Prodigal Son WAS played live (according to Steve Newhouse/Loopy)

Dick Brucinson

Dave Sustaine
Few days ago I got me the new book about Iron Maiden - "Loopyworld - The Iron Maiden Years" which is an absolute great fun to read, assuming you all know who Loopy is and what his part was in the early days of the Maiden history. Really recommendable.

I got quite blasted by especially one passage in Chapter 5, "Ruskin Arms" ( = page 34 in the German edition). Loopy mentions the setlist from one of the Ruskin Arms gigs that he doesn't only remember, but even tape recorded himself. Side A: Intro, Drifter Sanctuary, Prodigal Son, Prowler, Burning Ambition, Another Life; Side B: Transylvania, Strange World, Wrathchild, Charlotte The Harlot, Invasion, Iron Maiden, Innocent Exile. The tape is dated March 1979.
So, mystery solved. :ok:
As there obviously is a recording existing, I hope we'll get to hear it one day. :wub: As far as I know there's not a single bootleg existing yet that has Prodigal Son in its live version.
Very, very, VERY interesting.
 
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It's great book and had lots of fun reading the little stories and all the little events from the early years and tours.
Im so willing to bet that there must some really nice recordings stored somewhere (in time) but we haven't yet had the priviledge of hearing them.
 
In few places of the book. it was unfortunate that Loopy hadn't written much from some show or situation and also he surely wouldn't be able to remember it all. It must have been interesting to see Maiden from the really early times onwards..
 
The book underlines one more thing btw: Don't trust Wikipedia too much. It's not a reliable source. Example: When checking the web for general info Paul DiAnno, wikipedia says his name was Paul Andrews. But according to Loopy, Paul DiAnno was born Paul Taylor. And Loopy is a source I tend to rely a bit more on than on Wikipedia.
 
I always thought Prodigal Son along with Murders In The Rue Morgue was one of two songs newly written for the Killers album?
Possibly it was something similar like the "Floating/Purgatory" thing. Purgatory kinda grew out later on the basis of an early track Steve wrote, so things developed and progressed from that early track named "Floating" into Purgatory. The final result might not have to do much with the original, except for one riff or so, or some harmonies. That'd seem a plausible explanation to me.
 
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In this book called EDDIE MADE ME DO IT (THE BEAST ARISES 1973-1983) which has interviews with David Smith and Paul Sears (Influence/Gypsy’s Kiss), Steve Lazarus (Head of the Fanclub 1998-2019), Keith Wilfort (Head of the Fanclub 1979-1997), Dave “Lights” Beasley, Dennis Wilcock (Vocalist in Smiler and in Iron Maiden between 1976-1978), Barry “Thunderstick” Purkis (Drummer in Maiden between 1977-1978), Terry Warpram (Guitarist in Maiden 1977-1978), Neal Kay (famous DJ from the Soundhouse), Dennis Stratton (Guitarist of Iron Maiden 1980), Derek Riggs, Pippa Lang (reporter from Melody Maker, review editor of Metal Hammer from late 80’s and 90’s), Manu Da Silva (Ex-Roadie, Personal Friend of Steve Harris who went to take care of Eddie’s Bar between 1989-2005), the dance from The Number Of The Beast video, and finally, Andy Curran (co-lead vocalist and Bassist of Coney Hatch who supported Maiden on the World Piece Tour and became a personal friend of Harris. There's also a very detailed tourgraphy and there are at least 3 or 4 different shows with the entire set-list where the song was played.

Hard Cover edition: bit.ly/3FrYZKW
Paper Back edition: shorturl.at/izSTW
 
Possibly it was something similar like the "Floating/Purgatory" thing. Purgatory kinda grew out later on the basis of an early track Steve wrote, so things developed and progressed from that early track named "Floating" into Purgatory. The final result might not have to do much with the original, except for one riff or so, or some harmonies. That'd seem a plausible explanation to me.
There were only three new songs on Killers (meaning they did not exist before the recording of the debut album). 'Murders In The Rue Morgue' (which originated as a bunch of musical passages that Steve had from where before) 'Genghis Khan' (which was also a sort of amalgamations of various instrumental parts Harris had) and 'Killers'.
 
As discussed more than once here, Prodigal Son was played live in the Dennis Willcock days. And there is a bootleg with it too, and more than one as far as I know.
 
As discussed more than once here, Prodigal Son was played live in the Dennis Willcock days. And there is a bootleg with it too, and more than one as far as I know.
That's correct. Prodigal Son was composed in 1978 thanks to the help of Terry Wapram. The first time the song was played in front of an audience was April 7, 1978 and then the next day, April 8 at the Bridgehouse. The latter is the bootleg which you're referring to. The song was also played in some of Di'Anno's first gigs and then dropped forever from the setlist and resurrected on the Killers album because the band, on EMI request, needed a slow song.
 
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