Moments you thought Maiden were ridiculous and embarrassing

Ben Beast said:
Do you guys even enjoy the music? Seems like you are so invested what Bruce says on stage and outside of it that it hurts your feelings towards the band. I think sometimes we should take a step back and just listen music. My brother and father who are Maiden fans and with whom I have attended many concerts, don't visit this forum. They don't know what is Bruce's political view or what he thinks about genders or whatever. They listen the music, go to concerts and are enjoying the the excistence of band. Do they need to know about band members personal life and views? No. And that's what we should maybe do.

But to answer the question then Dance of Death cover is one of the things that comes to mind.
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TBH I don’t usually care what Bruce or anyone else in the band says, some I agree with other things I don’t. I do love their music though. I do also care about accusations aimed at me and threats to my own freedom of speech.

But anyway let’s move on, all friends again. Quite frankly the prioritisation of sooty over the much superior Sweep has been the cause of much angst over the years though, that I find embarrassing- they should have been supporting the underdog instead of pandering to the egotistical yellow bear!
 
Jer said:
... Janick's onstage antics....
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I disagree. Many admire Maiden's energy and then often mention Janick and his fitness and the extra energy that adds to their stage presence.
And he is obviously someone who knows how to move to a rhythm (I wouldn't really say that about Bruce).

So, Janick, feel free to keep it up, just by the way...about your solo in "Hell on Earth"....:D
 
Melony said:
I disagree. Many admire Maiden's energy and then often mention Janick and his fitness and the extra energy that adds to their stage presence.
And he is obviously someone who knows how to move to a rhythm (I wouldn't really say that about Bruce).

So, Janick, feel free to keep it up, just by the way...about your solo in "Hell on Earth"....:D
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Probably true, but it just doesn't fit Maiden. Same thing goes out to... lets say... Robbie Williams. Also very agile and active on stage, but I wouldn't want to see him in Iron Maiden. And Kirk Hammett also knows how to move to a rhythm, so does Phil Collins.
To me Janick even in 2023 is still somebody like a tolerated guest. I know this sounds harsh, but it is just the way like that to me. And whenever I see any Maiden show, I never spend time looking at Janick. I just try to keep him out of sight the most as possible.
 
Dick Brucinson said:
Probably true, but it just doesn't fit Maiden. Same thing goes out to... lets say... Robbie Williams. Also very agile and active on stage, but I wouldn't want to see him in Iron Maiden. And Kirk Hammett also knows how to move to a rhythm, so does Phil Collins.
To me Janick even in 2023 is still somebody like a tolerated guest. I know this sounds harsh, but it is just the way like that to me. And whenever I see any Maiden show, I never spend time looking at Janick. I just try to keep him out of sight the most as possible.
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Thats a shame to just almost ignore him. I think he's great. Technically not the most gifted guitar player but he adds a bit of rough and grit Maiden lost after the first 2 albums. His dancing is a bit silly but it really doesnt bother me. Not when Bruce is trying to shoot Eddie and wearing camp outfits.
 
Christopher Baines said:
Thats a shame to just almost ignore him. I think he's great. Technically not the most gifted guitar player but he adds a bit of rough and grit Maiden lost after the first 2 albums. His dancing is a bit silly but it really doesnt bother me. Not when Bruce is trying to shoot Eddie and wearing camp outfits.
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Okay, just to quickly add this: Just a personal opinion of mine. It's great that each and everybody would enjoy a Maiden show in a very personal way.
His stage dynamics disturbs me, that's all.
 
I get embarrassed sometimes when I listen to Maiden songs where Bruce is clearly straining.

Nights of the Dead was an embarrassment. The packaging was brilliant, but why did they go with a show where Bruce was struggling? He was amazing in 2018. They should have done just done a Live Chapter and selected from multiple shows.
 
Dick Brucinson said:
Probably true, but it just doesn't fit Maiden. Same thing goes out to... lets say... Robbie Williams. Also very agile and active on stage, but I wouldn't want to see him in Iron Maiden. And Kirk Hammett also knows how to move to a rhythm, so does Phil Collins.
To me Janick even in 2023 is still somebody like a tolerated guest. I know this sounds harsh, but it is just the way like that to me. And whenever I see any Maiden show, I never spend time looking at Janick. I just try to keep him out of sight the most as possible.
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Janick wouldn't fit pop either tbh.

The way I look at it, contributing to the expected energy on stage falls very heavily on Janick. Steve is a bit bouncy and Bruce is only a watered down version of his past self, but Dave and Adrian are stock still concentrating on their playing. Richie Faulkner has the similar role in Priest. Only it would be hard to out-camp the likes of Rob Halford, so nobody notices it as much.

I was close up to the Janick side of the stage in London, and that guy put a solid two hours or whatever it was of being in character. Eyeballing people, pulling OTT rock star poses and faces, abusing his guitar, all in a very tongue-in-cheek way, while also playing consistently. And I think that does fit the character of Maiden. They're not trying to be super cool or tough, they're in the spirit of pub band having a laugh with their mates - even if it's on a much grander scale and the guy with the rubber mask is now a stilt walker who shoots fireworks at the singer.

Adrian or Dave would be playing nice solos, I would turn to watch them. Most of the crowd at the front was watching Janick and Steve because they looked a lot more fun. It's a lot more personal and in touch with the audience when you can properly see Janick doing silliness, Steve machine gunning you, and Bruce mouthing "OH FUCK" at the audience and dramatically running off when his gun runs out of ammo. You feel more in on the joke and part of the experience than staring up at a cooler-than-cool idol.
 
Dick Brucinson said:
Probably true, but it just doesn't fit Maiden. Same thing goes out to... lets say... Robbie Williams. Also very agile and active on stage, but I wouldn't want to see him in Iron Maiden. And Kirk Hammett also knows how to move to a rhythm, so does Phil Collins.
To me Janick even in 2023 is still somebody like a tolerated guest. I know this sounds harsh, but it is just the way like that to me. And whenever I see any Maiden show, I never spend time looking at Janick. I just try to keep him out of sight the most as possible.
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"Maiden" at any point in their career is what you see on the stage in front of you - therefore it should be self-evident that not only does Janick "fit Maiden" but he's an essential component of Maiden.

If that's not what you're seeing then you are trying to construe Maiden as something other than what they have chosen to be.
 
Black Abyss Babe said:
"Maiden" at any point in their career is what you see on the stage in front of you - therefore it should be self-evident that not only does Janick "fit Maiden" but he's an essential component of Maiden.
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By that “logic”, Paul Day, Dennis Stratton and Blaze Bayley were also “essential components” of Maiden. So “essential”, apparently, that they were let go.

Black Abyss Babe said:
If that's not what you're seeing then you are trying to construe Maiden as something other than what they have chosen to be.
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If your child chooses to marry someone who is occasionally endearing but mostly annoying, you will still love your child and continue to spend time with them — but you’re fully within your rights to still find their spouse annoying and wish that they hadn’t gotten married to them in the first place.
 
What I can see as truly embarassing and ridiculous is that some feel that after 30 years...more than 30 years actually that Janick doesn't fit the band...are aware of everything that he brought to the band??? Not only in terms of songwriting but at a lot of levels!?!! Yeah, ok some of his stage antics are not always what we might expect but calling it embarassing... I'd rather have, by far, someone like him that gives his 200% on stage to entertain the audience than lets say a guy like Ian Hill that stays clued next to the drums for the whole set.
And to answer the thread, this Janick bashing is probably what is by far for me the most embarassing and ridiculous thing about Maiden...fans!!!
(and please don't come with the "we can all give our opinions in here blah blah blah"...because this is something that some of you keep on repeating each and every time they have the chance to do it...give us a break and move on!!!
 
permanenteddie said:
What I can see as truly embarassing and ridiculous is that some feel that after 30 years...more than 30 years actually that Janick doesn't fit the band...are aware of everything that he brought to the band??? Not only in terms of songwriting but at a lot of levels!?!! Yeah, ok some of his stage antics are not always what we might expect but calling it embarassing... I'd rather have, by far, someone like him that gives his 200% on stage to entertain the audience than lets say a guy like Ian Hill that stays clued next to the drums for the whole set.
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But...but... he changes solos! And prances around!

He is too whimsical and silly, he completely gets you out of the moment, you can't solemnly and seriously concentrate on the 15ft zombie in various outfits walking around on stage!

:ninja:

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permanenteddie said:
What I can see as truly embarassing and ridiculous is that some feel that after 30 years...more than 30 years actually that Janick doesn't fit the band...are aware of everything that he brought to the band??? Not only in terms of songwriting but at a lot of levels!?!! Yeah, ok some of his stage antics are not always what we might expect but calling it embarassing... I'd rather have, by far, someone like him that gives his 200% on stage to entertain the audience than lets say a guy like Ian Hill that stays clued next to the drums for the whole set.
And to answer the thread, this Janick bashing is probably what is by far for me the most embarassing and ridiculous thing about Maiden...fans!!!
(and please don't come with the "we can all give our opinions in here blah blah blah"...because this is something that some of you keep on repeating each and every time they have the chance to do it...give us a break and move on!!!
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Totally agree, seems like the Janick bashers will take any opportunity to have a pop at him. Thing I find most funny is the guy has been in the band since 1989 and most of the bashers likely got into Maiden when he was already part of the band so they have only known Maiden with Janick there so no idea why some of these fans say he still doesn’t fit in the band. They only have old videos to watch of the band pre Janick to go by.

I myself got into Maiden around 1991 so I’ve only ever known the band with him there. I think he not only contributes some great song writing but I love his energy onstage.

The most embarrassing thing about Maiden to me is how much some of the fans moan about stuff the band says or does. At the end of the day they are a band who put out music and play live gigs. They owe their fan base absolutely nothing apart from releasing music they have worked on to the best of their ability and they themselves are happy with and to give 100% on stage to the ticket buyers. Outside of that they owe nothing yet some fans obsess about so much stuff the band does away from this and then criticise.

Critique the music they make by all means and if they ever put on a sub par live performance then criticise that but as for anything else, just get on with your own lives and stop moaning about stuff that doesn’t matter.
 
Oh, I almost missed this:

GhostofCain said:
- The scantily clad ladies that were on stage during The Number of the Beast on the first few shows of the Early Days tour. What were they trying to show with that? We can also mention the lady on stage during 22 Acacia Avenue on Beast Over Hammersmith. Very sexist, if you ask me, although Maiden are - thankfully - not as bad as most of their contemporaries.
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I'm not a progressive person in any way, shape or form, in fact, I'm as reactionary as it gets (socially), but I agree with this. I wouldn't probably use the word "sexist", but I indeed find this kinda embarassing in the context of metal shows in general, makes me think of Manowar or some such band and that's definitely not a compliment. I dislike this in general (and not just in metal, but in hip hop/pop/etc. as well).
In fact, I just remembered that one of the best Zappa albums (Roxy and Elsewhere) is somewhat marred by the fact the last track is stretched into gargantuan lengths as a result of being a recording of the fact they invited a stripper on stage.

Furthermore, having girls on stage doesn't feel like it goes along with Maiden image, now or even back then, to me it clashes way too much with their concepts/lyrics/cover art etc. Despite trying to present themselves as these "blokes from the pub" (mostly, apart from Bruce), they are way too highbrow to implement this unironically, and not highbrow enough to pull it off ironically, if you know what I mean.
 
JudasMyGuide said:
But...but... he changes solos! And prances around!

He is too whimsical and silly, he completely gets you out of the moment, you can't solemnly and seriously concentrate on the 15ft zombie in various outfits walking around on stage!

:ninja:

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:applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause:

Well played sir, well played! :D
 
JudasMyGuide said:
I'm not a progressive person in any way, shape or form, in fact, I'm as reactionary as it gets (socially), but I agree with this. I wouldn't probably use the word "sexist", but I indeed find this kinda embarassing in the context of metal shows in general, makes me think of Manowar or some such band and that's definitely not a compliment. I dislike this in general (and not just in metal, but in hip hop/pop/etc. as well).
In fact, I just remembered that one of the best Zappa albums (Roxy and Elsewhere) is somewhat marred by the fact the last track is stretched into gargantuan lengths as a result of being a recording of the fact they invited a stripper on stage.
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I agree with this observation but I was also proud of Maiden for having snapped out of it so quickly (and apparently of their own volition).
 
I think Bruce's gibberish has become unbearable over the past few years. Other than that, I love this corny style with zombies, pyrotechnics, etc. But I've always had a soft spot for campy stuff. Don't ask how many pulp horror books I have on my shelf (murderous giant shrimp, alien zombies, dinosaurs fighting Nazis!) - Maiden is the perfect band for me :)
 
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