Maiden’s political silence

[srfc]

They always play The Trooper in Belfast and Ireland. The only question is whether Bruce uses the British flag prop, because there was some sort of incident back in 2003.

Not quite, the brief history goes like this,

Prior to 2003 waving the flag wasn't part of the pantomime during the Trooper (first gig in Ireland was in 1990 and the 2003 gig was first since The X Factor)

Then in 2003 in Dublin, the crowd booed the flag waving.

The next gig in 2005 in Dublin, Bruce did a little speech at the start explaining what was what and that he wasn't going to wave it that night but would again in the future, and he mimed waving an "air flag" during the song.

In 2006 and 2010 in Dublin it wasn't in the set.

In 2011 in Belfast, the police told them not to wave the flag and as a result they dropped the song completely.

In 2016 in Dublin, the song was played with flag waving and no reaction from the crowd.

In 2018 in Belfast, the same as the previous Dublin gig, the flag was waved with no reaction from the crowd.

 

[____no5]

Many thanks srfc, for sharing.
I felt uncomfortable reading your story. A bit disappointed. They seem to be politically correct à la carte.

 

[Yax]

Many thanks srfc, for sharing.
I felt uncomfortable reading your story. A bit disappointed. They seem to be politically correct à la carte.

They do care. How could they not? They probably thought that current (carefully selected) phasing best represents their strategy and Maiden brand at this moment.

This is why.

 

[____no5]

This is why.

Yes I though so. But they are guests for f**k's sake. In a foreign audience, who paid to see them. And who is annoyed by that.

I mean, when they played in Shanghai they did abide to authorities and there were no curse words. (I can't remember if they waived any flag or not)
They do it in India nobody, cares. Fine. But Irish do. Do not do it there!

 

[Perun]

I mean, when they played in Shanghai they did abide to authorities and there were no curse words. (I can't remember if they waived any flag or not)

And changed the lyrics to Powerslave.

 

[srfc]

I felt uncomfortable reading your story.

Nah, I don't think it was a big issue at all, I think it was all just a misunderstanding really. Fans weren't expecting it in 2003, as I said it was never waived in Ireland before at that time, and it was also a kind of new thing for any country at the time, since it hadn't been done post about 1985. Plus a lot of fans were either newbies or people who had drifted away during the 90's and had come back but hadn't kept in touch with what Maiden were up to. I think Maiden also never considered that any crowd might view having a flag waived at them as being triumphalist up until that point. Although I do have a bootleg of Argentine fans chanting "Diego, Diego" back at Maiden after the Trooper (not sure what era it was). By the looks of things it's all water under the bridge at this stage.

 

[____no5]

And changed the lyrics to Powerslave.

Did they? I have a faint memory about something going wrong with Powerslave but couldn't remember what was that.

 

[Spaldy]

Yes I though so. But they are guests for f**k's sake. In a foreign audience, who paid to see them. And who is annoyed by that.

I mean, when they played in Shanghai they did abide to authorities and there were no curse words. (I can't remember if they waived any flag or not)
They do it in India nobody, cares. Fine. But Irish do. Do not do it there!

On the LOTB tour Bruce changed it up so that the host country flag was also waived.

 

[GhostofCain]

And changed the lyrics to Powerslave.

That was only done as a joke at the start of the song. Bruce can be clearly heard singing Powerslave on the second chorus:

 

[Poto]

In 2018 in Belfast, the same as the previous Dublin gig, the flag was waved with no reaction from the crowd.

Not quite. He didn't wave the flag at that gig, or any of the other UK gigs. Bruce waved a Legacy of the Beast flag, because he couldn't shoot Eddie with the Union Jack.

 

[srfc]

Not quite. He didn't wave the flag at that gig, or any of the other UK gigs. Bruce waved a Legacy of the Beast flag, because he couldn't shoot Eddie with the Union Jack.

Just checked youtube and you're right. My memory was he had the union jack when on Dave's side, I might be confusing it with Florence

 

[Spaldy]

And changed the lyrics to Powerslave.

Was it not 666 that had to be changed because of it's references to the supernatural and the occult?

 

[Poto]

Was it not 666 that had to be changed because of it's references to the supernatural and the occult?

No, it was Powerslave. They didn’t have the permission to play the song, or at least had to change the lyrics. The band were gonna play The Wicker Man instead, but got permission to play Powerslave and they didn't have to change the lyrics.

 

[Edington]

I'd say there is a huge gap between wearing your politics on your sleeve like Rage Against the Machine and referring to the invasion of a country as "the ongoing situation in Ukraine"...

I had to laugh the other day. After reading your initial comment on this I visited my bank's website, only to be greeted by this message:



Perhaps I should take my business elsewhere?

 

[TheTalisman]

. Although I do have a bootleg of Argentine fans chanting "Diego, Diego" back at Maiden after the Trooper (not sure what era it was). By the looks of things it's all water under the bridge at this stage.

Just checked Argentina 2004, and Bruce didn't wave any flag during that performance.

In 2009, he used both a costume and a flag though:

 

[GhostofCain]

This is why.

Let's keep the brand safe!

 

[Jer]

Hey, things could always be worse -- you could imagine completely naked capitalism prompting them to introduce Russian and Ukrainian themed Trooper beers with a marketing campaign to "choose your side!", with the sales winner sticking around for a while in the beer lineup.

 

[Black Abyss Babe]

The power of public opinion is not to be underestimated.

Possibly, but I doubt it in this case. Putin may even like the attention it gives him, since he's so cocksure he's going to win, then he can cock a snook at everyone who's opposed or criticised him.

Maiden have always gone where their fans are and up to now it was never seen as a seal of approval on the local political leadership - even before this kicked off it's not like they were playing that show in Moscow as a personal favour to Putin. The way some people are talking you'd think Maiden had been asked to strike one blow that would end the war and they had refused.

 

[AncientMariner_Essex]

Why is anyone giving a crap what maiden thinks of the current Russia/Ukraine situation?

Maiden exist to entertain with their music, pure and simple. If you want politics go somewhere else.

Sounds to me like some fans expect to much from their favourite band.

 

[JudasMyGuide]

On one hand, I do think that people with reach do have a certain amount of responsibility in general. On one hand, I do appreciate every artist that cancels touring in Russia nowadays. On one hand, I wish artists had more guts and didn't protect the "brand", if there is obvious evil to fight.


On the other, considering what the current Zeitgeist is and how often do I disagree with that, I'm kinda glad for everyone that is "silent" in general.

It's not like they are silent only now, so you'd think they approve of international aggression, IIRC, Maiden weren't vocal about... dunno, Libya. Or Syria. Or whatever else (honestly, I didn't follow the metal media nor bootlegs around Iraq, so I don't know if they reflected it somehow, in Bruce's rants or otherwise).

Current US comics tries to be "vocal" about political issues... and it is insufferable and therefore slowly dying; as it is sometimes said in the bonmot "there's more manga pirated than current American comics sold".

I am incredibly thankful to Maiden they didn't "go woke" in these past few years, therefore I must accept they keep silent in other matters, too.