The Future Past Tour 2024

[JudasMyGuide]

UK (which has been voted at least three times as the country with the best healthcare in the world)

You know, this is really not the time nor the place, but it's really good not to get drunk on one's own Kool-aid.



I'm pretty sure the members of Maiden have access to proper healthcare, though.

 

[Meliegree]

I'm old enough and cynical enough to not believe any type of "never ever" proclaimed by anyone, let alone a celebrity whom I personally don't know and when money is at stake. Yes, I know 'Arry said he wouldn't go on without Nicko, I know they have a special chemistry and that they've been together for a ridiculously long time and whatnot.
I believe 'Arry's "never" to a degree I believe anyone's "never". My friends' "never". My wifey's. My own.

It is definitely plausible that when Nicko stops beng able to perform, the band / 'Arry, being cca 10 years younger (IIRC) might decide to continue with another drummer. They're in a position where they could pick and choose and there is a lot of professional options that might accomodate 'Arry in particular; heck, someone younger might revitalise the rest of the band in the long run (as it happened with Priest or Sabbath) and could give them some 6-10 years of further touring and even albums. Whether they do it or not, that's more or less a coin toss for me. Especially since nothing in the music business is profitable bar touring and nothing else will be as profitable as touring Maiden (although from what I gather they have been quite responsible with their money).

Would I be interested in that? Absolutely not (I'm not even interested in the pre-Nicko albums and they are literally my least favourite Maiden albums overall), but I'm a picky cunt - people already told me here they're fine with downtuned songs by either Maiden or Nightwish, for example. Many people would still go and be in Heaven, because they would see Bruce and Maiden playing The Number of the Beast live. So I don't think my or any single opinion of a member of this forum matters - I wonder how many people in the crowd might not even know the members by name (not just with Maiden, with every band)

The only irreplaceable member is 'Arry. Well, apart from the scenario where he would succumb to cancer or something and the rest of the band did a legacy tour to earn money for his family or something.

Interesting counterargument. That is one of the options that I'm considering also but on the other hand - given the love that they have for going out of their comfort zone - I'm more inclined to believe that they will not continue without Nicko*.



*if by 'continue' we mean 'record new album'. If we're talking about continue = best hits tour aka parody act then I think that it is possible

 

[Meliegree]

You know, this is really not the time nor the place, but it's really good not to get drunk on one's own Kool-aid.

View attachment 38624

I'm pretty sure the members of Maiden have access to proper healthcare, though.

Sadly I don't live in UK so it is hard for me to say about waiting time of the services because as I said - good healthcare has three pillars and if you can afford private consultations & have connections (check 'yes' for the boys) - then there is no problem. So I would say that for average Joe 38 months (even if exaggerated) sounds realistic but for someone like Bruce I would say that best doctor money can buy is ~2 phone calls away.

Whole argument is like 'Mark Zuckerberg doesn't have access to good clothes because all he's wearing is t-shirts and jeans'.

 

[JudasMyGuide]

Sadly I don't live in UK so it is hard for me to say about waiting time of the services because as I said - good healthcare has three pillars and if you can afford private consultations & have connections (check 'yes' for the boys) - then there is no problem. So I would say that for average Joe 38 months (even if exaggerated) sounds realistic but for someone like Bruce I would say that best doctor money can buy is ~2 phone calls away.

Whole argument is like 'Mark Zuckerberg doesn't have access to good clothes because all he's wearing is t-shirts and jeans'.

Yeah, I live in a supposed backwards/Eastern European country and especially recently, when my son's life was on the line and when I've been dealing with my chronic health issues (I had really weird issues and had to undergo many examinations), I was really surprised that everything is covered by my (mandatory) insurance, can get any type of testing and care I need in a reasonable waiting time and in general, just good healthcare in general, whereas that's been not the case for people I know and talked with who live some of the "bigger" countries.

This is a complex issue, though, because as the demographics is getting worse and more and more people are growing out of the productive years and enter seniority (i. e. they stop being economically active AND start requiring much more healthcare on average), any type of system we currently have isn't feasible and the future looks really dark, but like I said, that's beyond the scope of this thread.

I 100% agree with you that assessing the Maiden member's access to healthcare based on Bruce's (lack of) hair imlants is really wild.

 

[Iron Lurker]

You can all dispute it and insult me for my comment but to me it remains just obvious. The don't have access to the best healthcare.

That by the way includes Bruce's hair. The topic is maybe not that different and randomly someone posted about that:
Bruce too has no access to someone who would know how get the best out of his hair.

Someone actually posted this...

 

[Kalata]

Yeah, Nicko is doing allright I guess, but listening to this random clip from 2022 you really hear a differance

Bloody hell, watching that you can really sense the loss of power and impact in Nicko's drumming. Such a shame... I think we just have to accept this is what Nicko is capable of now.

Sad but true. He could have been in his 2022 form now. Still, it's amazing and remarkable that he's still playing solid these tough songs at this age.

They'll never sound quite as epic as before though

I can still feel epicness of the performances of some songs. And CSIT is one of them!

Also, I think Bruce takes too much pride in singing the songs in original key. So, I think it won't happen. If he didn't tune down for Darkside Of Aquarius this year, he won't tune down for anything.

Ofc, songs in original key is Maiden's/Bruce's thing. I don't want it because the songs will sound different and I don't think it's that needed, even now.

This is probably their biggest flaw and musical limit. Not being too much comfortable with alternative tunings and in general with anything that is too far from their comfort zone. It's a matter of habitude, really, too bad they didn't even try.

Maiden have never been a band interested in alternative tunings, from the old classic bands. They always stick to what they feel is best and what they like and prefer. And that has helped them throughout their career. I also would have liked to hear some heavier stuff, but I respect the band for sticking to their decisions.

I respect Nicko immensely, he is one of my favourite drummers of all time, but he needs to consider hanging up the sticks if the band are to do anything other than limp on for a couple more years.

They won't replace anyone, not now after 50 years and all of them are irreplaceable. I believe in that and I'm ok with it, as much as I want Maiden to continue as long as possible. They just have to be very careful with the next setlist. Nicko can/will record in the studio (although he can't play faster fills now, what about the Stratego ones?), but live they have plans until the next two years - after that no one knows.
It's clear that the live shows/some songs suffer in a way/more or less. At least the band said they won't play songs Nicko can't play now, so the ones with the harder and faster fills are out of the picture for next year. Hallowed?

That may be true actually. The whole Nicko thing is kind of a big variable right now, as I believe that if Maiden replace him they add at least 5 years to their carreer imo when it comes to playing live.

This again? Maiden will not waste years. Nicko CAN play, only without the fills.

As I said, I'm against replacing Nicko all together and he should still play 5-8 songs if they go that route.
The hardest part would be finding a drummer that fans would be excited about and, especially, has the groove that Nicko has...

I think if they get a replacement drummer, it shouldn't be a metal drummer. It should be someone who can play a variety of styles, but can also play heavy metal/hard rock. Not those fast double drum/fill technicians.

Nicko to be a live drummer for a few songs, nah. No thanks. There are many great and famous drummers but you are right about the groove and ofc Steve's opinion counts a lot. I personally like Aquiles Priester, he's a Maiden fan. But as we know they want British musicians.

Btw, there was a picture of Bruce, Steve and Mikkey Dee from a couple of days ago.

And I'll repeat myself again... Let's wait before Japanese gigs before drawing conclusions (although his first current performance was as good as late June ones from last year, which is a great sign).

Agreed but I think he will just maintain the current level, which is fine enough after all.

I'd say it depends on a song. Stranger, for instance, still sounds amazing.

Yes. Stranger, CSIT, Writing, Prisoner (even without the fills), Heaven... Wasted Years sounds bad because it's the last song, Trooper is tough in the encores.

*if by 'continue' we mean 'record new album'. If we're talking about continue = best hits tour aka parody act then I think that it is possible

Parody? If they want to continue (beyond 2026) with/or without releasing albums, playing live is the profit, and the tours theme would most likely be Hits now. The album/s will/should be recorded with Nicko. Everything will be with Nicko, with his current form, that's it.

 

[Murder of Rue Morgue]

Maiden have never been a band interested in alternative tunings, from the old classic bands. They always stick to what they feel is best and what they like and prefer. And that has helped them throughout their career. I also would have liked to hear some heavier stuff, but I respect the band for sticking to their decisions.

Thanks for repeating (yet another time) exactly what I said, but I assure you that I already knew/believed it - precisely because I said it originally.

Not to mention that you still completely missed my point.

 

[Meliegree]

Parody? If they want to continue (beyond 2026) with/or without releasing albums, playing live is the profit, and the tours theme would most likely be Hits now. The album/s will/should be recorded with Nicko. Everything will be with Nicko, with his current form, that's it.

I feel that maybe you've missed my point or I wasn't entirely clear in what I was saying. When I say 'parody act' I mean after all the interviews about them ending when X, Y, Z happens they hire another drummer just to do nostalgia tours. I don't mind doing those tours with Nicko since he recorded those albums. But hiring someone to replace him just to do the best of tours (and without recording new stuff) is a bit of a sell out for me.

 

[Kalata]

Adrian's beloved 2MTM!

 

[JudasMyGuide]

I feel that maybe you've missed my point or I wasn't entirely clear in what I was saying. When I say 'parody act' I mean after all the interviews about them ending when X, Y, Z happens they hire another drummer just to do nostalgia tours. I don't mind doing those tours with Nicko since he recorded those albums. But hiring someone to replace him just to do the best of tours (and without recording new stuff) is a bit of a sell out for me.

I'm not sure if that's the difference for me.

I can imagine them going the Priest route and start recording new albums full of same-old, same-old, but with modern production and everybody losing their shit and, like, they've never sounded this good in 30 years and, like, 11/10, best album ever, which I certainly wouldn't prefer over them tour-resurrecting old albums (seeing To Tame a Land live, for example), with or without Nicko.

 

[UpTheIrons]

The only scenario I can see where Nicko steps down is one where he implores the band to carry on and has a hand in picking a successor to whom he gives his full blessing. I can't find it at the moment but I'm sure he's said in an interview in the past, before his stroke, where he said he would step aside if he couldn't cut it anymore so the band could continue. There's no way Steve is ever going to essentially fire him after all these years.

 

[Melony]

Perhaps in this forum sometimes we are a little quick to dismiss the opinions of others as “weird” or based on personal reasons.

As things stand at the moment, perhaps Steve's mention of ageing and the insecurity associated with it in his interview was really more than just the general view of a responsible musician. Maybe it had something to do with him actually at the moment thinking day and night about the future and the way forward for the band.

I don't know, of course. Just a thought I just had. If that were the case, these comments wouldn't have been weird, but pretty good observations.

I am just not as sure as some seem to be.

 

[GhostofCain]

In spite of all my jokes about the futility of existence (hair today, gone tomorrow), I am glad we have been able to enjoy Maiden playing at such high level for so long. I have also been quite cynical about the band in recent years, but the fact that they have carried on with Nicko instead of kicking him to the curb makes me proud of being a fan.

Let's enjoy it while it lasts, because I am afraid it will not be long before they call it a day.

On a personal note, I'd rather see them bow out gracefully with the current line-up than start replacing members.

 

[JudasMyGuide]

The only scenario I can see where Nicko steps down is one where he implores the band to carry on and has a hand in picking a successor to whom he gives his full blessing. I can't find it at the moment but I'm sure he's said in an interview in the past, before his stroke, where he said he would step aside if he couldn't cut it anymore so the band could continue. There's no way Steve is ever going to essentially fire him after all these years.

Oh, for sure, for all my talk about replacing Nicko above (and I don't think such possibility is unlikely), I see him stepping down but more or less remaining as the member of the band, in the managerial side of things or other stuff like that (something along Jukka in Nightwish or Angela Gossow in Arch Enemy) - he definitely won't be fired as such, but how much he'll be pushed to potentially stand down from active playng in the band by 'Arry (if they decided to go that route), that's something we might never know.

 

[UpTheIrons]

Perhaps in this forum sometimes we are a little quick to dismiss the opinions of others as “weird” or based on personal reasons.

As things stand at the moment, perhaps Steve's mention of ageing and the insecurity associated with it in his interview was really more than just the general view of a responsible musician. Maybe it had something to do with him actually at the moment thinking day and night about the future and the way forward for the band.

I don't know, of course. Just a thought I just had. If that were the case, these comments wouldn't have been weird, but pretty good observations.

I am just not as sure as some seem to be.

I think a lot of what Steve says has to be interpreted through the fact that he is an understated, self-deprecating English geezer. I know a lot of people of similar background and they're constantly joking about being old, broken down, decrepit, even if they're not very old and saying stuff regarding future plans like 'if i'm still around then' etc. It's a pretty common mannerism to have.

The same way he can say stuff like he hopes people remember Iron Maiden as being a 'good live band', when they're literally one of the most important rock bands in history. Bruce is better at the more gradiose statements, if nothing else a private education gives you self-confidence!

I'm sure Steve, and the rest of the band, are conscious to some degree of the fact that are nearing the end of their career but I think the band will simply keep going until they can't anymore, then quietly pack it in by mutual agreement. I don't think we get a KISS-style never-ending final tour.

 

[onurb]

I don't think we get a KISS-style never-ending final tour.

Maybe im wrong, but i cant see steve doing what gene simmons is doing. Like "ok, kiss is done. now im gonna do solo shows with the same kiss setlist". He will probably keep working for a little more with british lion.

 

[naranja]

Nicko can still play along to the tunes just about. It really depends on if you can accept a slightly weaker sounding rhythym section in Maiden, formerly famed for it's power

 

[lily_p]

Do You Know What's Arry Use Bass Strap Brands?(I know the strap covers were knitted by Michael Kenny's mother!)

 

[Kalata]

Bruce: ''we will see you, quite possibly again''.

Btw, why didn't they use the 2024 tour poster (not the new one with only Cyborg Eddie, although it would have been cool too) for Wasted Years instead of the 2023 one? Like on Nicko's bass drum. Only shown at the end in the screens.

 

[The_7th_one]