Why is this so slow?

I think it's so slow because the band wanted to make the pleasure last for the fans on the last song of the show. ;)
 
This is the last song in the set (Trooper was before it), this was the last date of the tour and Adrian wants to play it a bit slower (like Trooper, according to Nicko; Bruce too).

It's also not that of an easy song for Bruce and Nicko as the last one in the set.
 
Poto said:
When I see Maiden live I never get the impression that they sound this old.

I'm not sure if it's the sound mix that doesn't do them any favours, or if the live experience simply is that different.
Click to expand...

That is exactly what I thought after listening to that version of Wasted Years. :(

I have always shared Adrian’s view that in the 80s and 90s the band were not doing the songs justice by playing them too fast. These days they are not doing justice to some songs because they are playing them at such a slow speed that they could be the soundtrack of a cruise for septuagenarians!

H, mate, less moaning (or fishing) and more playing those songs at least at the tempo they were originally recorded!
 
GhostofCain said:
That is exactly what I thought after listening to that version of Wasted Years. :(

I have always shared Adrian’s view that in the 80s and 90s the band were not doing the songs justice by playing them too fast. These days they are not doing justice to some songs because they are playing them at such a slow speed that they could be the soundtrack of a cruise for septuagenarians!

H, mate, less moaning (or fishing) and more playing those songs at least at the tempo they were originally recorded!
Click to expand...
I have never understood Adrian’s complaints about tempo. It is better to go quicker than to drag. Maiden doesn’t have enough songs with a ‘groove’ that has to be played at a specific tempo.
 
Ascendingthethrone said:
I have never understood Adrian’s complaints about tempo. It is better to go quicker than to drag. Maiden doesn’t have enough songs with a ‘groove’ that has to be played at a specific tempo.
Click to expand...

To be fair, Bruce is the member who has complained the most about tempos over the years. I did not want to mention him in this thread to avoid ending up like this though:

1703274233868.gif
 
Ascendingthethrone said:
I have never understood Adrian’s complaints about tempo. It is better to go quicker than to drag. Maiden doesn’t have enough songs with a ‘groove’ that has to be played at a specific tempo.
Click to expand...
I kinda agree, but some of the tempos in the 80s and 90s were way too goddamn fast and made the songs sound rushed and awful. Revelations and FoI come to mind for the 80s and pretty much everything for the 90s. The Trooper sounds pretty good fast, but it makes Bruce's vocals ridiculous and awkward. Aces High I still think should be fast-ish, but they also took that to absurd extremes in '99. TETMD is just plain too slow on the album on the other hand.

Something like Wasted Years though? Fuck it, it's not some delicate composition that falls apart when they stomp on the throttle a little. I don't think the B-sides version is bad at all, even if it is a bit too rapid for where the song naturally wants to be tempo-wise.
 
Ascendingthethrone said:
I have never understood Adrian’s complaints about tempo. It is better to go quicker than to drag.
Click to expand...
I agree, for most songs though. Songs like Trooper and If Eternity Should Fail sound great/better faster (in contrast with their studio recordings), while a song like Revelations should be with a steady tempo. I also love Aces High from '99.

Wasted Years on the other hand is nice slower too.

In recent years, Bruce wants the songs to be at the ''right'' tempo, no only Adrian.
 
Last edited:
I agree that the tempos for the 99 versions were far too fast and ridiculous. That said, I'm of the opinion that most of the songs in the entire catalogue would benefit from slight speed-ups in the live setting. I prefer LAD's Flight Of Icarus to the studio version for example. Or If Eternity Should Fail as another example that benefits from a bit more speed.
 
Kalata said:
I agree, for most songs though. Songs like Trooper and Evil That Men Do sound great/better faster (in contrast with their studio recordings), while a song like Revelations should be with a steady tempo. I also love Aces High from '99.

Wasted Years on the other hand is nice slower too.

In recent years, Bruce wants the songs to be at the ''right'' tempo, no only Adrian.
Click to expand...
Ah I didn’t realise Bruce had talked about tempos as well.

Brighter than a Thousand Suns benefits from being slower. It’s got such a good groove. Sometimes the live versions are too quick. Same with Benjamin Breeg.
 
I'm listening to Paris '86 right now since it's been quite a few years since I've last done so (and the little bits of Walking in the Air in the guitar solo are perfect for setting the mood considering the date) and I definitely wish to add SIASL to the list of songs that actually shouldn't be played too fast. It becomes a little comical when it gets up there in the pace. You definitely want a little bit of speed up like FoI in '18 and uhh SIASL this year I guess, but too much and it loses something.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top