Virtual XI appreciation

SinisterMinisterX said:
Then we respectfully disagree, as usual.

Edit: why am I respecting this guy? I replied to someone else, he jumped in to accuse me of telling others what to think, and made the ridiculous statement that "Blaze doesn't have a metal voice" - a thought so ludicrous that in over a decade here, I've never heard it suggested before. From a person whose opinions are disagreed with by most of the forum.

We disagree, as usual.
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So you defend the right of free opinion but you don't feel obliged to respect the people who express it. So please keep up the good work.
 
Why would you come into a thread called "Virtual XI Appreciation" and then start criticizing Virtual XI?it just feels like your just trying to get a reaction out of people
 
Severian said:
Why would you come into a thread called "Virtual XI Appreciation" and then start criticizing Virtual XI?it just feels like your just trying to get a reaction out of people
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Speaking for myself and not Gk1, I'd say when discussing an album, even one you appreciate and enjoy (like I do with Virtual XI), you tend to cover the full spectrum of your opinions on the album, positive and negative. A simple gaga-for-VXI thread would be boring and pointless, IMO. Point out its strengths, admit its faults, but I agree, if you overall don't like the album, the thread isn't for you.

SinisterMinisterX said:
He wasn't the right choice for your vision of Maiden. "Iron Maiden" is not some predefined thing with a right and wrong answer. Steve Harris is allowed to do things you don't expect or approve of.
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The problem that arises when expressing these opinions (and yes, me saying in my previous comments about mistakes I--and others--thought Steve made and that Blaze was the wrong choice for Maiden was an opinion, not fact) is that you might get this kind of baiting, condescending crap that sparked the whole argument above between Gk1 and SMX.
 
Virtual XI is like the bridge between old and new Maiden. BNW took the long, epic and moody style of the Blaze-era and mixed it with the rockier, more traditional metal of classic Maiden.

I love Virtual XI. It was one of my first and favorite IM albums. Educated Fool is a powerful song. Lightning Strikes Twice is as well. Angel and the Gambler is a great experimental track, one of my all time favorites by them. Honestly. I also really like the album's production. It has a cleaner and more polished sound than X Factor or anything else done before. This was also the case with BNW and even DoD. Nowadays they've gone back to their earlier raw sound, but I certainly wouldn't mind another album done that way.

I hate that Virtual XI is looked down on. I get that people don't like it because it's so different from their usual style, it's just unfortunate. It's a very well-done album. A very Steve Harris sounding album if you think about it. Also quite unconventional. I don't judge it just as a Maiden album, I judge it just as an album of music.
 
I really only like two songs off the album. Futureal and The Clansman. I'd rather listen to Virtual XI over any current techno or pop song.
 
Futureal: Harris/Bayley
The Angel and the Gambler: Harris
Lightning Strikes Twice: Murray/Harris
The Clansman: Harris
When Two Worlds Collide: Murray/Harris/Bayley
The Educated Fool: Harris
Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger: Harris
Como Estais Amigos: Gers/Bayley

Steve involved on every song but one, and only one Gers song.
 
LooseCannon said:
Futureal: Harris/Bayley
The Angel and the Gambler: Harris
Lightning Strikes Twice: Murray/Harris
The Clansman: Harris
When Two Worlds Collide: Murray/Harris/Bayley
The Educated Fool: Harris
Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger: Harris
Como Estais Amigos: Gers/Bayley

Steve involved on every song but one, and only one Gers song.
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Well that shines a light on the issue. Its very much a Steve Harris album. I wonder why that is, why there was so little input from the other members.

I'm trying to figure out what it is that makes VXI sound so unique. Is it the use of keyboards? Odd song structures. For a long time I actually thought The Unbeliever was on VXI, it sounds like it should be.

Odd how songs like Don't Look to The Eyes of A Stranger get hate, when its really not that different from what they're doing nowadays, as I said earlier; DLTTEoAS or The clansman, minus Blaze, plus Adrian and Bruce, minus album mastering, and you got the reunion era.
 
Virtual XI has always been one of my favorite Maiden albums. I'm not exactly sure why it has always been so appealing to me, but I've really been trying to put my finger on it recently and I think I might be figuring it out. I have noticed that this album is very soothing to my ears and while the music is heavy, it is also mellow at the same time due to Blaze's voice is quite soothing, but also Nicko's simplistic drums here. While many seem to think this is a problem, I actually think it was a group decision to try to make it a mellow, but heavy album and I really like it. I can't say how many times I have enjoyed this album while falling asleep, but then it gets me in the mood to rock out and bang my head other times (especially while driving, which has been pointed out in this thread, specifically TAATG). Anyway, while recently rating every Maiden song and adding up the totals VXI came out as my #5!! Which seems about right! I also definitely prefer the studio version of The Clansman way over the Rock In Rio live version with Bruce. I don't feel that any songs on this album is a filler either
 
I've just read an article on Blabbermouth about Tony Martin, and felt like quoting him. Here is his answer to a certain question. Don't know why, but it made me think about a certain band.

On the topic of BLACK SABBATH's seemingly deliberate attempts to expunge the Tony Martin period of the band's history, Martin said: "It seems a bit of a waste of ten years of the band's history. To cut that out, they're not just cutting me out, they're cutting themselves out"

www.blabbermouth.net/news/former-black-sabbath-singer-tony-martin-may-work-with-tony-iommi-again/#z0ZBdE1bb7cCAvWL.99
 
harrisdevot said:
I've just read an article on Blabbermouth about Tony Martin, and felt like quoting him. Here is his answer to a certain question. Don't know why, but it made me think about a certain band.

On the topic of BLACK SABBATH's seemingly deliberate attempts to expunge the Tony Martin period of the band's history, Martin said: "It seems a bit of a waste of ten years of the band's history. To cut that out, they're not just cutting me out, they're cutting themselves out"

www.blabbermouth.net/news/former-black-sabbath-singer-tony-martin-may-work-with-tony-iommi-again/#z0ZBdE1bb7cCAvWL.99
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I'm not sure i got your post. You're trying to compare two eras from two bands in terms of both of them trying to avoid that era?
 
Yes, although, in Sabbath's case it more rudely done. In Maiden, the band and site at least acknowledge that these albums are made.
 
nuno_c said:
I'm not sure i got your post. You're trying to compare two eras from two bands in terms of both of them trying to avoid that era?
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I think harrisdevot is trying to make the point that, in the case of Maiden, when you avoid the "Blaze years" (or those non-Bruce albums, as another member recently called them), you're also avoiding/missing the musical output of Steve, Dave, Janick, & Nicko too. Put crudely, 80% of XF or VXI are by guys who are still in the band today. If you listen to them now, why would you ignore these albums where they contribute the lion's share in terms of parcticipation? Blaze was just one of five guys when he was in the band.

The point is applicable to the band (why would Steve, Dave, Janick & Nicko want to ignore their own output?) and to the fans.
 
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It was a joke, albeit a rather shitty one.

Angelo Sasso was a "drummer" that played on a string of Running Wild albums. Many people assumed it was just a drum computer.
 
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