When did Maiden start playing the keep yourself alive riff in Sanctuary?

[srfc]

During live gigs Maiden add a bit of the intro of Keep Yourself Alive by Queen to Sanctuary. This section is already on the earliest live recording of Sanctuary released by Maiden, on Live!! +one recorded on the 4th July 1980.

But did they used to play this in the pub days before there was a studio version of Sanctuary?

 

[Perun]

I'm glad somebody else recognises the riff. I think it was there on some bootlegs from 1979, but I'd need to check.

 

[srfc]

I'm wondering is it something they had to leave off the studio version, or was it always envisaged as a fun live-only section?

 

[The_7th_one]

They don't do it in the Music Machine 79 gig

Slower Wrathchild is cool too

 

[GhostofCain]

I'm wondering is it something they had to leave off the studio version, or was it always envisaged as a fun live-only section?

Steve did not hesitate to plagiarise/be heavily inspired by (take your pick) other bands shortly after, so it probably was a case of adding it to the song when playing it live.