Powerslave cover / lyrics -> Egyptology -> Stonehenge -> Spinal Tap. Strange connection isn't it?
taker64 said:
We patterned our personal look on their look...Leather, denim, t-shirts and long hair. When the Powerslave album came out, Steve and Dave had permed hair, and Adrian had a mullet.
Maybe you and your buddies have been talking too much about Adrian's mullet, and have been busy too much with your own looks, and therefore forgot to check the music instead? By the way, Adrian didn't start his mullet before 1985 or even 1986. Perhaps you're talking about the wrong album?
Look, I understand you find looks important but your whole story has nothing to do with the music.
I agree that
Piece of Mind has a rougher and fatter guitar sound, and the first two Maiden albums certainly sound more aggressive as well, but I doubt if these are the only criteria for mainstream. I'll explain why I think that the
Powerslave album is less mainstream than its predecessor.
Piece of Mind is probably the Maiden album with the least tempo changes. The only tempo changing moments in
Piece of Mind can be found in Revelations, Still Life (just one after the intro) and To Tame A Land. It features the (relatively seen) radio friendly Flight of Icarus. Bruce even wanted to have this slow tempo, to increase the chance of airplay!
On the other hand,
Powerslave ends with Maiden longest track, in which a
lot is happening. Not to speak about the title track itself. This far from mainstream music.
Powerslave is also more challenging because there's more variation and details in the guitar work. E.g. in “Rime…” and in “The Duellists” Adrian plays open long chords where Dave plays fast rhythm guitar (power chords).
Powerslave is one of Maiden's most complex albums. There was a lot of focus on the content of this album.
A few haircuts (no H mullet!) and a pyramid don't change that.
