The length of time between NEW ORIGINAL albums.

[Forostar]

@Darth Maiden:   Love the sarcasm in there. You brilliantly summarized the different views here.

The thing is, when a band is getting old but still is popular, and still have the potential to do more than one studio album, it's a dumb decision to wait 5 years.

I never saw them live in the 80's so I'd be happy to see them play those songs live.

The amount of eighties songs -which were not played from 1990 to 2007- done in the 2008-2009 Somewhere Back in Time tour :

1. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
2. Moonchild

Still amazing to see these but from the perspective of a fan who did not see them in the eighties, and who followed them intensely in the post-80's, this is not the most overwhelming amount I had imagined. They could have done more with this opportunity, setlist wise that is. This really diminished my hope that we can expect another 80's song that wasn't played in the post-80's.

In 2005 (The Early Days tour) the amount of rarities was slightly bigger. These were not played from 1990 to 2004:

1. Charlotte the Harlot (two European shows only)
2. Murders in the Rue Morgue
3. Another Life
4. Drifter

 

[Crimson Idol]

What about the figures of songs not played from 2000 onwards? I'd imagine that bracket will cover a fair chunk of fans, with the low quality of the 90's (sales wise) and drop off from the public eye I'd hazard a guess the majority of people who were not already fans by the end of the 80's (there are exceptions ofc) probably didn't get into them till the 2000's.

 

[Forostar]

Maiden especially focuses on the `new` fans. So when they say that they play those songs because many people have not seen them, they leave out the slightly older fans who did support them in the hard times era, the nineties.

I know it's hard for people to get their heads around it but Maiden have lives outside music. Families, friends and God knows what else.

Another reason to focus on a new album earlier than in 2015, and temper the touring a bit until they dive into the studio again.

 

[NavigatorsSon]

YEY!!! 

We all get to wait 4 or 5 years for new stuff.

YEY!!! 


WHOO HOO!


At least 5 years wait will guarantee a good album as opposed to a weak one.
Maiden don't have it in them to write 8 new songs, let alone anything of worth before 4 years time.

They are only valid as a live band anyways. (if and when they are playing "Classics")


Oh well, "Up the Irons Dude"! 

Brilliant!

 

[The Flash]

PLEASE expand this thought.

What is your basis of leaning towards this?

---

My sixth sense.

 

[snake plissken]

@Darth Maiden:   Love the sarcasm in there. You brilliantly summarized the different views here.

The thing is, when a band is getting old but still is popular, and still have the potential to do more than one studio album, it's a dumb decision to wait 5 years.

The amount of eighties songs -which were not played from 1990 to 2007- done in the 2008-2009 Somewhere Back in Time tour :

1. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
2. Moonchild

Still amazing to see these but from the perspective of a fan who did not see them in the eighties, and who followed them intensely in the post-80's, this is not the most overwhelming amount I had imagined. They could have done more with this opportunity, setlist wise that is. This really diminished my hope that we can expect another 80's song that wasn't played in the post-80's.

In 2005 (The Early Days tour) the amount of rarities was slightly bigger. These were not played from 1990 to 2004:

1. Charlotte the Harlot (two European shows only)
2. Murders in the Rue Morgue
3. Another Life
4. Drifter

Oh good points there.

I've never seen Aces High, Mariner, Powerslave, Moonchild so it really does seem like they could've done more with the SBIT set list. Hopefully next classic tour will bring a few more surprises.

 

[Forostar]

Which tours have you seen snake plissken?

 

[CriedWhenBrucieLeft]

All this "classics" tours just cracks me up! SBiT: one UK date! So, surprise surprise, didn't get to see it. And (related): US fans complaining about not getting to see Maiden enough. (I've seen a few comments saying they "need to do a proper US tour..." [I paraphrase!])

Looking at Maiden's tour dates since The Ed Hunter Tour in 1999, they've done nothing but tour the US --and most of the "classics" tours have been there. Excepting festivals, there have been literally two or three UK dates on "classics" tours. So to those guys this applies to: stop complaining that you had to go on these.

They just need to be far more picky about their touring --if this is the genuine reason for slow writing & new studio albums (--which, as I know some have pointed out, probably isn't really the reason for four years between AMoLaD & TFF). I mean, for example, why were they touring the US when TFF came out? I demand no more worldwide touring. Just writing new material & touring in the UK. And, just get Nicko & Dave to move back here if they're complaining! 

 

[DJ James]

They need to play Drifter more.

 

[The Mid-Distance Runner]

The 3 most recent classics tours have been perfect in showcasing the band's career one final time to those who may never have had the chance to experience these earlier eras.

- Early Days
- SBIT
- first leg of the FTT was a reunion era classics tour

There is now no need for the band to plan a "classics" tour like this again unless they want one final fling to say farewell.

So, because TIME is of the essence due to the band's AGE my guess, which I shall dub the Mid-Distance Runner's Theorum of Maiden's Final Act, is that the band will record and release their final (sniff sniff )in 2013 and the ensuing world tour will include 5 new songs, 4 reunion era songs, FOTD to represent the 90s and 6 classics.

 

[Taker]

They need to play Drifter more.

Good to see one of the younger guys showing some appreciation for this classic... it doesn't seem to get the respect it deserves...

 

[snake plissken]

Which tours have you seen snake plissken?

No prayer On The Road (Excellent), A Real Live Tour (Poor), X Factour (Depressing), Brave New World Tour (Excellent), Death on the Road (Amazing), The Early Years (Good), AMOLAD Tour (Outstanding), The Final Frontour 2010 (Excellent) The Final Frontour 2011 (Excellent).

And you Forostar? What tours have you caught and what did you think of what you saw?

 

[Forostar]

No prayer On The Road (Excellent), A Real Live Tour (Poor), X Factour (Depressing), Brave New World Tour (Excellent), Death on the Road (Amazing), The Early Years (Good), AMOLAD Tour (Outstanding), The Final Frontour 2010 (Excellent) The Final Frontour 2011 (Excellent).

And you Forostar? What tours have you caught and what did you think of what you saw?

Well, I missed the first two tours you saw. The first one is a bit obvious because I got hooked into Maiden in the late summer/autumn of 1991. But man, I wish I'd been there.

The second (1993) is a bit of a difficult story. I had some health problems, which resulted in missing the gig. Pretty hard because it would be Goodbye Bruce (something I was gutted about). Looking back, the worst thing about missing it, is that I missed Transylvania, which is until this day the only song I missed from the 78 different songs Maiden played in my country from 1992-2011.

I also missed the 1996 gig. Officially still part of The X-Factor Tour but the band had changed their setlist, for festival purposes. Not sure why I didn't go to be honest. Best reasons I can give is that it was in an outcorner of the country (far away), I had no one else to go with and I couldn't get back home by public transport (no car or driving license in those days), and I didn't earn my own money.

So I did see these tours:

Fear of the Dark 1992
The X-Factor 1995
Virtual XI 1998
Ed Hunter 1999
Brave New World 2000
Give Me Ed til I'm Dead 2003
Dance of Death 2003
The Early Years 2005
AMOLAD 2006
A Matter of the Beast 2007
Somewhere Back in Time 2008
The Final Frontier 2010
The Final Frontier 2011

All ranging from good to outstanding. Nothing poor or depressing, though I'd expected more of the 2007 one. It consisted out of the 2006 setlist but added some NOTB songs instead of some AMOLAD songs. Also, in 2003, me and wife were not enjoying much of the second half of the gig when my wife was hit on the head by some annoying bitch.

 

[CriedWhenBrucieLeft]

Awww, I am well jealous... envious even! 
And, there's no excuse. I've been a fan since about 1992/93. Only seen 'em once...
You guys are real fans. I'm only a "fairweather" fan... 

 

[snake plissken]

Well, I missed the first two tours you saw. The first one is a bit obvious because I got hooked into Maiden in the late summer/autumn of 1991. But man, I wish I'd been there.

The second (1993) is a bit of a difficult story. I had some health problems, which resulted in missing the gig. Pretty hard because it would be Goodbye Bruce (something I was gutted about). Looking back, the worst thing about missing it, is that I missed Transylvania, which is until this day the only song I missed from the 78 different songs Maiden played in my country from 1992-2011.

I also missed the 1996 gig. Officially still part of The X-Factor Tour but the band had changed their setlist, for festival purposes. Not sure why I didn't go to be honest. Best reasons I can give is that it was in an outcorner of the country (far away), I had no one else to go with and I couldn't get back home by public transport (no car or driving license in those days), and I didn't earn my own money.

So I did see these tours:

Fear of the Dark 1992
The X-Factor 1995
Virtual XI 1998
Ed Hunter 1999
Brave New World 2000
Give Me Ed til I'm Dead 2003
Dance of Death 2003
The Early Years 2005
AMOLAD 2006
A Matter of the Beast 2007
Somewhere Back in Time 2008
The Final Frontier 2010
The Final Frontier 2011

All ranging from good to outstanding. Nothing poor or depressing, though I'd expected more of the 2007 one. It consisted out of the 2006 setlist but added some NOTB songs instead of some AMOLAD songs. Also, in 2003, me and wife were not enjoying much of the second half of the gig when my wife was hit on the head by some annoying bitch.

Sorry to hear your health was an issue back then but at least you did get to see them quite a few times since. I'd say that Ed Hunter gig in 1999 was insane. Would've loved to have caught that. For me, The Real Live Tour gig was poor in the sense that it was so obvious that Bruce just didn't give a damn about the gig. The rest of the band were on fire but there was a sense of anger among us as we left the arena that Bruce was not at all into it. The X Factour was hard to take. Tiny club, not sold out. Only about 800 at it and while the band were amazing Blaze was cumbersome and flat for a lot of the gig. Again, the few fans that were there were not impressed by the singer.

Best of the lot was the AMOLAD gig. About 8000 in the arena and it was just one of those nights where Bruce had everyone in the palm of his hand. The two Final Frontier gigs I saw were very nearly up to that standard too. Amazing for a band their age to play with such intensity.

 

[Forostar]

Sorry to hear your health was an issue back then but at least you did get to see them quite a few times since.

Thanks. Yes I was blessed with lots of other tours, and I am very grateful for that.

I'd say that Ed Hunter gig in 1999 was insane. Would've loved to have caught that.

That was a very cool gig with an interesting setlist. I remember seeing Phantom of the Opera for the first time, and Powerslave with three guitars! And Killers was quite a treat as well. And seeing Adrian for the first time in Maiden and the return of Bruce was also something of course!

For me, The Real Live Tour gig was poor in the sense that it was so obvious that Bruce just didn't give a damn about the gig. The rest of the band were on fire but there was a sense of anger among us as we left the arena that Bruce was not at all into it.

All I remember is that a mate of mine bought me a tour book, still laying around here.

The X Factour was hard to take. Tiny club, not sold out. Only about 800 at it and while the band were amazing Blaze was cumbersome and flat for a lot of the gig. Again, the few fans that were there were not impressed by the singer.

Weird. It was different in the Netherlands. Couple of thousand people, maybe even 5000, not sure. Opening act was My Dying Bride, which was a really cool choice. Because of that I gig I got into that band.

Best of the lot was the AMOLAD gig. About 8000 in the arena and it was just one of those nights where Bruce had everyone in the palm of his hand. The two Final Frontier gigs I saw were very nearly up to that standard too. Amazing for a band their age to play with such intensity.

Hard to pick a best one. I cherish the first one, but some others had their special characteristics as well. Wacken with Rime(!) and the last ones in Berlin and London were special as well with forum mates Perun, national acrobat and Albie.  

 

[Darth Maiden]

The 3 most recent classics tours have been perfect in showcasing the band's career one final time to those who may never have had the chance to experience these earlier eras.

- Early Days
- SBIT
- first leg of the FTT was a reunion era classics tour

There is now no need for the band to plan a "classics" tour like this again unless they want one final fling to say farewell.

So, because TIME is of the essence due to the band's AGE my guess, which I shall dub the Mid-Distance Runner's Theorum of Maiden's Final Act, is that the band will record and release their final (sniff sniff )in 2013 and the ensuing world tour will include 5 new songs, 4 reunion era songs, FOTD to represent the 90s and 6 classics.

I hear ya. Makes good sense.

However, Rod has said in the official fan club mag that 2015 is the earliest they will be "available" for a studio album.
And this is due to what "NavigatorsSon" has been saying with his "spoiler alert" posts.





S - P - O - I - L - E - R        A - L - E - R - T:



ssshhhhhhhhh, we get 3 years of 7th son, like we got 3 years of somewhere back. sssshhhhhhhhhh

 

[Mosh]

2015?

Yea they'll be about ready to retire by then I think.

 

[Darth Maiden]

2015?

Yea they'll be about ready to retire by then I think.

Exactly, which is why we only get one more album, unless they do a "retirement sucks" come-back album later on.


But, no one around here seems to care. Most around here think that Maiden are all washed up and so their thought / belief / motto is: "DUDE!, we're just glad that they still show up to the stage and stagger thru yet another take of 'Run To The Hills', man, it's great! So, shut the *beep* up and stop cryin' about NEW Maiden, cause we just don't believe in them anymore, and we should all just be happy that they still play ANY songs live."

See, no one here cares about NEW Maiden, because they just want to get drunk at a live show and reminisce about the good ol' days.
Cause they are to *beepin* stupid to take ADRIAN's advice and stop "Wasting your time always searching for those wasted years".

 

[Mosh]

I'm glad they still show up on stage...