Wow, was it really 30 years ago TNotB Came out?

spidey99

spidey99

Invader
Saw today that it's been 30 years since The Number of the Beast came out. I remember it like it was 30 years ago!!! haha. I was 15, in high school, had a friend introduce me to the first two iron maiden albums...loved them, loved Paul DiAnno singing. Was bummed out when we read that he was gone from the band and they had a new singer. Remember seeing ads in trades that the new Iron Maiden album was called TNotB, and we waited for that day to pick it up at the record store. What an Amazing album cover!!! Took a few spins I recall, to get into the new singer, but it grew on me fast, and I was hooked. They toured and opened for the Scorpions at the Cow Palace (I think thats were it was) in Northern California and we were there, excited to see them live at last. I still think they blew the Scorps away.
I know, cool story bro.... but hey, being 45, and disabled, with too many health troubles to write about here, I'm glad I still have this Amazing Band in my life, to make things brighter.
Would love to read your all's memories of this album.

Up The Irons!!!
Sam
 
Can't believe it's been that long ago. I was also 15 when this came out and I bought it and was immediately blown away with the back to back salvo of Children of the Damned/The Prisoner. 30 years....damn I'm getting old!
 
I wasn't even a thought yet 30 years ago... damn!

I can only imagine though what a big deal this album was back then. Though, personally, it is one of my least favorite Maiden albums, honestly. Which is ironic considering Hallowed Be Thy Name is my favorite song, heh.
 
I wasn't around yet when the album came out, but it was nevertheless the first Maiden album I ever heard. I guess it's time to share an old chestnut again. It was around twelve years ago, I was an impressionable teenager from a well-to-do suburban neighbourhood looking for something to rebel against. I loved rock music, and my favourite bands at the time were Queen, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, AC/DC and the Doors. But my parents got me into all those bands, and it just isn't cool if your mom picks out your CDs. And I had no use for the bands my friends were listening to, such as Blink 182 or the Blood Hound Gang.

Then came that fateful day in school. We were discussing Satanism in religion class, and we had just finished a book by someone who claimed to have been in a Satanist sect. Ironically, I found out later that another religion teacher had reviewed that book and came to find that it was more than likely filled with schizophreniac fantasies. Anyway, my teacher decided to show us some Satanist music, and handed out a poorly translated lyrics sheet. He then took his tape player out and played The Number of the Beast. We were later supposed to discuss the content of those lyrics, but I couldn't get that song out of my head. It was pretty much the best thing I had ever heard. I adored the guitars, I adored the singer, and I adored the fact that this band was supposedly evil.

This band did not only fill my desire to rebel (finally I had found some music that my parents hated), but also turned out to play exactly the music that I wanted to hear. They stuck with me through some very rough years during and following my graduation, and they will probably always remain my favourite band.
 
Great stories guys! Yeah, I've been into maiden for so many years... well, I'd have to guess about 31-32 years now. I still recall my bud asking me if I heard of Iron Maiden yet. I thought he was saying that Black Sabbath had created a followup song to Iron Man... but about a woman. He said no...they're a British Metal band, and he had both their albums. Went to his place and he put on Killers first, so the Ides of March was the first thing I ever heard from Maiden. I was blown away... I went to my local shop and had to order the two albums, but when I got them, yeah...my parents weren't too fond of the covers of IM and Killers. So you can imagine their shock when I brought home TNotB album that day. But they're cool parents, they let me make my own mistakes, I mean decisions, and besides I had two older brothers who were already running them thru the ringer.

Up the Irons !!!
Sam
 
30 years!

:bigsurprise:

I hope this means we'll see some surprises like 'The Prisoner' or 'Children of the Damned' on the Maiden England tour.
 
I remember it like it was yesterday: I was 2 years old, and just starting to separate sounds into words and sentence fragments.
 
Great stuff! My story goes:

In 1981 I was a freshman in HS (9th grade) and I had seen Maiden shirts around school and thought they were awful! :confused: I was a new Rush fan (!) and was exploring their whole catalog..but I was starting to need more power and less cerebral stimulation (probably hormones!)

The last day of school I had my Biology final exam and we had to stick around in class until everyone finished..so I finish early and this friend of mine with a Sony walkman and a leather briefcase full of cassettes (the coolest thing at my school at that time!) asks if I want to borrow the headset and case..I agree and what do I find in that fate filled case? A copy of "TNOTB" !

I take it out and gaze at the hideous cover ... nothing could be farther from the restrained artistic visions of Rush albums...I am repulsed! and..intrigued! What noise must a band like this make ? What horrible things must they glorify in their lyrics? I had to open the case and insert it in the Walkman! Now, I thought, I will hear what garbage is out there and when I listen to my Rush I can enjoy it even more...

""Woe to you o Earth and sea...." and then the guitars kick in then bass and cymbals and then the scream! Then A Maiden fan for life is made!! My skin turned to goosebumps and my mind reeled as I listened! When the tune was done I quietly returned the Walkman and case to my friend with a new burning inside..! To discover this beautiful thing called Iron Maiden! Such monstrosity on its covers hiding such beauty!

I have been a "hardcore" Maiden fan since that moment that day! I'm 44 now and still get goosebumps from Maiden! UTI!
 
In 81' as a 10 year old I'd only just started listening to Maiden, Scorpions, AC/DC, Rush, Priest, UFO, etc through my oldest sisters boyfriend at the time but Maiden were the one which caught my eye the most with Derek Riggs amazing artwork. Being young I didn't read music press and I didn't realize in 82' when TNOTB was released that Paul Di'Anno had been replaced. I was already familiar with Bruce 'Bruce' after a friend swapped me the Samson album Shock Tactics vinyl for my copy of Scorpions, Lovedrive album but I was pretty disappointed that the first band I'd become attached to only a year before had already ditched their singer. I only had to hear Children Of The Damned and Hallowed Be The Name to be convinced that Maiden had made a good choice although my soft spot for Paul will never go away. TNOTB is a great, iconic album in the respect that it takes me back to that part of my youth, discovering music, metal and Maiden although I'm not the biggest fan now of RunTo The Hills, Gangland and Invaders. I can't believe that was 30 years ago though and to me it's amazing that I'm still going online everyday checking out for tour/album news of this amazing band that thankfully is showing no sign of slowing down.
 
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