully.
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Carlton is a monster player no doubt, though I think I dig his tone more than his playing.
 
Cap Maronis said:
Ironically, I think the opposite. They're not my favorite band, though I've loved them since childhood, but I do honestly believe no one does everything that factors into making a great rock band better than Iron Maiden. Who else can make quality studio albums for 35 years, be generally regarded as great musicians, an amazing live performance, complete with inclusive call and response style singing with the audience and amazing aesthetics in terms of lighting and etc. sell everything as merchandise and still somehow not sell out, can tour and travel literally to anywhere in the world and play in front of tens of thousands, and be regarded well for their artistic and professional integrity?

The only thing Iron Maiden kind of suck at are promo music videos, but that's okay the ones that matter are where Maiden most matters - live.
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I agree, but I feel different about Maiden than you and Jeff. Maiden are my favorite band, and are the greatest, in my opinion. Maiden are in a class of their own when talking about metal bands. They are one of the few bands to keep going strong musically, putting out brilliant album after brilliant album without stabbing their fans in the back. They never had to change their sound or image for mainstream popularity. Every Maiden album, while sounding different, continue to have that distinctive "Maiden sound". Also, Maiden is not one of those old acts trying to rekindle their popularity with new releases, and as their career progresses, their albums never grow stale and/or continue to go downhill as some other bands' albums have *cough*MetallicaduringtheLoadera*cough*. Maiden are simply the best in my eyes.
 
Are we still having a little spat?

For reference, Bruce is awesome on his own. I've only ever heard Steve play on Lauren's album, and he was epic, as always. Gers sounds like Gers everywhere, and H is, well, divine.
 
LooseCannon said:
Are we still having a little spat?

For reference, Bruce is awesome on his own. I've only ever heard Steve play on Lauren's album, and he was epic, as always. Gers sounds like Gers everywhere, and H is, well, divine.
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I love Bruce's solo stuff with a passion.  AOB and CW are amazing, and though I don't like it as a whole, I like where he was going with Skunkworks.  

You know what's crazy?  The reunion era lineup has been together longer than any other Maiden lineup now.
 
Twarkle said:
Carlton is a monster player no doubt, though I think I dig his tone more than his playing.
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I do wish he would let loose a little more because I know he would really surprise people if he did. And as you said, his tone is to die for. B)
 
I'll tell you what's not debatable. Iron Maiden has the best rhythm section in the history of rock and roll.
 
im shocked that no one has mentioned dave murray in this thread. He is in my opinion the greatest guitar player of all time,
 
Babo 91 said:
im shocked that no one has mentioned dave murray in this thread. He is in my opinion the greatest guitar player of all time,
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I'm shocked that you're shocked that no one else thinks Dave Murray is the greatest guitarist of all time.

I mean he plays his role excellently within Maiden but come on.
 
To be honest, as the biggest Iron Maiden fan in Israel - I am wholeheartedly and absolutely happy with Nicko's drumming. There couldn't be any other drummer that would fit into Iron Maiden! His style, his speed, his agility playing such a huge drum set, his HUGE DRUM SET, his unprecedented drum rolls - even on the new albums, he's still able to inject new nuances and ideas to his drumming and deliver fantastic beats to complete an Iron Maiden song.

However - he's most definitely not the greatest or the best drummer in the world. Hell, even some of drummers that review cymbals for Memphis Drum Shop are more proficient than he is with styles different than straight 4/4 rock. Nicko, like Murray, is right-on-spot with Maiden, but when I compare him to other great names like Dave Weckl, Niel Peart, Gavin Harrison or even my drum teacher Avi Diamond (drummer for Israeli progressive metal band Orphaned Land) he's no match.

But don't get me wrong - I wouldn't replace no-body in Iron Maiden. No one! Not even in The Killer Crew :P
 
That's the thing with Nicko and Dave. You could take the other four members and fire them into a supergroup and they'd have a place. With Nick and Dave...I just can't see it.
 
Crimson Mask said:
I'm shocked that you're shocked that no one else thinks Dave Murray is the greatest guitarist of all time.

I mean he plays his role excellently within Maiden but come on.
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I can't thnk of anyone who's playing is smoother than murray's, his legato technique is perfect and the guy has delivered some truly classic solos over the years, he also has some good songwriting credits under his belt.
LooseCannon said:
That's the thing with Nicko and Dave. You could take the other four members and fire them into a supergroup and they'd have a place. With Nick and Dave...I just can't see it.
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Why do you think Janick or H could fit in and dave couldn't ? Composing skills ?
 
Babo 91 said:
I can't thnk of anyone who's playing is smoother than murray's, his legato technique is perfect and the guy has delivered some truly classic solos over the years, he also has some good songwriting credits under his belt.
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Exactly. Dave's legato is very good - I find his legato "better" than H's and certainly better than Gers, who although I think he's a very good guitarist, is much much sloppier.

I wouldn't go as far as calling Dave's legato perfect though - It's perfect at his level of playing, although i.e. Satriani's legato is more technically developed - Or well, he plays stuff with legato that I'm not quite sure Dave could.  
 
Yax said:
Exactly. Daveäs legato is very good - I find his legato "better" than H's and certainly better than Gers, who althogh I think he's a very good guitarist, is much much sloppier.

I wouldn't go as far as calling Dave's legato perfect though - It's perfect at his level of playing, although i.e. Satriani's legato is more technically developed - Or well, he plays stuff with legato that I'm not quite sure Dave could.  
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Yeah i think Satriani is one of the best and i think his legato is almost as good as murrays. I just love how murray can play at such high speeds and be very melodic at the same time.
 
Babo 91 said:
I can't thnk of anyone who's playing is smoother than murray's, his legato technique is perfect
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If you are talking solely about smooth legato playing, Allan Holdsworth is probably the smoothest player there is. Brett Garsed is probably at the top of that list as well.   Dave is great though, no question about it.
 
Twarkle said:
If you are talking solely about smooth legato playing, Allan Holdsworth is probably the smoothest player there is.  Dave is great though, no question about it.
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Holdsworth is fantastic - He's so good that even Malmsteen recognizes him!!!

"Who's your favorite legato player?"

"Holdsworth, no question about it."

Babo 91 said:
Yeah i think Satriani is one of the best and i think his legato is almost as good as murrays. I just love how murray can play at such high speeds and be very melodic at the same time.
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Although Satriani plays more difficult stuff. Dude plays sweep shapes with just his left hand, no picking.
 
Yax said:
Holdsworth is fantastic - He's so good that even Malmsteen recognizes him!!!
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LOL.  I recently saw an old Yngwie interview posted where he's played a bunch of albums to judge.  It's from 1993 and he hates everyone.  It's hysterical.  The only guy he gave props to was Petrucci.  Funny stuff, I'll try and find the link.
 
Here's the Yngwie interview I referenced.  It may the single funniest thing I have ever read, it's hard to even take him seriously.  http://www.angelfire.com/musicals/zimi/pages/misc/yngwie_rates.html

His comments on Satriani's "The Mighty Turtle Head",

I like the groovy intro. Sounds like a Strat. But the soloing going over the song is very bad. It's bent out of shape and out of tune. It's very basic bullshit pentatonic runs. The choice of notes in the solo is completely overdone. That stuff has been done for 30 years! I'm sick and tired off that bending bullshit. This is the most run-of-the-mill pentatonic playing I ever heard.
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