Your Maiden blasphemy
- Thread starter mckindog
- Start date
Chained Prometheus
The Spiral King
The thing I've always noticed about Bruce's live performances in the 80's were that his strongest performances in each show/live album I've heard were almost always on either the newest songs or the deep cuts that he didn't get to sing quite as often. The regulars like Hallowed, Number, Run or Iron Maiden were generally his weakest performances. Especially in the mid-to-late 80's.
SixesAlltheway
Ancient Mariner
Hmm, can't say I've noticed that during his 80's performances...but it makes sense. The regulars become regulars for them too...and its easier to notice the lack of passion/intensity in the vocals than in the way Nicko plays the drums or how the solos are played for example... 
It was even more on display during the Fear of the Dark or Real Live tour....
It was even more on display during the Fear of the Dark or Real Live tour....
Chained Prometheus
The Spiral King
Hmm, can't say I've noticed that during his 80's performances...but it makes sense. The regulars become regulars for them too...and its easier to notice the lack of passion/intensity in the vocals than in the way Nicko plays the drums or how the solos are played for example...
It was even more on display during the Fear of the Dark or Real Live tour....
Oh definitely, but it's really noticeable in Bruce's voice. Especially during the Somewhere on Tour bootlegs.
SixesAlltheway
Ancient Mariner
You're right. But on Somewhere On Tour, all the classics were stuffed together at the end of the set. And the rest of the set was a true tour de force. Very versatile and very demanding. They had Children of the Damned on that tour, Where Eagles Dare......opening with Caught Somewhere...a 14 min Rime of The Ancient Mariner....And all of the new Somewhere in Time tunes....No wonder Bruce was a little tired when they came to the last 4-5 songs (the regulars) that he can just cash in with half the intensity because he knows how to do them properly.
Chained Prometheus
The Spiral King
I hadn't thought about that! Not to mention, wasn't that when Bruce was also going through a divorce and fighting an ongoing cold or something? All that, along with his noted dissatisfaction for not being able to contribute to the new material, had to have been emotionally taxing on him. Combine that with such a demanding set... yeesh. Kinda surprised he didn't leave then and there.
SixesAlltheway
Ancient Mariner
I don't think any of that spilled over into the Somewhere On Tour....or lets say it like this: I've never heard about any problems whatsoever regarding Bruce and his motivation for doing the Somewhere on Tour gigs. The most common complaint is that there isn't more recorded stuff from this tour, because it's so special set list wise and stage show wise. Whatever beef the band might have had after the Powerslave tour and into the recording of Somewhere In Time I don't see any of it live...and from the bootlegs I've seen, Bruce seems 100% ON
Chained Prometheus
The Spiral King
Hmm. I probably haven't spent enough time going over the Somewhere on Tour bootlegs to make a proper opinion on the matter, it seems. That said, the setlist for that tour does look positively incredible.
SixesAlltheway
Ancient Mariner
There is always the classic Paris bootleg. Which if you haven't seen you should go see immediately 
But yeah honestly I can't put my finger on anything from what I've heard on these shows. Bruce sounds as good live in 86/87 as he does in 84/85...not much of a difference really...
But yeah honestly I can't put my finger on anything from what I've heard on these shows. Bruce sounds as good live in 86/87 as he does in 84/85...not much of a difference really...
Chained Prometheus
The Spiral King
There is always the classic Paris bootleg. Which if you haven't seen you should go see immediately
But yeah honestly I can't put my finger on anything from what I've heard on these shows. Bruce sounds as good live in 86/87 as he does in 84/85...not much of a difference really...
I've seen parts of the Paris bootleg. Never the whole thing. I'll aim to check it out entirely later tonight!
SixesAlltheway
Ancient Mariner
It is one of the better 86 shows out there...which is sad because compared to shows from other tours the quality would just be "good"...again, this is what makes the 86 tour special. There is a little bit of pro official footage from the 86 tour on the 12 Wasted Years VHS ...but it's not a lot..
More from Paris:
More from Paris:
Chained Prometheus
The Spiral King
Yeah, I actually just decided to start watching it right now. Currently at Caught Somewhere in Time. I will say that using the Blade Runner music to open the show was pretty inspired (Vangelis's score for that film is incredible). It'd be neat to see them do that again in the future.
Yeah, I've actually been watching that video of Sea of Madness a lot lately. Great performance!
SixesAlltheway
Ancient Mariner
I love the Vangelis Blade Runner score too. Yeah..and we can't forget besides Blade Runner...Aliens, Back To The Future etc etc...The world was seeing a big boost in Sci.Fi at the time...This was the mid 80s for crying out loud!!!..It obviously inspired Maiden into incorporating some Sci-fi elements in their studio and live stuff
Eddieson
Educated Fool
Agree. Some of those crowds in Poland and Hungary are mental in those recordings!
Another thing to take into consideration regarding Bruce and his performance is that those "Iron Curtain" performances were at the start of the tour....The 4 nights at Long Beach Arena was like well into 1985...And they had been on the road a long time when they made those recordings.
But should that really matter? Rock in Rio for example were recorded on one of the last shows of the Brave New World Tour, and Bruce sounded fantastic still.
I belive why Bruce sounds tired and strained on the Live After Death and Maiden England recordings is because he were not as good as a singer as he is today. He didn't take care of his voice in the same way, he didn't know his voice and his limits etc.
Black Bart
Ancient Mariner
- Nicko is getting old and slow live (I was at the Hellfest '14 show and it showed).
- Adrian and Janick don't seem to get along too well, at least on stage, the former tends to ignore the latter - who only seems to interact with Bruce.
- AMOLAD is long and boring. "For the Greater Good of God" in particular is way overrated.
- Adrian and Janick don't seem to get along too well, at least on stage, the former tends to ignore the latter - who only seems to interact with Bruce.
- AMOLAD is long and boring. "For the Greater Good of God" in particular is way overrated.
Welsh Phantom
Ancient Mariner
I find myself listening to the Hammersmith 84 side more often than the California show...
With Wrathchild, 22 Acacia, Children of the Damned, Die With Your Boots, Phantom and then the live b-sides from Running Free (Live) and Run To The Hills (Live) namely Murders in The Rue Morgue and Losfer Words - we almost have a complete second show from this tour
Not forgetting Sanctuary, that for some reason does not appear on the album version, but is also a live single b-side (even though it is on the dvd)
Chained Prometheus
The Spiral King
Well, to be fair, Nicko is the oldest member in the band and he's got the most physically demanding job. I'm not at all surprised that he's getting a bit slow. It happens.
I've wondered about Adrian and Janick for awhile now and I recently listened to an interview Adrian did with Eddie Trunk. I don't think Adrian hates or dislikes Janick personally.
Ariana
Black-and-white leopard
That's not an unpopular opinion, that's simply not true. There are plenty of instances to prove that this is a lie, including interviews in which Adrian states he enjoys spending time with Janick and talking to him. There is also enough stage footage that shows them interacting on stage. Both Adrian and Janick are mellow, level-headed (most of the time) and intelligent enough not to see the other one as competition.
Last edited:
Meliegree
Evening The Odds.
1) Janick is great
2) Eddie on live shows suck - I always cringe when I watch show with my friends and he walks on stage
3) Blaze was good. Just not good enough
4) Hallowed by thy name suck dragonballs
5) New stuff is much better than old if we compare lyrics
6) Steve should stick to writing songs and nothing else
7) H can kick living candy out off Dave anytime, anywhere.
Dunno, for me Adrian always seems like introvert and Janic like extrovert and maybe that's why they don't "click" on stage.
2) Eddie on live shows suck - I always cringe when I watch show with my friends and he walks on stage
3) Blaze was good. Just not good enough
4) Hallowed by thy name suck dragonballs
5) New stuff is much better than old if we compare lyrics
6) Steve should stick to writing songs and nothing else
7) H can kick living candy out off Dave anytime, anywhere.
Dunno, for me Adrian always seems like introvert and Janic like extrovert and maybe that's why they don't "click" on stage.
