Maiden And Politics (and "stuff")?

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Anonymous

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I've been a Maiden addict since I got Killers on cassette when I was nine years old, although I've had off-periods. However, I'm certainly not nine anymore (25, to be precise), and I've been looking at their texts, and, for some reason, I've tried to figure out if they convey any clear political views through their songs. (I say "for some reason", as it's widely regarded a healthy motto to know as little as possible about an artist whose work you admire)

I think that (particularly with reference to e.g. 2 Minutes to Midnight) I can say that their - or Steve's (?) - view on (nuclear) war is pretty obvious. On the other hand, they also often hint at the heroism of sacrifice, and listening to Age of Innocence, I'm not quite sure what to read into it. (Is it an argument for keeping guns in our homes?) Has anyone scrutinised their texts and kind of mapped out the "sum" of their "statement"? Has any of the members publicly commented on politics, etc.? Also, on an old picture of Bruce, he's wearing a "Peace through superior firepower" t-shirt, which, to me is an oxymoron, and *I* would take it as a joke, but I know that the right wing in the US uses that slogan to "tick off liberals", so it kind of got me thinking. Also, when it comes to religion, I've read several times that Nicko is a "born again Christian", and seeing that he seems to be the only one mentioned in that respect, are the others atheists? Then how come their songs contain so many references to religion?

I guess many of you would assume I'm a jerk for being concerned about Maiden as individuals in this way, but I'm really interested in how an artist's person colours his/her work. I'm sorry if this is not the proper forum for this kind of topic, but I figured it's related to Maiden, so I decided to put it here. I also apologise if there are other threads on this topic - I couldn't find any that answered my questions.

Cheers!
 
I can't say for sure about most of your questions, but as for this one:

[!--quoteo(post=133017:date=Mar 26 2006, 08:41 PM:name=krops)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(krops @ Mar 26 2006, 08:41 PM) [snapback]133017[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
I've read several times that Nicko is a "born again Christian", and seeing that he seems to be the only one mentioned in that respect, are the others atheists? Then how come their songs contain so many references to religion?
[/quote]

I don't know about the religion of the other band members, (nor do I really care) but being of a religion and knowing about a religion are too completely different things. I'm sure there are plenty of Christians in the world who know little about the bible, but I know for a fact that there are atheisis, even on this board, who know a great deal about the bible.
 
I will comment on this later on, but for now, it's moved to the Commentary Forum...
 
[!--quoteo(post=133017:date=Mar 27 2006, 12:11 AM:name=krops)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(krops @ Mar 27 2006, 12:11 AM) [snapback]133017[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
and listening to Age of Innocence, I'm not quite sure what to read into it. (Is it an argument for keeping guns in our homes?)[/quote]

Rather than it been an argument for keeping guns in our homes, I think Age of Innocence is more a swipe at the judicial system (as also stated in the commentary elsewhere). However, it (the commentary) did make reference to the Tony Martin situation who was jailed for killing a burglar in his own home. The likelihood is that he was punished because the person who he shot and killed was reportedly running away from Martin (the commentary gives both sides of the argument in the Tony Martin case). I doubt if the message of this song is in support of this type of action - rather than to properly punish the perpetrators of violent crimes and allow others to get on with their lives in peace.
 
If there really is a political opinion coming from the Maiden songs, then I feel that it laments the way the people themselves are being treated in any political system. Great powers wage war, tyrants rise to power and laws are being enforced or not enforced depending on how important it seems to the ruling entities; the great mass of people are an "innocent pawn in an endgame", to take a quote out of context. They are being fed with predigested opinions, facts and news, with meaningless religion and superficial propaganda, and they are removed from power. Sometimes, they are virtually destroyed by their own governments, as for example soldiers sent to battle. They are left to care for themselves and are in danger to flee to foreign worlds and isolating themselves from reality.

That is what I read out of Maiden's politically motivated songs.
 
[!--quoteo(post=133148:date=Mar 28 2006, 01:07 AM:name=slave to the power of death)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(slave to the power of death @ Mar 28 2006, 01:07 AM) [snapback]133148[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
:: Wasn't Tony Martin a singer in Black Sabbath? I'm sorry if I'm wrong, but I know it was something like that. That could be the reason he left.
[/quote]
Different Tony Martin!
 
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