Reflecting on 2015 as a Maiden fan

nuno_c

A hollow universe in space
So as another year is almost done, another year is yet to come, a year that will bring us a much anticipated tour in promotion of an album that was very anticipated as well.

But looking back on 2015, as a Maiden fan, it was a really intense year... Since the end of 2014 i was totally convinced the band had already recorded a new album and would release it sometime in 2015, but of course nothing could prepare me for the cancer news about Bruce...

It was an intense year because i did not know at all what would happen to my favourite band and, after that, because the wait was REALLY ON for TBOS. And what an album... A lot of people around the world (and obviously on this forum as well) praised the album highly and thought it was the best thing since SSOASS. Personally, i still believe this album is without a doubt a modern classic, an album that i feel is as relevant as any other classic Maiden album.

Now... Let's talk about your experiences in 2015 as far as being a Maiden fan goes...

Did you feel the band was going to release an album before it was confirmed? How did you react to/lived through knowing Bruce's condition? How was your wait/anticipation for the new album? What did you think and what do you think now about it? Share your 2015 Maiden fan experiences and whatever else you may feel that goes along with it...

And here's a BIG cheers for you all, happy holidays and here's for a hell of a brand new year! UP THE IRONS :cheers::edmetal:
 
Last edited:
Did you feel the band was going to release an album before it was confirmed?
Yes, since it was widely reported that they had been recording in Paris; although this wasn't offically confirmed.
How did you react to/lived through knowing Bruce's condition?
Genuinelly shocked. Survival rates for the cancer that Bruce had (from what information we have) isn't that great.
How was your wait/anticipation for the new album?
It was just fine. I could wait.
What did you think and what do you think now about it?
It's a great album; interesting, different, very fresh sounding in some ways. It's just one slab of music after a five year wait though.
Share your 2015 Maiden fan experiences and whatever else you may feel that goes aling with it...
I don't have any.
And here's a BIG cheers for you all, happy holidays and here's for a hell of brand new year! UP THE IRONS :cheers::edmetal:
:yes:
 
First of all, I want to remind everyone how right I was predicting the eventual release date of The Book of Souls. That was a prime moment for me. The album itself was a joy, a pure and unadulterated joy, with lots of stuff I love, some stuff I really like, and nothing I despise upon it. It's wonderful to see that Maiden can still perform and create even at this later stage in their career.

I'm very much looking forward to Vegas, and certainly very pleased about Bruce's recovery from cancer.
 
Disappointing year for me. I mean, I was happy that Bruce recovered but somehow I never had any doubt that he would. And the wait for the album took so long, and all the pre-release reviews and interviews got me really excited for it, then it turned out to be (in my opinion) the dullest Iron Maiden album they have ever released. I haven't been even slightly tempted to put a single song of it on for about 8 weeks now. Usually I get months or years of listening out of an Iron Maiden album and the lyrics and melodies get seared onto my soul, but not this one. Honestly, I was still listening to AMOLAD regularly about 2 years later. This one, I spent a month or 2 hoping it would click, and then it didn't click. This is the year where I have come to the conclusion that my favourite band will never meet my high expectations for them ever again. So overall, not a good one for me :(
 
Disappointing year for me. I mean, I was happy that Bruce recovered but somehow I never had any doubt that he would. And the wait for the album took so long, and all the pre-release reviews and interviews got me really excited for it, then it turned out to be (in my opinion) the dullest Iron Maiden album they have ever released. I haven't been even slightly tempted to put a single song of it on for about 8 weeks now. Usually I get months or years of listening out of an Iron Maiden album and the lyrics and melodies get seared onto my soul, but not this one. Honestly, I was still listening to AMOLAD regularly about 2 years later. This one, I spent a month or 2 hoping it would click, and then it didn't click. This is the year where I have come to the conclusion that my favourite band will never meet my high expectations for them ever again. So overall, not a good one for me :(
Sad to hear about your bad year :(
 
Big year for Maiden fans. At first it was quite scary, but then came positive cancer updates and the official album announcement (which caught me by surprise, I thought it was some fan-art on Facebook...) The anticipation and the premiere itself makes it one of 3 2015 highlights for me. I was fine with the release date because of Bruce. Otherwise I would expect it somewhere around spring. Well, the 5 years was already way too long anyway...
 
Definitely a big year for Maiden fans. Started off a bit on the scary side with Bruce's news. But the year ended strong with confirmation that he's OK, a new album that I love and still listen daily, and an upcoming tour. 2016 is going to be another awesome year as a Maiden fan.
 
What a great year to be a Maiden fan!
Bruce survives a form of cancer and by doing so makes the public aware of this form of cancer that seems to be happenning more now (Ricki Rocket). Awareness is a good thing of something like that.
Their first double studio CD was a joy in every way to me: packaging, performance, songwriting. But best of all was when the tour dates were FINALLY announced. Sure I was disppointed they were skipping Texas where I live, but this just gives me an excuse for my first Maiden road trip (via an airplane this time) since the Ed Huntour.

The two bad parts of the year were: 1. the long wait from when the tour was mentioned to when the tour dates were announced
2. Amazon did not ship my CD of TBOS until the day of release so I got it a week late (bastards!) At least I bitched enough to get a free MP3 LP from them to tide me over during that first week.
 
This year, Maiden released a new studio album, for the first time in ages!
It was a double album!

Aaaaaaand:
I heard the album in the studio in which it was recorded -with @Brigantium !- after we travelled with Bruce, flying us from Cardiff to Beauvais. After the listening session he told us some anekdotes in the studio, I briefly met him (it was a matter of seconds because he was in a rush to leave!) and he autographed my Balls
to Picasso
CD single.

Can't complain, definitely not from a Maiden fan perspective!
 
This year, Maiden released a new studio album, for the first time in ages!
It was a double album!

Aaaaaaand:
I heard the album in the studio in which it was recorded -with @Brigantium !- after we travelled with Bruce, flying us from Cardiff to Beauvais. After the listening session he told us some anekdotes in the studio, I briefly met him (it was a matter of seconds because he was in a rush to leave!) and he autographed my Balls to Picasso CD single.

Can't complain, definitely not from a Maiden fan perspective!

HOLY SHIT! Now THAT's the way to hear a new Maiden LP!!:bigsurprise:
 
I moved to a little lower.

@terrell39

This is how I saw Bruce, playing bits from Empire.
12088295_10207720817487473_4500298162507621796_n.jpg
 
Last edited:
This year, Maiden released a new studio album, for the first time in ages!
It was a double album!

Aaaaaaand:
I heard the album in the studio in which it was recorded -with @Brigantium !- after we travelled with Bruce, flying us from Cardiff to Beauvais. After the listening session he told us some anekdotes in the studio, I briefly met him (it was a matter of seconds because he was in a rush to leave!) and he autographed my Balls
to Picasso
CD single.

Can't complain, definitely not from a Maiden fan perspective!
Must've been a pretty cool experience! And what a joy it must have been for you to have an autograph on your Balls
to Picasso
CD by Bruce :cool:
 
Last edited:
Btw @Forostar , do you have any more photos/whatever from the trip to Paris? Must've been your highlight from 2015 for sure...
 
Back
Top