IRON MAIDEN: Metal Talk feature by Pippa Lang, inc her 1980 interview!

[pippalang]

http://metaltalk.net/columns/20101113.php

PIPPA LANG spends a weekend at London's 02 Arena in the company of IRON MAIDEN, and lives to tell the tale of thirty years on the edge of the Maiden Family, with references to the 'hilarious debacle' of her first interview with the band in 1980.

 

[seely]

Haha, good read!

 

[Hermod]

Thanks for posting - a good read and happy memories of "the way they were" - Cheers!

 

[maidenman]

I like this part:
When I express dismay to Dave Murray about the inevitable day the band break up, he confirms, "that's not going to happen for a long time."

 

[LooseCannon]

I just hope that's true.

The interviews around The Final Frontier showed a very, very unhappy Adrian Smith. He was hiding it, of course, but it made me think of the stuff I've read from him and Bruce around the Somewhere in Time and Seventh Son era. They talk a lot about how they've all mellowed, but I still have this feeling that Bruce, H, and Steve don't get along as well as we'd all like. They work together, but they don't have to. H and Bruce have proven that.

For me, H is the loose cannon (no pun intended) in the band.

 

[Mosh]

I just hope that's true.

The interviews around The Final Frontier showed a very, very unhappy Adrian Smith. He was hiding it, of course, but it made me think of the stuff I've read from him and Bruce around the Somewhere in Time and Seventh Son era. They talk a lot about how they've all mellowed, but I still have this feeling that Bruce, H, and Steve don't get along as well as we'd all like. They work together, but they don't have to. H and Bruce have proven that.

For me, H is the loose cannon (no pun intended) in the band.

heh, I never noticed that. I have an issue of Metal Hammer that has an H interview I think, that I haven't gotten around to reading, and I'll read this one now. Is it on this interview specifically, or a different one?

 

[LooseCannon]

There were some video interviews around it. I can't remember exactly...but H was with Bruce and on his own, talking about how he thought one thing, but other views prevailed.

 

[Hermod]

I'm not so sure about Bruce, I think he is fully committed to the band it's just hes very opinionated and likes to have he's say and if he can provoke a reaction all the better e.g Ozzfest etc....

It's H i'm not so sure of, in the "F666 DVD" he came across as pretty disillusioned at times and looked as if he could walk away from it at any moment, although that could just have been the effects of touring and being knackered when interviewed.

The problem for both of them (and to a degree Maiden) is that they left before and found it a pretty cold and lonely old place out there, basically they NEED Maiden as much as Maiden need them.

 

[Night Prowler]

There were some video interviews around it. I can't remember exactly...but H was with Bruce and on his own, talking about how he thought one thing, but other views prevailed.

I remember that Adrian wanted a different sound mix for TFF than Steve, but in the end Steve "won".

 

[CriedWhenBrucieLeft]

They should have gone with whatever H thought. TFF has a lovely rounded sound, but the leads & solos are very subdued; & dare I say (if you listen to them carefully in isolation) a little squeaky. Either way, H just sounds/looks like a guy that's not too enamoured by relentless touring.

 

[bearfan]

I just hope that's true.

The interviews around The Final Frontier showed a very, very unhappy Adrian Smith. He was hiding it, of course, but it made me think of the stuff I've read from him and Bruce around the Somewhere in Time and Seventh Son era. They talk a lot about how they've all mellowed, but I still have this feeling that Bruce, H, and Steve don't get along as well as we'd all like. They work together, but they don't have to. H and Bruce have proven that.

For me, H is the loose cannon (no pun intended) in the band.

I hope not, perhaps it is just the touring.  At this point in the band's history (and no offense to Dave, Nicko, or Janick) H, Steve, and Bruce are the key 3 members of the band.

 

[Deleted member 7164]

I'd say that if anyone leaves, they're all done.
Besides, they're probably going to do one more album. Harris could mellow down himself a bit more, so the last one doesn't stir any rifts.

 

[Mosh]

I doubt that will happen.

 

[harrisdevot]

I wouldn't  worry to much about Bruce and H. The former perfectly knows that without Maiden he wouldn't be so successfulla and he desperatly NEEDS succes, and the latter has always had that kind of behaviour. I remember reading and interviex with Steve back in the 80s where he stated that H could rehearse for hours without even beeing satisfied with his sound. His coming back to the studio at the very end of the mixing sessions of TFF, and asking for the mixes to be changed is just unsound  . He also stated that he wasn't to happy (typical english understatement I presume) with Steve always beeing in the studio while he was recording his guitar parts. But this Steve's band, and if H wants to be in control, he should try to get his own.

 

[Tron]

erm, that sounds like an attack on the great one... were getting a few heratics lately 
people must be dealt with.

In all i think you have a point though, H is so wrapped up in achieving his perfect sound that hes never really going to be entirely happy. im similar in the way i do things so i can appreciate, either somethings 100% perfect or its an irritating failure.
also in the F666 interviews to me he just seems to be behaving typically as mellow as hes known for. regardless being up in front of him at Manchester iits plain he loves it. Had this moment that i couldnt get my devil horns up through pushing back to gain space and he mimic'd me having them at half mast and he added a little choirboy sway with a smile.  special moment

 

[CriedWhenBrucieLeft]

I hope not, perhaps it is just the touring.   At this point in the band's history (and no offense to Dave, Nicko, or Janick) H, Steve, and Bruce are the key 3 members of the band.

Do you honestly think they'd continue if Dave or Nicko throw in the towel? I can't imagine it; but I suppose they might.

 

[bearfan]

I tend to doubt either of them would throw in the towel unless there was a physical reason why they have to, but I think they could continue as an effective band without them .. whether they would want to might be a different story.  Again, I have zero desire to see anyone leave, the band is great as-is and I hope it stays around as-is for a long time to come.  I attribute more value to Adrian, Bruce, and Steve based if anything on writing credits and I think are the more creative parts of the band .. again I do not want to discredit Janick, Nicko, or Dave .. I have nothing but respect for them and think they are top notch musicians.

 

[CriedWhenBrucieLeft]

No, I didn't mean you were knocking anyone (I agree with everything you say); just genuinely curious. I mean, Nicko is the oldest, and if he can't tour anymore (at some point in the future, for some physical reason), do you think they'll continue? Clearly they could --but would they?

 

[bearfan]

It is hard to say, if Nicko has an injury pop up in 5 months, I would tend to think they would try to keep going.  If it were 5 years from now, I think they would hang it up.

 

[Mosh]

Do you honestly think they'd continue if Dave or Nicko throw in the towel? I can't imagine it; but I suppose they might.

I don't know if they would, but they could. They don't really add anything to the band anymore. As previously stated by Bearfan, Adrian, Steve, and Bruce are the key figures in the band now.