Your Maiden guilty pleasure

StormTheTrooper

Running to the Hills
Even though Maiden doesn't have a full-time-awful record, our favourite band does have a few songs that are "rejected" even by their diehard fans. But, in the end, the majority of us will like at least one of those songs as our "guilty pleasure", as "this song is awful, but i like it" or "why only I like Xxx?".

Before i knew this forum, i would have a lot of songs that the majority of my friends don't like/hate and i love: The Nomad, The Pilgrim, Futureal, When the Wild Wind Blows, Isle of Avalon, Judas Be My Guide...and it goes on. But, even on a hardcore place like here, i do have some songs that, apparentely, i'm guilty to enjoy:

The Assassin: You better watch out, because no one likes you, except me :D. I love how catchy the chours are;

Bring Your Daughter...to the Slaughter: Yes, this song sucks on the album. But live, it's one of the best "finishers" to a concert that i can think. But, as i said, i recognize that this song is terrible;

Lightning Strikes Twice: I love the main riff, the solo and even the lyrics. It's repetitive, a lot, but so is No More Lies. And i love No More Lies as well;

Gangland: Yes, i know i'm talking about a record that contains Children of the Damned, Run to the Hills, NOTB and Hallowed, but how can you not love a song so catchy? When i hear the song's name, the first thing that comes out of my mind is, instantely, "Deeeeead man tell no tale, gangland, murder's up for sale"

The Alchemist: OK, i never actually saw people talking bad about this song here, but never saw people talking good too. It's one of the highlights of TFF to me, probably the 2nd song that i wanted the most to hear live (behind The Talisman). It's such a good rocker, quick, straight, with a hot riff and Nicko blowing some heads on the background. "Knooow this, i'll return to this land"

Maybe i'm not alone in those? Or maybe one of you have even a darker appetite - doing some gambles? - perhaps...
 
I absolutely love The Alchemist. It's one of the catchiest short rockers the band has done during the reunion and I genuinely don't understand the lack of love for it.

Bring Your Daughter is an absolutely guilty pleasure, but at least it's fun. Bad, but in a good way.

My ultimate Maiden guilty pleasure is Wasting Love - a song that a good majority of Maiden fans truly don't like. My good friend considers it to be the worst thing the band has ever done. I don't care about the cheesiness, I don't care about the obvious attempt at catching the ears of non-Maiden fans, all I care is that Bruce delivers a powerhouse performance and that Janick's emotional solo is stellar.
 
I don't think I could feel guilty about any Maiden stuff. I like Dance of Death, the entire album, more than some might deem healthy, but that's about it. Bring Your Daughter..... was a nice little break to what was going on in the charts at the time, it kicked a few arses. It's always stuck with me since then.
 
DoD is, most of the days, my favorite post-reunion album. There you go, y'all can judge me now

Aaaaaaaand...i dislike Wasting Love, but, if i can live with Can I Play With Madness, why not Wasting Love? At least the solo is better
 
When I was first getting into Maiden back in 1991 No Prayer was the only album I had for ages. The Assassin was my favorite song on there for quite some time. I still dig that song even though it's pretty ridiculous.

I also agree that The Alchemist is a great track - it really bridges the gap between the simpler and more epic songs off of The Final Frontier.

I always liked Gangland more than Total Eclipse - I'm probably one of the few who believes the band made the right call on that one.

And for the last one - I love Quest For Fire. Sure, the opening line is absurd but the rest of the track rocks.
 
I like some of the B-sides alot better than the album tracks. Rainbow's gold, burning ambition, King of twilight, That girl, Justice of the peace and Judgement Day are all very solid and could easily have been on their albums.

Sheriff of Huddersfield, Mission from 'Arry and Reach out are also some true guilty pleasures that are also great on their own unique way.

When it comes to albums tracks, I agree like someone else have already mentioned, Bring your daugher is a bit weird and goofy lyric wise, but it is a very good Maiden song anyway!
 
Definitely dont feel guilty about any of it Ive read hate for Innocent Exile, Another Life and Gangland. Fuckin love 'em all. I agree Donner, Gangland is a better tune for NOTB than Total Eclipse. Total Eclipse sounds like it might have fitted better on Piece of Mind. Maybe.

Im a fan of Run Silent Run Deep. Does that count?
 
100% agree with Knickerbocker about The Alchemist, its a highlight of TFF for me, certainly more listenable than IoA and Starblind. These 2 songs have some great proggy ideas and I liked that Maiden explored that avenue a bit further with these tracks but for me it didnt work. Although when Starblind is good, its fuckin great.

Also, judging by many posts on here, Fear of the Dark would seem like it should be considered a guilty pleasure :wtf:
 
The song? It's had possibly more play than it's worth and seems popular with people who know next to no Maiden, but isn't anything terrible. It worked a lot better when I heard it live.
 
The song? It's had possibly more play than it's worth and seems popular with people who know next to no Maiden, but isn't anything terrible. It worked a lot better when I heard it live.
Aye, the song. It has had a lot of play but its brilliant live. Fair enough I could handle it being dropped but Im never disappointed to witness it live. The recorded version sucks, much like Hallowed (slow bits played too fast, fast bits played too slow).

Strange how such a shit album could produce such a piece of mammoth metal majestry...
 
I wouldn't really say the studio versions of either Fear of the Dark or Hallowed suck. My guiltiest pleasure is probably The Assassin.
 
Also, judging by many posts on here, Fear of the Dark would seem like it should be considered a guilty pleasure :wtf:

TBH, I never saw people here saying that FotD is bad, I just see people complaining about how Maiden have a infinity of cool songs, but plays FotD every single tour.

Maybe I would complain as well if I got to see them in 2011 and 2013 (both of them were in other state and I was unemployed/half employed), maybe not...after all, I'll probably see Sabbath again this December, and I'm looking forward a lot to hear War Pigs, Iron Man and Paranoid again.

Oh, and Run Silent, Run Deep counts, I guess haha. I like it as well. Actually, I enjoy NPFTD a lot more than the "mainstream" fans does
 
And for the last one - I love Quest For Fire. Sure, the opening line is absurd but the rest of the track rocks.

I prefer Quest for Fire then Sun and Stell and, depending on my mood, To Tame a Land.

And I'm on #TeamGangland too. Total Eclipse is good, yes, but i love Gangland's speed and chorus
 
I have heard The Apparation maybe once in my entire life and I have to admit...its not awful. It is a B side though. Why they thought it should be released as is I'll never know. Its at least as good as Pass the Jam or More Tea Vicar.
 
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