Who's song credit will you look forward to hearing most on a possible next album?

naranja

naranja

Ancient Mariner
I was going to do a poll but it got a bit complicated and I'm a bit thick.

Anyway which names in the songwriting credits do you most look forward to hearing on a new Maiden album? I don't know if people still do physical media but back in the day when you got a new Maiden album and looked at the songwriting credits whose songs did you most look forward to hearing?

For me the one I'm always most interested in is Harris solo. I always chuckle to myself when I see some outlandish title and excessive run time like 12:58 with just (Harris) credited. That's not a mocking chuckle, it's one of affection and having listened to the band for 25 years and knowing probably what to expect but also knowing that he can suprise us sometimes.

I was definitely surprised when he didn't go back to the chorus on Hell on Earth and I believe Red and Black, which is quite different for him.

I was surprised by the weird (but good) note choices for the main riff for the Parchment. Quite un Steve like. That being said of course a new Steve tune will most likely be some kind of Celtic intro and the familiar chord sequences with some nice melodies over it. That's what he does. I look forward to it should there be a new album.

Another one I look forward to is always any Gers contributions, often with Harris. I know he's Mr Riff Recycler but he has written some damn good Maiden songs for us even going back as far as Lord of the Flies.

If I'm hoping for some strong lyrics and something really quite interesting than naturally any Dickinson contribution is always something to look forward to. The occasional Dickinson solo credit is also always something quite exciting.

Controversially I find Smith/Dickinson fairly hit and miss nowadays. I don't really like their collaborations that much in the reunion era other than the excellent Writing on the Wall. So Death or Glory and Darkest Hour are just okay to me.

However add in Steve to that mix ie: Smith, Harris, Dickinson and I have liked the vast majority of their songs in the reunion era. Wicker Man is still the best short song they've done in thirty years. (Second best being a certain opening tune on a certain derided album from 1998).

I hope we get some more of Smith and Harris together with or without Bruce as I really like their stuff together.

And then there's Davey. He often contributed just one song per album but some of them are absolutely brilliant- Rainmaker and Breeg. Brave New World was pretty good too. Some of the others were pretty forgettable though.

What say you?
 
Harris / Newton
Dawson / Newton
Newton
Dawson
Harris / Dawson / Newton
*
Harris
*
Dickinson
Smith / Dickinson
Dickinson / Smith
*
Gers will write another Time Machine, or Talisman, or Book of Souls, or Legacy. Something along these lines. :ninja:
 
Harris, of course. I just love his ideas, he delivers every time! More impactful and memorable melodic stuff.

Then probably equally: Gers/Harris for more epicness - Dickinson/Smith for a slightly different and maybe heavier vibe.

I could also say Smith/Harris, all really. Will there be a Smith/Dickinson/Harris credit again? Solo Dickinson? The big question is how they would sound with Simon in the studio.
 
Looking forward to more Dickinson/Smith writings. Most required songwriting team to rejuvenate and breathe a new energy into the band with a new material.

Would definitely love more Murray/Harris songs (my favourite songwriting combination). They always come with a great sense of "dark" melody (think Deja Vu, Judas Be My Guide, The Thin Line, Rainmaker).

Couple of Harris solo numbers. But not more than that!
 
Harris/Gers are always a fun time. Harris/Dickinson/Smith can be good. Solo Harris is always welcome as well. Solo Dickinson can be great too.

Curve ball, I'd be fascinated by a Dawson co-writing credit.
 
Siddharth said:
Murray/Harris […] Judas Be My Guide
Click to expand...
That’s Dickinson/Murray.

I think I’m most interested in seeing what Steve does since Senjutsu, for the first time in the reunion band’s history, has more than one Harris solo song (four in total!) and all of them are weighty. I’m curious to see if he’s going to pull out all the stops again or if he got everything he wanted to down on that album and doesn’t have many more ideas (which would explain his reservations toward making another album).
 
Helmuth Von Moltke said:
Gers and his co-writes. To me are becoming stronger than many Smith co writes on last few albums.
Click to expand...
Interesting take. I would agree on The Book of Souls. The title track and SOTV are better than the Smith contributions. As I said before, I think H was burnt out writing proggier songs after TFF.

Senjutsu I am not sure. Maybe it is a tie. TWOTW and DOFP are great. But so is Stratego. The Time Machine is ok.

In answer to the original three question, I am always intrigued to hear a Gers/Harris credit.
 
I just hope we don't get any Smith/Harris songs. They are obviously both amazing songwriters, but they also somehow manage to bring out each other's worst qualities. Their songs are usually some of my least favourites.
 
Each to their own, but I'd rather listen to a song and form judgement on it regardless of who did or didn't write it.
 
srfc said:
Each to their own, but I'd rather listen to a song and form judgement on it regardless of who did or didn't write it.
Click to expand...
Well, that obviously goes without saying. But there are certain elements that are often found in certain pairings, like clean intros with short guitar solos in many Murry/Harris songs, or an acoustic guitar intro (often in D Minor) for Gers/Harris.

This whole thing is speculation anyway, we can't properly judge something that doesn't exist yet.
 
Vaenyr said:
I just hope we don't get any Smith/Harris songs. They are obviously both amazing songwriters, but they also somehow manage to bring out each other's worst qualities. Their songs are usually some of my least favourites.
Click to expand...
Is Senjutsu one of theirs? The title song. Possibly my least favourite iron maiden song
 
naranja said:
Is Senjutsu one of theirs? The title song. Possibly my least favourite iron maiden song
Click to expand...
The problem is there’s a lot riding on it:
- opening track
- title track
- cover imagery rests on it
- and it lasts an astonishing 10% of the albums total run time!

At that stage you really have to make the song really awesome and it’s just …. OK. Like average OK. It drones on for too long obviously but even then it isn’t spectacular.

If it was buried in the back of the album like Age of Innocence on DoD I wouldn’t care, but to me Senjutsu drops the quality of the album due to its prominence and averageness.

Yes it’s Smith / Harris.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top