GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
I have only skimmed through the Classic Rock issue, but it seems that Nicko's interview was conducted before he announced his retirement.
Iron Maiden News, Links, and Interviews
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The_7th_one
Ancient Mariner
Luisma
Years Wasted
I know for a fact that Steve interview was done in New York in 2024 so Nicko should/could have been interviewed also.
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
I can confirm all band members were interviewed in New York when they stayed there in 2024.
Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
Nicko seems to be in a good mood and very positive, so I'm happy.
The decision was easy because of the circumstances, but now the feelings are mixed. He wish he could still play with the band. He was struggling, so at his age he made the best decision. He was already thinking about it in 2023, 2024 was still good but he didn't improve as much as he wanted and he made his mind during the NA tour and talked to the boys, mainly Steve and the management. They understand but it was a very difficult decision to make. He couldn't do stuff he could. TFP was a rough tour overall for him, especially Trooper and he felt he couldn't give 100% and was not able to drive the band like he wanted to. He will miss touring, but it was too much for him. He had a personal trainer on the tour. Beautiful words at the end to thank the fans.
When talking about future projects, he mentioned an autobiography, playing live with his solo band every month or two (main event), maybe a 70's jazz/rock solo album, generally said he needs to stay in form and play the drums. He didn't say anything about Maiden, probably because he can't know right now, I hope. But he also said: ''when I left the band''...!?
Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
The stuff from Classic Rock:
Very nice interviews. It seems they will be thinking about a new album after RFYL tour. Also, no Remember Tomorrow for the upcoming tour (by Bruce).
The first song Steve wrote when he was 16 years old was ''Endless Pit'' - later ''Innocent Exile''.
Steve: ''I feel so happy and lucky to still be playing live 50 years later''.
Bruce: ''I always wanted this to be the most extraordinary heavy metal band in the world. And I think we are, actually. With the repertoire, the songs, the depth...''
Nicko (wasn't in his usual mood): ''I have problems with my dexterity. It's funny, because sometimes when I sit at my practice kit I can do the big drum fill in the intro to Trooper. But even then it's a bit flaky, it's not clean. So rather than do it and not get it right, I leave it out.''
For Steve the definite early Maiden song is - Phantom Of The Opera.
Steve: ''As a bass player, I don't write or play like a guitarist would. And with Phantom it was obvious that my style of writing was very different to what people were used to. My songs were unusual, a bit quirky, but it felt natural to me. I wanted to play with aggression. I don't like punk at all, so it's not that. At that age you're full of energy, and that's what you want to come through, but with lost of melody. That's why I wanted twin guitars.''
Steve about NWOBHM: ''We were in the right place at the right time.''
Steve: ''Paul was a lovable rogue. His voice had a certain quality to it, a rawness. But he didn't look after himself. I got the impression that he never really believed he had it in him to go to the next level.''
Steve: ''I was very worried at having a singer change at that point. The fans took Bruce incredibly well. It was an absolute relief, if I'm honest. And then the album went to number one, and it's like: 'Wow, what's happening here'''.
In all the years Steve led the band, only once did he think long and hard about whether he had it in him to keep this band going: ''It was in 1993. And I thought the rest of them are going to look to me for strength here, and I don't know if I've got it. But it didn't last long. I couldn't carry on feeling sorry for myself''.
Steve about the Blaze albums: ''Honestly, I thought some of the songs on those albums were among the best I've ever written. But those songs were quite dark, without even realising it. I enjoyed the challenge, being the underdog again.''
Steve about replacing members: ''That's the worst side of being in a band. It's not something I feel comfortable with. Never have done. Never will. But you've got to do what's right for the band.''
Steve about the return of Bruce and Adrian: ''I was unsure about it for a while. I just wanted to make sure they were coming back for the right reasons.''
Steve about BNW: ''We made a really strong album, went on tour, played Rock In Rio and all that. This is great. And I knew then that we could just carry on as long as we want.''
Steve: ''Bruce and me, we never had fights or anything like that. But that's what it's like when you're in a band for a long time. Certain characters will clash. But there's a chemistry that works when everybody's together. It just works. So why would you want to compromise that just for some bullshit stuff that goes down?''
Dave: ''Me and Adrian lived two streets away from each other. We used to jam, and eventually we put a little band together (named Stone Free). Me and Steve are the complete opposite. I'm just really chilled out. The leadership comes from Steve, Bruce and Rod. I'm more like a team player, and I'm happy to be in that position. You couldn't have a whole band with people as laid-back as me, or else nothing would get done.''
Dave: ''We needed time off in the 80s, for our sanity. There wasn't much time to think about it. You just lived it.''
Dave: ''I always liked Blaze. Good singer, lovely guy. But we were playing in smaller places, where previously we'd been playing in arenas. It seemed like it was coming towards the end... Until Bruce and Adrian cam back.''
Dave: ''I love playing, it's my favorite thing to do. But there's a fine balance between touring and having a life at home. In the old days with the band it was constant.''
Adrian: ''Steve just trust his instincts. I like to absorb and go away and think about it. To me that's just being sensible''.
Adrian thought long and hard to join Maiden in 1979, he had high hopes for Urchin. Making the Killers album was a daunting experience for him. ''Can you do that overdub?''
Adrian: ''The 80s were very intense. You've got to be mentally strong to get out there and perform every night. And I definitely had some issues. It was in 1990 that it all came to a head. I'd started to feel like I was stifled in the band. I didn't know what I wanted to do. They sat me down and said: 'Are you into it? You've got to be 100% in it.' So... that was it. For a while I felt okay about leaving the band, I was kind of relieved.''
Adrian was approached by Def Leppard near the end of 1991: ''Phil had auditioned for Urchin back in the day. And when I joined Maiden I knew that he had also been in the frame. He was mates with Paul''. Steve Harris (friends with Joe Elliott) and Ross Halfin recommended him to Leppard. He auditioned in LA. ''Great guys, we played together or a couple of days''.
Adrian about Vivian Campbell: ''He's more of a virtuoso guitarist than I am. And I guess personality-wise he felt in''.
Just a few months later, Adrian came to the realisation that his heart was still in Maiden: ''Donington 1992, it was my missus who said I should do it, just to show there's no hard feelings. But when I got there I was nervous. I was at the side of the stage, watching them play all the songs we used to play, and I just burst out crying. I was overwhelmed. It really hit me then. There was a lot of my life in the band. I just grabbed one of Dave's guitars. Janick grabbed me in a headlock and pulled me all the way out onto the catwalk! And when Running Free started up, I thought: 'This is a bit fast!' But I got through it-just about. And in the end it was a nice thing to do''.
Steve: ''Of the three guitarist in Maiden, Janick is the most extrovert. Where Dave is happy to go with the flow, and Adrian likes to take his time in collecting his thoughts.''
Janick: ''When I joined Maiden, one of the things I heard was: 'You're not like a rock start. You're like one of the punters'. Yes, that's exactly what I am. This is part of my life. It isn't my whole life.''
Janick: ''Because I was hanging around with Bruce, people might have thought I was trying to get into Maiden, but that was never in my mind. It never occurred to me that anyone would ever leave that band.''
Janick refused to touch Adrian's gear when they rehearsed for the first time. But when they did the Trooper, he got this adrenaline buzz. They did a few more and he was in.
Janick about Bruce's leaving and Blaze: ''I felt like he'd left me by myself. We made it hard for Blaze. We made him sing Run To The Hills, The Evil That Men Do - songs that weren't in his range.''
Janick: ''My attitude was: 'I'll go. If you get Adrian back, it'll be like it was before'. But then Steve's shared his idea about going somewhere else with 3 guitars''.
Janick: ''Even when I'm in the studio I'm all nervous energy. I like to just plug and play. It's the same when I'm playing live. For me it's all about intensity. I don't know why I swing my guitars around. Haven't a clue.''
Bruce: ''There's something going on with this band. I think they're going to be big. When I first heard Killers, the whole album, it melted my ears! There were lots of rumours about Paul going around. With Maiden, we first jammed on some rock classics: 'a bit of AC/DC, a bit of Purple, Woman From Tokyo, Black Night'. Then they tried some Maiden songs. They'd asked me to learn 4. With 2 albums, I just learned all of them.''
Bruce about Remember Tomorrow: ''If ever Paul owned a song, it's that one. I can sing it, and have done. But I think we should leave it with Paul now.''
Bruce: ''What we did in the 80s, the approach, that's not great if you've got a kind of high-performance voice. I genuinely thought I should leave music in 1985. But it's been worth it.'' In hindsight, he thinks it's ''amazing'' that he hung in there for another seven years.
Bruce: ''BNW was the best albums since SSOASS. It also marked the beginning of a second golden age for Maiden, which has been remarkable.''
Nicko: ''I first met the band in 1979. Two years later I really bonded with the boys. Me and Clive were friends, drummers are like that. Back then it never crossed my mind I would play in Maiden. Where Eagles Dare was a great way to introduce myself.''
Nicko: ''It's an honor and a privilede to still be part of it. The magic of this band's longevity is we still get on well, and we still have that passion for the music. I think that's the true essence of Maiden. And after all these years, I still love these guys.''
Steve: ''Obviously we can't carry on for ever. The show that we do is a very physical thing. How long can we keep going? I really don't know. I think you'd know in yourself if you can't cut it any more. And I like to think that we're still out there giving it large.''
Dave: ''Maiden should, eventually, bow out with dignity and grace.''
Bruce: ''If it's not real, it's not Maiden.''
Steve: ''It's a fantastic back catalogue that we've got, but you don't just rely on that. We've done tours before where we've only played the old stuff, but we've always continued to make new albums. And even now, I'm still writing all the time. I've got so many ideas, it's ridiculous, insane.''
Bruce: ''God forbid we should make another record (laughing). But we're booked up through 2025, 2026... so let's wait and see how we all feel about it.''
Bruce: ''Now, I appreciate how fantastic it is. So I'm constantly grateful. And, hopefully do it well.''
Steve: ''I feel so happy and lucky to still be playing live 50 years later''.
Bruce: ''I always wanted this to be the most extraordinary heavy metal band in the world. And I think we are, actually. With the repertoire, the songs, the depth...''
Nicko (wasn't in his usual mood): ''I have problems with my dexterity. It's funny, because sometimes when I sit at my practice kit I can do the big drum fill in the intro to Trooper. But even then it's a bit flaky, it's not clean. So rather than do it and not get it right, I leave it out.''
For Steve the definite early Maiden song is - Phantom Of The Opera.
Steve: ''As a bass player, I don't write or play like a guitarist would. And with Phantom it was obvious that my style of writing was very different to what people were used to. My songs were unusual, a bit quirky, but it felt natural to me. I wanted to play with aggression. I don't like punk at all, so it's not that. At that age you're full of energy, and that's what you want to come through, but with lost of melody. That's why I wanted twin guitars.''
Steve about NWOBHM: ''We were in the right place at the right time.''
Steve: ''Paul was a lovable rogue. His voice had a certain quality to it, a rawness. But he didn't look after himself. I got the impression that he never really believed he had it in him to go to the next level.''
Steve: ''I was very worried at having a singer change at that point. The fans took Bruce incredibly well. It was an absolute relief, if I'm honest. And then the album went to number one, and it's like: 'Wow, what's happening here'''.
In all the years Steve led the band, only once did he think long and hard about whether he had it in him to keep this band going: ''It was in 1993. And I thought the rest of them are going to look to me for strength here, and I don't know if I've got it. But it didn't last long. I couldn't carry on feeling sorry for myself''.
Steve about the Blaze albums: ''Honestly, I thought some of the songs on those albums were among the best I've ever written. But those songs were quite dark, without even realising it. I enjoyed the challenge, being the underdog again.''
Steve about replacing members: ''That's the worst side of being in a band. It's not something I feel comfortable with. Never have done. Never will. But you've got to do what's right for the band.''
Steve about the return of Bruce and Adrian: ''I was unsure about it for a while. I just wanted to make sure they were coming back for the right reasons.''
Steve about BNW: ''We made a really strong album, went on tour, played Rock In Rio and all that. This is great. And I knew then that we could just carry on as long as we want.''
Steve: ''Bruce and me, we never had fights or anything like that. But that's what it's like when you're in a band for a long time. Certain characters will clash. But there's a chemistry that works when everybody's together. It just works. So why would you want to compromise that just for some bullshit stuff that goes down?''
Dave: ''Me and Adrian lived two streets away from each other. We used to jam, and eventually we put a little band together (named Stone Free). Me and Steve are the complete opposite. I'm just really chilled out. The leadership comes from Steve, Bruce and Rod. I'm more like a team player, and I'm happy to be in that position. You couldn't have a whole band with people as laid-back as me, or else nothing would get done.''
Dave: ''We needed time off in the 80s, for our sanity. There wasn't much time to think about it. You just lived it.''
Dave: ''I always liked Blaze. Good singer, lovely guy. But we were playing in smaller places, where previously we'd been playing in arenas. It seemed like it was coming towards the end... Until Bruce and Adrian cam back.''
Dave: ''I love playing, it's my favorite thing to do. But there's a fine balance between touring and having a life at home. In the old days with the band it was constant.''
Adrian: ''Steve just trust his instincts. I like to absorb and go away and think about it. To me that's just being sensible''.
Adrian thought long and hard to join Maiden in 1979, he had high hopes for Urchin. Making the Killers album was a daunting experience for him. ''Can you do that overdub?''
Adrian: ''The 80s were very intense. You've got to be mentally strong to get out there and perform every night. And I definitely had some issues. It was in 1990 that it all came to a head. I'd started to feel like I was stifled in the band. I didn't know what I wanted to do. They sat me down and said: 'Are you into it? You've got to be 100% in it.' So... that was it. For a while I felt okay about leaving the band, I was kind of relieved.''
Adrian was approached by Def Leppard near the end of 1991: ''Phil had auditioned for Urchin back in the day. And when I joined Maiden I knew that he had also been in the frame. He was mates with Paul''. Steve Harris (friends with Joe Elliott) and Ross Halfin recommended him to Leppard. He auditioned in LA. ''Great guys, we played together or a couple of days''.
Adrian about Vivian Campbell: ''He's more of a virtuoso guitarist than I am. And I guess personality-wise he felt in''.
Just a few months later, Adrian came to the realisation that his heart was still in Maiden: ''Donington 1992, it was my missus who said I should do it, just to show there's no hard feelings. But when I got there I was nervous. I was at the side of the stage, watching them play all the songs we used to play, and I just burst out crying. I was overwhelmed. It really hit me then. There was a lot of my life in the band. I just grabbed one of Dave's guitars. Janick grabbed me in a headlock and pulled me all the way out onto the catwalk! And when Running Free started up, I thought: 'This is a bit fast!' But I got through it-just about. And in the end it was a nice thing to do''.
Steve: ''Of the three guitarist in Maiden, Janick is the most extrovert. Where Dave is happy to go with the flow, and Adrian likes to take his time in collecting his thoughts.''
Janick: ''When I joined Maiden, one of the things I heard was: 'You're not like a rock start. You're like one of the punters'. Yes, that's exactly what I am. This is part of my life. It isn't my whole life.''
Janick: ''Because I was hanging around with Bruce, people might have thought I was trying to get into Maiden, but that was never in my mind. It never occurred to me that anyone would ever leave that band.''
Janick refused to touch Adrian's gear when they rehearsed for the first time. But when they did the Trooper, he got this adrenaline buzz. They did a few more and he was in.
Janick about Bruce's leaving and Blaze: ''I felt like he'd left me by myself. We made it hard for Blaze. We made him sing Run To The Hills, The Evil That Men Do - songs that weren't in his range.''
Janick: ''My attitude was: 'I'll go. If you get Adrian back, it'll be like it was before'. But then Steve's shared his idea about going somewhere else with 3 guitars''.
Janick: ''Even when I'm in the studio I'm all nervous energy. I like to just plug and play. It's the same when I'm playing live. For me it's all about intensity. I don't know why I swing my guitars around. Haven't a clue.''
Bruce: ''There's something going on with this band. I think they're going to be big. When I first heard Killers, the whole album, it melted my ears! There were lots of rumours about Paul going around. With Maiden, we first jammed on some rock classics: 'a bit of AC/DC, a bit of Purple, Woman From Tokyo, Black Night'. Then they tried some Maiden songs. They'd asked me to learn 4. With 2 albums, I just learned all of them.''
Bruce about Remember Tomorrow: ''If ever Paul owned a song, it's that one. I can sing it, and have done. But I think we should leave it with Paul now.''
Bruce: ''What we did in the 80s, the approach, that's not great if you've got a kind of high-performance voice. I genuinely thought I should leave music in 1985. But it's been worth it.'' In hindsight, he thinks it's ''amazing'' that he hung in there for another seven years.
Bruce: ''BNW was the best albums since SSOASS. It also marked the beginning of a second golden age for Maiden, which has been remarkable.''
Nicko: ''I first met the band in 1979. Two years later I really bonded with the boys. Me and Clive were friends, drummers are like that. Back then it never crossed my mind I would play in Maiden. Where Eagles Dare was a great way to introduce myself.''
Nicko: ''It's an honor and a privilede to still be part of it. The magic of this band's longevity is we still get on well, and we still have that passion for the music. I think that's the true essence of Maiden. And after all these years, I still love these guys.''
Steve: ''Obviously we can't carry on for ever. The show that we do is a very physical thing. How long can we keep going? I really don't know. I think you'd know in yourself if you can't cut it any more. And I like to think that we're still out there giving it large.''
Dave: ''Maiden should, eventually, bow out with dignity and grace.''
Bruce: ''If it's not real, it's not Maiden.''
Steve: ''It's a fantastic back catalogue that we've got, but you don't just rely on that. We've done tours before where we've only played the old stuff, but we've always continued to make new albums. And even now, I'm still writing all the time. I've got so many ideas, it's ridiculous, insane.''
Bruce: ''God forbid we should make another record (laughing). But we're booked up through 2025, 2026... so let's wait and see how we all feel about it.''
Bruce: ''Now, I appreciate how fantastic it is. So I'm constantly grateful. And, hopefully do it well.''
Very nice interviews. It seems they will be thinking about a new album after RFYL tour. Also, no Remember Tomorrow for the upcoming tour (by Bruce).
07-SMS:A1L
Educated Fool
BRUCE DICKINSON Rules Out Using Backing Tracks At IRON MAIDEN Concerts: 'If It's Not Real, It's Not MAIDEN'
In an interview for the latest issue of Classic Rock magazine, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson insisted that he and his bandmates would rather "bow out with dignity" than put on a show that's not up to par. "The idea that you can turn it into the Disneyland MAIDEN by using backing tracks, a...
blabbermouth.net
Bruce seems to have forgotten about those 2016 Powerslave backing vocals
Shavasku
Ancient Mariner
Wasn't that from the live keyboardist?BRUCE DICKINSON Rules Out Using Backing Tracks At IRON MAIDEN Concerts: 'If It's Not Real, It's Not MAIDEN'
In an interview for the latest issue of Classic Rock magazine, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson insisted that he and his bandmates would rather "bow out with dignity" than put on a show that's not up to par. "The idea that you can turn it into the Disneyland MAIDEN by using backing tracks, a...
Bruce seems to have forgotten about those 2016 Powerslave backing vocals
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
Triggered by him, but sounds like a backing vocals track from the studio version of the song that, therefore, wasn’t really live…
Cat Milk Supreme
Ancient Mariner
It's live enough if you ask me. A little different for Maiden for sure but I saw that as just an embellishment, like lights or dry ice or a backdrop change. It was so obviously not real that it wasn't like they were trying to fool anyone, they weren't covering up any kind of human weakness, it was just an effect, no different to havin the guitar tech backstage hit different pedals at certain times.
Also, maybe is from the studio version but it always sounded different to me, like a new sound they had concocted for the occasion but I've never done a direct comparison
Ruflux
Ancient Mariner
Well... I'd argue that they were covering for two instances of human weakness: one on Steve for being unable to do that kind of backing vocal, and the second on Adrian for being unwilling to do it after he'd previously already done so with Bruce's solo band back in the 90s.
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
There’s more to it. He did not include The Three Wives of Bruce Dickinson tale!
Bruce: “Adrian’s still got the original wife. I’m on my third, and I don’t want to have anymore, thank you very much. I’m very happy with the one I’ve got now. I’m super-happy, because she’s brilliant for my mental health. I think I’m shocking for hers! But all of us in this band have been through that mill”.
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
I would argue that triggering a backing track is not live as per the Bruce Dickinson’s definition of authenticity.
That being said, I personally do not have a problem with these things being used to embellish things in concerts, but at least please do not pontificate from the altar of Classic Rock.
Cat Milk Supreme
Ancient Mariner
Well thats exactly my point, the desired sound was so far beyond their human capabilities that its akin to using a wha wha pedal on a guitar, a magic sound for a magic moment. Maybe they should have got Michael Kenny out to play it on a tiny violin
Cat Milk Supreme
Ancient Mariner
Pfffft, listening to what Bruce Bruce says is your first mistake, unlikely to be your last baby!I would argue that triggering a backing track is not live as per the Bruce Dickinson’s definition of authenticity.
That being said, I personally do not have a problem with these things being used to embellish things in concerts, but at least please do not pontificate from the altar of Classic Rock.