The problem is IM musicians just don't care about fitting into any changes, and the management has nothing to do with their artistic directions. Steve mentioned once that artistic independence was the main condition of a management contract.
Iron Maiden's management: What went wrong?
- Thread starter Mosh
- Start date
Eddie's Uncle
Educated Fool
Exactly, they tried. Didnt work at all in my ears. For the very same reasons you also mention below.
Perosnal taste is of course always legit and if you enjoy it, who am I to debate. But I also have to say: if those exact albums were recorded by a newcomer act instead of Metallica, nobody would have noticed. Nobody! Reviews would have been like "just another thrash album, decent, but next please". These albums were noticed because of the Metallica logo, and sold because of the loyalty of the fans.
Probably true.
It fits indeed. Probably all three thoughts are correct. However, they all result in the same thing: he is not into it any more. Outgrown or different interests, the outcome is the same. It is pure painting by numbers. Creating a product for the market, carefully designed to please and to uphold an image. That's what I mean with garbage. It is all plastic.
Exactly.
I don't deny that.
Cant be much more trashy than that. I mean, they could have collaborated with some underground act, making a dream come true for them, pushing someone who really needs it. Instead they go for the queen of trash, which is already on top of the world...
Yeah, they truely are garbage. Definitely more garbage than Metallica. But they always were garbage, Metallica actually were brilliant once.
Flaming Blimp Crash
Ancient Mariner
I'm not quite understanding where these things are problems. Let the musicians do what they want to do.
Edington
Last Son of The Miracle
The Metallica/Gaga performance was trash, but through no fault of hers. She's a genuine fan of metal, it was probably a dream come true for her, why does it matter that she is already successful and popular?
If anything it was probably gonna give Metallica a push - not that they need it either - but the whole thing was so badly handled that I doubt it gained them many new fans and just left most watching it confused.
Flaming Blimp Crash
Ancient Mariner
I believe the goal was to help keep the band actively in the eye of the American public as they announced the North American WorldWired stadium dates the day after the Grammys performance with Gaga. The appearance may have been made to give them a little boost for the new venues as they hadn't toured stadiums as a solo headliner before. (Summer Sanitarium was like a mini-festival)
I still think Maiden wants to hop up to some stadium dates in North America for 2026, so I think the tour announcement will be tied into the documentary release.
You're probably right. The documentary, which will be screened in cinemas and distributed on social media, should impact the American market. Kate Bush was inducted into the RnRHoF, thanks to one song on Netflix. I think the Iron Maiden movie might be the key to wider audiences in NA.
Flaming Blimp Crash
Ancient Mariner
Motley Crue (don't throw your tomatoes at me), got a bounce from their Netflix movie to co-headline stadiums. They were never at that level before.
Sheriff_of_Huddersfield
Solipsistic Ideation
Another way to look at this is genre popularity.
Straightforward 4:4 time, chorus verse, bridge (maybe) format rock typically enjoys more popularity than prog rock does.
Metallica, while they have NWOBHM roots pioneered by bands like Maiden (who were really only 3 years ahead in debut album release), and display high technical musical competency, were always more rock than prog based.
Comparing Maiden and Metallica would be like comparing Rush to Led Zeppelin or Yes to U2.
Sorta.
The point is the proggier the band, the more devoted its core fan base tends to be but its mass appeal lags more accessible bands.
Straightforward 4:4 time, chorus verse, bridge (maybe) format rock typically enjoys more popularity than prog rock does.
Metallica, while they have NWOBHM roots pioneered by bands like Maiden (who were really only 3 years ahead in debut album release), and display high technical musical competency, were always more rock than prog based.
Comparing Maiden and Metallica would be like comparing Rush to Led Zeppelin or Yes to U2.
Sorta.
The point is the proggier the band, the more devoted its core fan base tends to be but its mass appeal lags more accessible bands.
Words of wisdom, but MC always were into American audience taste, a way more than Maiden.
I guess I'm on Team Proggie since Rush, Yes and Maiden are my three favorite bands.
Although to take your example further I also love Zeppelin and U2.
Sheriff_of_Huddersfield
Solipsistic Ideation
Oh yeah, I like all the bands I’ve mentioned as well but listen to Maiden, Rush, and Yes far more than the others.
Christopher Baines
Educated Fool
I agree Rod dropped the ball around the 90's. The last 25yrs he seems so out of date. He was great in the 80's but should have retired in the 90's
According to Nicko McBrain, Rod said RnRHoF CEO "Fuck Off, Bollocks" and tell them not to nominate the band anymore. The SiT jacket, which they showed once last year, was brought back to the band from Cleveland's rock museum permanent exhibition. I think they will open something like an Iron Maiden Museum on their own. A few years ago, Steve suggested they think about his house in Essex to be used as the band's museum. Who knows.
www.ironmaidenitalia.com
Nicko McBrain: "Il management degli Iron Maiden ha scritto alla Rock and Roll Hall of Fame di smetterla di nominarci"
"Sono cazz*te. Vaffanc*lo"
www.ironmaidenitalia.com
Flaming Blimp Crash
Ancient Mariner
Maybe that explains the jacket being used in Newark, it was the Rock Hall jacket.According to Nicko McBrain, Rod said RnRHoF CEO "Fuck Off, Bollocks" and tell them not to nominate the band anymore. The SiT jacket, which they showed once last year, was brought back to the band from Cleveland's rock museum permanent exhibition. I think they will open something like an Iron Maiden Museum on their own. A few years ago, Steve suggested they think about his house in Essex to be used as the band's museum. Who knows.
Nicko McBrain: "Il management degli Iron Maiden ha scritto alla Rock and Roll Hall of Fame di smetterla di nominarci"
"Sono cazz*te. Vaffanc*lo"
ShadowOfTheGods
Ancient Mariner
According to Nicko McBrain, Rod said RnRHoF CEO "Fuck Off, Bollocks" and tell them not to nominate the band anymore. The SiT jacket, which they showed once last year, was brought back to the band from Cleveland's rock museum permanent exhibition. I think they will open something like an Iron Maiden Museum on their own. A few years ago, Steve suggested they think about his house in Essex to be used as the band's museum. Who knows.
Nicko McBrain: "Il management degli Iron Maiden ha scritto alla Rock and Roll Hall of Fame di smetterla di nominarci"
"Sono cazz*te. Vaffanc*lo"
Which proves that Maiden don't need any of that bs.
ShadowOfTheGods
Ancient Mariner
And they're at a really low point right now, especially in Europe.
It would be a kind of hypocrisy to receive the award from a mainstream institution representing the corporate music industry, which has always ignored Iron Maiden. They probably do something on their own, they are the opposition to commercial, trendy-fueled entertainment.
Eddie's Uncle
Educated Fool
Sorry, but this is mostly nonsense. This theory is based on the premise that success is determined by management alone. Which is of course not the case. Songwriting, stage presence and likeability obviously play an important role, such as musical trends. Management can only work with what the band is delivering. Maiden's downfall in the 90s is mainly result of changing musical climate, releasing poor albums and a decline in production value. At least the latter two are definitely Steve's "fault".
So? How? Bruce's departure was his own decision. Based on feeling trapped in Maiden's hamster wheel. Sure, part of that wheel stems from Smallwood, but at least in same amounts from Steve. How could Rod have managed the situation? Making Bruce sign a contract to never leave the band?
And how could Smallwood have prevented this? Steve wanted Blaze. Could he really have stopped that choice? How could he have made the transition smoother? Would a smoother transition have made Blaze a better frontman? Maybe that final tour with Bruce was a mistake, but other than that, what could Smallwood have done?
Again, how is this Smallwoods fault? It is very clear that Maiden never allow anyone from management or record company at the songwriting sessions. Maiden being stuck in their same old formula is Maiden's fault. Not management.
What other bands were evolving? Trends were coming and going, and Maiden did not adapt to them. Probably the best decision they could make. Look at all those bands who followed trends by changing their style abruptly. All of them either crashed immediately or returned to their old style after a while.
Again, this is assuming that management alone is the decisive factor in a bands career. Which is not correct.
The real fuck up Smallwood can be accused of is his handling of Helloween and Noise Records. He massively ruined their career and put the careers of lots of bands at jeopardy with that reckless and greedy move. That's what he can really be blamed for. As for Maiden, I really doubt he caused more bad than good.
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Eddie's Uncle
Educated Fool
Exactly! The RnRHOF is a pathetic community based on cash flow, bribes and personal preferences of the board. Being induced there is not an honour, it is being part of a self-serving show. If Rod really told them to fuck off, then he has my respect. Just like Axl, who did not give a fuck and did not attend when is band got induced. Thats not bad management, thats balls!
TheTalisman
Ancient Mariner
They actually had A&R people around for Brave New World.
Steve didn't like some of their advice though, so for example the choir vocals on The Wicker Man was cut out from the album version...
It's unclear how much else impact they had on the album. But they are credited in the booklet.
Yes, the album had A&R people involved, they are even credited in the booklet.
Holdt plata hemmelig
I et eksklusivt intervju med Dagbladet forteller Bruce Dickinson hvorfor det tok ett år før han turte å høre på det nye albumet.www.dagbladet.no
It's a interview about Senjutsu, but different version of The Wicker Man is mentioned
"a record company representative tried to put some Def Leppard-like backing vocals on it but Steve said no thank you"
I'm gonna guess that's the radio edit that exists somewhere online.
Some members on this forum didn't like it when I suggested their involvement in the arrangements of the songs though, a few months ago.
But it is true then. Their...
In this article it is mentioned that A&R paired them up with Kevin Shirley:
20 Years Ago: Iron Maiden Return With ‘The Wicker Man’
The six-piece lineup of Iron Maiden stated their intentions with their first single, The Wicker Man, in May 2020.
ultimateclassicrock.com
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