Iron Maiden

Album by Album

Martin Popoff

• Publisher: Voyageur Press
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9780760360880
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Music

Required reading for any metalhead, Iron Maiden is a compendium ofin-depth, entertaining, and profusely illustrated conversations about all sixteen of the legendary metal band's studio albums. This new book from prolific rock journalist Martin Popoff pays tribute to the Iron Maiden's studio discography through a series of in-depth, frank, and entertaining conversations about all sixteen of the legendary heavy metal band's studio albums. Inside, the author gathers together metal journalists, authors, and musicians, who offer insights, opinions, and anecdotes about every release. Together, the conversations comprise a unique historical overview of the band, covering everything from early albums with original lead singer Paul Di'Anno; the songwriting of founder and bassist Steve Harris; the impeccable talents of drummer Nicko McBrain and guitarists Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, and Janick Gers; mega tours undertaken in support of the LPs; fights within the band; and much more. Even their iconic mascot Eddie is sure to make an appearance or two! Popoff also includes loads of sidebars that provide complete track listings, details on album personnel, and information on where and when the albums were recorded. Every page is illustrated with thoughtfully curated performance and offstage photography, as well as rare memorabilia.

1 Iron Maiden

with Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth, Marty Friedman, and Brian Slagel

SIDE 1

1. Prowler 3:56

(Harris)

2. Remember Tomorrow 5:20

(Harris, Di’Anno)

3. Running Free 3:22

(Harris, Di’Anno)

4. Phantom of the Opera 7:02

(Harris)

SIDE 2

1. Transylvania 4:09

(Harris)

2. Strange World 5:43

(Harris)

3. Charlotte the Harlot 4:14

(Murray)

4. Iron Maiden 3:43

(Harris)

Personnel: Paul Di’Anno—lead vocals; Dave Murray—guitar; Dennis Stratton—guitar, vocals; Steve Harris—bass, vocals; Clive Burr—drums

Produced by Will Malone

Recorded at Kingsway Studios, London

Released April 14, 1980

Note: The US and Canadian release added “Sanctuary” (Iron Maiden), 3:19.

Despite the instant smash impact of Iron Maiden’s self-titled debut, no one could say this band hadn’t paid their dues. With roots all the way back to 1975, Steve Harris and a rotating cast were creating a new wave of British heavy metal long before anybody thought to stick capital letters on that term.

The slow rise through the pubs—with many of these songs in the set—resulted in the band’s first bits of pre-LP product, namely the legendary long-form seven-inch indie release The Soundhouse Tapes, and marquee positioning on what is essentially NWOBHM’s kickoff release, the first of the two Metal for Muthas compilations, which Iron Maiden opened with “Sanctuary” and, in fact, velvet-roped themselves as the only band with two tracks on the comp, adding the majestic “Wrathchild” to Side 2.

Metal for Muthas arrived February 15, 1980, with the self-titled debut album set to frighten the shops two months later, a rapid rise pretty much assured with the laser-focused Rod Smallwood as manager. It didn’t hurt that Iron Maiden had the five-way personnel magnetism to make these anthems translate live.

However, the production values of Iron Maiden left something to be desired. Although not distractingly bad like a few tragic examples from the NWOBHM (Raven, Fist, and Tygers of Pan Tang come to mind), it was a bit thin, urgent, and punky, which nonetheless suited the high energy and even frantic music as well as the aggressive growl and nonchalant cool emanating from the man at the mic, Paul Di’Anno. The album was recorded in thirteen days and produced by an apparently disinterested and not exactly pedigreed Will Malone, which (again, silver lining) led Steve Harris to get involved in production, an invaluable asset down the line in terms of his substantial input with Martin Birch, and later self-production and co-production roles.

Eddie down for the count. Left to right: Clive Burr, Adrian Smith, Paul Di’Anno, Steve Harris (seated), and Dave Murray.

Iron Maiden’s self-funded debut release, The Soundhouse Tapes, released November 9, 1979.

But no amount of subpar knob-jobbing could stop these stage-tested songs. Again, personality and high relief distinguish the record. Opener “Prowler” was surprisingly punky, as were youthful anthem “Running Free” and “Charlotte the Harlot.” “Remember Tomorrow” and “Strange World” showed that when one of these new-generation metal bands made quiet music, it was going to be morose and creepy in deference to the masters, Black Sabbath and bridge band Judas Priest. “Transylvania” tacitly suggests greatness, for only the audacious and talented would stick an instrumental on their first album. As a sort of pedal-to-the-metal deference to Harris’s progressive rock roots, there was the band’s first literary/cinematic epic in “Phantom of the Opera,” with title track, although brief, managing prog flourishes as well.

Comparisons with the great Black Sabbath are underscored in the title track. Here was what was to become the first-generation-defining metal band of a new decade issuing in spring 1980 an album named after themselves, with a song named after the album, named after the band—just like Black Sabbath, which issued its groundbreaking debut in spring 1970. Both albums addressed horror themes straight between the eyes—literally, with scary occult figures staring right at you from the record jackets.

But let’s not get carried away. Black Sabbath invented heavy metal, while Iron Maiden was pretty much a brash version of Judas Priest circa Sad Wings of Destiny through Stained Class and, frankly, nowhere near as good or trailblazing (this is a point I will never cede: despite how awesome Iron Maiden is, innovation is not one of its ticked boxes, outside of, arguably, the cover art). Black Sabbath, by 1980, was a completely new band with Ronnie James Dio at the helm, while Judas Priest was busy dumbing themselves down with British Steel, voluntarily abdicating their throne, with Steve Harris and an equally battle-ready Paul Di’Anno all too willing to sei...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Introduction
• 1 Iron Maiden
• 2 Killers
• 3 The Number of the Beast
• 4 Piece of Mind
• 5 Powerslave
• 6 Somewhere in Time
• 7 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
• 8 No Prayer for the Dying
• 9 Fear of the Dark
• 10 The X Factor
• 11 Virtual XI
• 12 Brave New World
• 13 Dance of Death
• 14 A Matter of Life and Death
• 15 The Final Frontier
• 16 The Book of Souls
• About the Author
• About the Contributors
• Author Bibliography
• Index
• Photo Credits
• Copyright