London Olympics

T

Tboo Ted

Prowler
Apparently there is some noise stirring about Iron Maiden playing at the London Olympics 2012 on facebook.
I'm thinking it's not going to happen....but that would be thes shit.
T'boo
 
What on earth would they play?  The Trooper?  Run to the Hills?  Those are songs about war.  Iron Maiden?  NOTB?  Hallowed?  Not exactly Olympic material, either.  Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner would be kind of appropriate, but they wouldn't play that.  Rime of the Ancient Mariner would be interesting -- celebrates British poetry as well as music. 
 
I joined the facebook group. Don't see it happening, unfortunately.

It doesn't really matter what they'd play (The Trooper and The Evil That Men Do would be my picks out of the shorter concert regulars) as previous Olympic openers have hardly played Olympic themed songs.
 
Prisoner Of Maiden said:
I could see Churchill's speech and Aces High going well.
Click to expand...

Again, while none of Maiden's songs are particularly Olympic-themed, songs about war (and about fighting Russians and Germans specifically) are plainly inappropriate.  The whole point of the Olympics is a peaceful gathering of nations.  Again, I could see Rime of the Ancient Mariner -- get a cast of thousands to do something cool during the quiet sequence, Anthony Hopkins to read the Coleridge excerpts, etc. 
 
cornfedhick said:
Again, while none of Maiden's songs are particularly Olympic-themed, songs about war (and about fighting Russians and Germans specifically) are plainly inappropriate.  The whole point of the Olympics is a peaceful gathering of nations.
Click to expand...

But songs at the Olympics can be critical, or political.

Midnight Oil played "Beds Are Burning" in 2000.


wiki article:
"Beds Are Burning" is a political song about giving native Australian lands back to the Pintupi, who were among the very last people to come in from the desert. These 'last contact' people began moving from the Gibson Desert to settlements and missions in the 1930s. More were forcibly moved during the 1950s and 1960s to the Papunya settlement. In 1981 they left to return to their own country and established the Kintore community which is nestled in the picturesque Kintore Ranges, surrounded by Mulga and Spinifex country. It is now a thriving little community with a population of about 400.

Midnight Oil performed the song in front of a world audience of billions (including then Prime Minister John Howard) at the closing ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The whole band were dressed in black, with the words "sorry" printed conspicuously on their clothes. This was a reference to the Prime Minister's refusal to apologize, on behalf of the government of Australia, to the Aboriginal Australians for the way they had been treated over the previous 200 years, particularly in relation to native title and the government-sanctioned removal of Aboriginal children of the Stolen Generations from their families.

Man On The Edge, Holy Smoke, or Be Quick Are Be Dead are critical songs as well. And even a bit on topic since the world got into a financial crisis. More songs would be appropriate. I don't want to see the Olympics as an event where there's only room for happy songs, all being in denial of what's going on in the world. If the Olympics should make brothers of all of us, then we shouldn't be afraid to address certain issues. Powerful songs, let them come.
 
:) Uh, yes!

But I agree with Jonszat. It'd be cool to see Maiden playing such an event, no matter what song.
 
I think that Maiden could find an appropriate enough group of their songs without compromising their ideals to play the Olympics. Mind you, in 2 more years, the recession and resultant world crisis should be all but over - the recession is easing now - but there will be new crisis to sing about!
 
cornfedhick said:
The whole point of the Olympics is a peaceful gathering of nations.  
Click to expand...

That's true only on the paper. Olympics were often used as political weapons. Nowadays there are less politics and more "hunger-for-the-medal", you know, doping.

On topic: Maiden should play "Loneliness of the long distance runner", for obvious reasons.
 
If we're talking about 2012, then we should wait for the new album. If they play anything, I expect it will be a new song we don't even know yet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top