I think that's a wild leap to make. Don't take anything for granted obviously, but the desire as a musician to record a new album is very different to not releasing a live album. Especially one with rather unique problems as this one.
This. TFP was a new album tour all in all, so Maiden are on a normal course for the next album cycle. They have their habits and never follow a Hits tour with another Hits tour. Nicko could have changed their plans, who knows.
But I don’t see the desire to write a new album either.
Senjutsu is technically 6 years old this year and with the upcoming tour I can’t see them having any time to record a new album over the next year. Every time Maiden get some down time Steve runs off and books British lion tours, Adrian seems more interested in Smith/Kotzen and even Bruce is talking about his next solo album.
Whenever any of them has been asked about a new Maiden album in an interview they’ve just fobbed it off with the usual “yeah we’ve got loads of ideas and never say never” kind of answers.
Desire for now, they had in 2019, but the most important thing is that they have a lot of ideas. Adrian and Steve launched their solo projects now, because last year they didn't, while Bruce needs to gain momentum with his solo band. Steve and Adrian have solo projects since 2010. It's normal for them to keep their projects going now, right (not every year), 50 years into their career. And because they can, with Maiden they can't be so active for a whole year now, it's the same for the other old bands. They always answer like that for new albums, nothing surprising. Plus it's easier and faster to write and record for their solo stuff. But making solo albums means they'll retire soon (Steve said otherwise) is wrong.
It has felt pretty clear to me the entire time that the solo projects are people setting themselves up for retirement, and also lends credence to the rumors that there is a schism within the band over some members being ready for retirement and some wanting to keep going (i.e. look at who isn't making solo albums). I get the feeling that if it were up to Bruce, Adrian, and Steve alone, there would be more Maiden activity. I wonder if there is an amount of arm twisting that has to happen to get people in the studio. And while Adrian seems to enjoy playing live, I wonder if he would rather save his ideas for projects where he has the final call on production choices.
Dave's rumors were false, he's clearly still enjoying touring and smiling (always! and he writes just 1 song per album) after all these years. Just not for a whole year. Him and Janick never had side projects (Janick mentioned, iirc, that music isn't everything to him in the recent big Classic Rock interview). Bruce, Adrian and Steve are the most active and the primary songwriters. They probably want Maiden to be more active (Bruce for sure), but they also don't want to rush the material, I guess. It was different in the 80's. Adrian probably wants to have a say in the production, but Maiden and his solo stuff are different and he liked how the latest album sound. He enjoys both, even though hard rock is in his soul, both give him something different and needed/interesting for him. As he said recently, he wants to be creative and try different stuff.
We need to embrace the fact that they are coming towards the end of their career as a band. Personally, I think the discussions of a new album are delusional. They soak up any downtime with extracurricular activities and don’t seem interested in going into the studio.
Delusional? Wow. I believe in the band. It's normal to wait for a new music, yes even now, and yes from on old band. But it's also normal for them to run again their not that big side projects (not looking at Bruce), they want more playing live, now more than ever.
They just need time, a couple of months. That's it. It's different now than in the early-to-mid 2000's, Maiden aren't releasing new music more frequently than their peers. And it's sad, have to admit.
Obviously retirement is close and it wouldn't surprise me if the next tour is the last. And there's zero chance of a live album from the last tour. Regardless of the reasons or any plans they may have had, its too close to the next tour. It make no sense. The thing I wonder is whether they plan to gradually release things post retirement. I'd take that but would also appreciate if they can't be bothered. I can see how it would feel like living in the past or flogging a dead horse, to Bruce in particular. But I can imagine Steve wanting to dive in and make things he wants to release. We'll see but there will be no Future Past live release this side of RFYL.
Yeah, let's hope so they will do it from the vaults. I'm not sure if the band still knows what they're going to do after this tour, they're waiting to see how they do live with the new lineup, I guess. But the logical next step for a band like Maiden, who don't want to be a cabaret act, is a new album tour. As always since the Reunion. They are still delivering the goods live, no doubt.
