Iron Maiden News You Can Use!!!!

[ABlairican Pie]

And now for a new feature here at our beloved music board: As EricIdleFan has her News You Can Use thread, we are beginning an equally vital and informative public service: In celebration of Iron Maiden's new album release and pending tour, ABlairican Pie gives you:

Iron Maiden News You Can Use!!!! :rock:

Hey, it sure beats Justin Timberlake News You Can Use, right? ;) :nod:

[ABlairican Pie]

Sept. 5, 2006

IRON MAIDEN's new album, "A Matter of Life and Death", has entered the Norwegian national album chart at position No. 2. The updated first-week chart positions are now as follows:

Finland: #1
Italy: #1
Germany: #1
Norway: #2
U.K.: #4
Ireland: #5
Poland: #6
Netherlands: #7
Australia: #12

"A Matter of Life and Death" was recorded at Sarm West Studios in London with producer Kevin Shirley, who also worked on the last two MAIDEN albums, 2000's "Brave New World" and 2003's "Dance of Death". The CD is released is the U.S. today (Tuesday, September 5) via Sanctuary.

(Thanks: MaidenNorway.com)

[ABlairican Pie]

Sept. 5, 2006

United Press International reports that heavy metal icons IRON MAIDEN have taken a topical direction on their new album, "A Matter of Life and Death".

Many of the songs on the British sextet's first new album in three years — including "These Colors Don't Run", "The Longest Day" and "For the Greater Good of God" — deal with current events, particularly military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Obviously there's a lot of very topical subject matter on this album," notes guitarist Dave Murray, adding that the group knows that can be a risk.

"I know that subjects like war and religion aren't to everyone's tastes," he says. "But this is more about the psychological aspects, not just doom and gloom. We're just telling little stories about what's going on, not ramming it down people's throats."

IRON MAIDEN kicks off a world tour to promote "A Matter of Life and Death" on Oct. 4 in Hartford, Conn.

[ABlairican Pie]

The Spanish edition of Metal Hammer magazine recently conducted an interview with IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris. What follows is the English translation of the interview, courtesy of the IRON MAIDEN fan site MaidenFans.com:

Q: It is quite sure that the fans might frown and not like the album on the first listen Why is it so dark?

Steve: "Everybody has a different way of seeing things. We have been doing interviews the whole week and some of us went to Japan to do promo last week and everybody has a different idea of what they think this album means. Right now I have been interviewed by three Spanish journalists and all of you have found it a ark one. Previously just two journalists have mentioned it. However, it really goes on well with the opening track. 'Different World' talks about the different perspectives that people see things with. I think that the record has more hope than darkness, with a huge progressive feel. It's quite epic. We have more long songs than ever and don't ask me why, as we never plan these things. I usually call the guys…"

Q: … and you tell them that you have a lot of songs completely written.

Steve: "Well, I tell them that I will go to see them on the following week (laughs). I tell them that we have to get together to start working on the new album. I think that most of the stuff was written with Adrian on the first day we got together. It's quite spontaneous and inspired. Then I met Dave and Janick. Bruce wrote the lyrics over my melodies. However, there isn't a master plan behind each album…

Q: As a writer, do you have fun making people have opposite views on your work? Do you laugh at them, thinking "you losers?"

Steve: "(Laughs) Nothing further from the truth than that. Everybody has a different opinion. It is like reading a book: everybody reads different things, although the book is still the same."

Q: It is certainly a progressive album, although I think it seems intentional, due to the number of repetitions featured in the songs or certain parts of them. Some of them have reminded me to "The Angel and the Gambler" from "Virtual XI". The song was pretty good, but the chorus repetition was painful. I have found songs on "A Matter of Life and Death" were made longer for the sake of making a long song. Don't you think that songs two minutes shorter would have been better?

Steve: "You are the first one to mention this. It is a matter of opinion. When we write something, we think it is correct the way it is, we do not stop to think is the song is longer or shorter. We have not written long songs in the album for the sake of having long songs."

Q: Do you think that MAIDEN music can just head into the progressive direction? Why not a change towards something more extreme? To name just a possible example, that is.

Steve: "No, because we did not grow up with death metal. Hence, it can not influence us. Our musical influences come from the '70s and that is what you can hear in our music. Death metal is out there, but it doesn't say anything to us when we are writing tunes, as we did not grow up listening to that music."

Q: I was referring to if the progressive path is the only one to follow in your evolution.

Steve: "But we don't think about it. We don't think about evolving to one place or another. That's the reason why the album has songs much more epic, because we haven't even thought about it."

Q: A great bunch of the album was written with Adrian. I think that five songs out of ten have been co-written with him. In the hypothetical situation where he would leave the band again, how do you think it will affect the sound of the band?

Steve: "I don't think he'll leave again, because he did it once and had the chance to come back (laughs). I don't think he'll leave for a second time, although you never know! I don't think it will happen so I don't see it as a possible problem. I think that in this album, more than in any other, Adrian's influence is bigger. For the next record I will go first to Janick's house or Dave's place (laughs) and so there will be more songs by them in the album. This way round things have worked like I said. We are not a band that writes 20 songs and chooses 10 for the album. We stop when we think we have enough songs to have a new album."

Q: METALLICA have worked for a long time with Bob Rock and he became an important part of the band. You have been working with Kevin Shirley in your last three albums. Do you think that a change in the production department would benefit the band?

Steve: "No, because we have found what we were looking for. In this album we sound better than we have ever done with Kevin. We feel comfortable with him and we work quite fast. Why change the combination if it works? It would be something to take into consideration if it wasn't working…"

Q: If it ain't broke don't fix it.

Steve: Exactly.

Q: The band sounds much more organic than other bands from nowadays. Were you trying to find that sound or do you think that it is the definite MAIDEN sound?

Steve: "The only thing we have changed in purpose on this occasion is the bass sound. On the last two albums I think that I went away from my classical bass sound, due to the presence of thre guitars. So, we looked back and listened to our early stuff to recover the bass sound of our first four albums. I told this to Kevin and I think it now sounds much better, with more space for the drums. I think that's the only thing we wanted to intentionally change, the rest came naturally. And I agree that the album sounds much more organic. We do what we do and that's the result of it. Kevin is really settled now. This is his third album with us. He knows how we all work and knows how to get the best possible sound from this band."

Q: The recording was done mostly live. Am I right?

Steve: "The initial backing tracks were done real fast. The way we have changed things this time is that we have worked with a very lively feel. We worked in the backing tracks of one song, we added all the extra stuff, we mixed it and then off we went to the next song. It was a great way to work."

Q: I read Kevin's diaries and I have noticed that the album was done really quick, in just two months.

Steve: "That's because it's Kevin's third album and it accelerates many things. The writing was done quite fast, so we could work much more time with Nicko. Thus, he knew the songs much better when we entered the studio and we could record the basic tracks quite fast. Moreover, we worked tune by tune. It has not been lethargic. If you spend too much time in the studio you get fed up with everything and the tension and discussions arise. This time we focused on each song and once it was finished, it was time to do another song."

Q: I think that Bruce's voice sounded a bit hidden in some songs, mostly in "Different World". Is it some kind of punishment for not behaving properly in last years Ozzfest?

Steve: "(Laughs) No, nothing like that. It depends on the song. Sometimes the voice needs to be up in the mix and sometimes needs to be mixed slightly hidden. If you put the voice up you lose that big and fat sound that you want to achieve. That's the reason why his voice might seem hidden in a few songs. But it was done on purpose."

Q: His melody lines are reminiscent of past works in some cases. Especially when he holds the notes at the end of the verses (Harris nods). In the past there have been songs with faster and convoluted vocal lines, like "Hallowed be Thy Name".

Steve: "Well, it depends on what the songs needs. In a way it depends on me, not on Bruce, because I wrote the melody lines for this album and the previous one. If you have to blame somebody, I'm the one (laughs). I try to have things sounding in a certain way and I have my own style of writing. Some people like it and some don't, but what can I do? It's my style. I don't analyze it too much. If you listen to an album and analyze it, you can have an opinion different to that of another listener."

Q: Without analyzing it deeply, do you think that a casual MAIDEN teenage fan will find this album easy to listen? It is difficult to digest.

Steve: "I don't think in that. If I wanted to catch the attention of teenagers I would write material in vein of BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, with vocal lines more focused to what [is currently popular], but we don't give a **** what [is currently popular]. We want the young fans, because that's what makes a band evolve, but we also want the other fans, we want all the fans, old, new and all in between. We don't write what people want to hear and we have never done it, because people do not know what they want to hear."

Q: Why do you think MAIDEN have lasted this long? Are you the reason, the other band members or is it everything together?

Steve: "The main reason is what you have mentioned before: we do what we want. If we tried to write for teenagers… First of all, we could not do it, as we are not teenagers anymore. And if we did, we would upset the fans in their thirties. You can't write what people want to hear. We do what we do and then they have to decide if they like it or not. If they like it, great. If they don't, tough. That is our attitude and that is why we keep on being relevant. If it wasn't that way we should do surveys: 'OK, what kind of sound do you want for the next album? What songs do we have to write?' (Laughs)."

Q: And then give them an ice cream at the end of the survey.

Steve: "That's it (Laughs)."

Q: Now I am going to ask you about another subject, although I do not want to [spend much time] on it: last year's Ozzfest. You have always been a professional band that has kept the **** under the carpet and has not discussed their issues in the press. However, it seemed that there were some problems [between] Bruce and the rest of the band.

Steve: "We are professional musicians and we acted like that. They would have preferred it if we had gone away from the stage, I'm sure, but we didn't. The great thing is that the audience was with us and when the PA sound was cut, they supported us. That made me feel proud and actually gave me goose bumps. It was incredible what happened. It's not that they threw **** to us, as our own road crew has done too when we ended other tours (laughs), but it's sad to see people acting that way when they have a problem. If you have a problem, why can't you be… I was going to say a man, but I'm sure that if a man was involved things would have been different. The issues would have been discussed and that's it. Done and dusted. But it wasn't a man who did it, so the [actions were] completely different and I won't even try to understand it."

Q: I thought that there was some problem with Bruce, as he was especially vocal in his displeasure with the fat fans sitting in the first rows in the USA.

Steve: "Whenever we go to the USA, Bruce is very vocal in those things because there are things completely wrong in that country. The fans are great and loyal and I feel sorry they understand the message in a wrong way and think that we do not enjoy playing in the USA. The problem is with the venues. They sell the front-row tickets to people that do not even care for the band. The real fans are in the 20th row and the people from the front rows have been invited or have the money to get those seats and sit there eating ****ing fried chicken. Imagine playing in front of those people. You get really upset!

"The problem is that, when you are in the 20th row you can't always see the reason why we are so pissed, because you don't see what happens in the front rows. In the future we must play in other places. There are other venues, but not always available. Sometimes you have to play in the venues where these things happen, but we'll try to get the real fans to the front rows. When we headline in Denver, for example, we play in the same venues Ozzfest [plays] and the problem is exactly the same. There are *******s in the front rows that do not care for what you are doing. Seriously, it seems that if they had a remote control they would change the TV channel (Laughs). Why do they go to the show? Why are they there? That's the kind of people that should be at the back. They have their right to be at the show, they have bought their ticket, but I don't think they should be sitting in the front rows.

"We get the feedback from the fans in the first rows more than any other band. We need that contact to enjoy the show. We can be professional players and get on playing, but it shouldn't be that way. The real fans should be in the front rows."

Q: The problem is that most venues are owned by Clear Channel and one cannot fight against the elements.

Steve: "One can, and we will. We will see what happens."

Q: People do not see what happens in the front rows and think that Bruce is having one of his tantrums. Perhaps due to his reputation, although he's more mature than 20 years ago.

Steve: "But Bruce has always complained about what happens in the USA, because the problem is not new. If Bruce can't stand something, he has to say it and I feel the same way, although I would say it in a different way. When Bruce complains about MTV, he is right, and I'm not referring to 'The Osbournes'. It's not a show as big as they think it is. I like 'The Osbournes', I think it's an amusing show. The problem is that MTV just has reality TV shows and things like that, they don't care about music. That's what Bruce is complaining about. They think that when we criticize MTV and all that **** we are criticizing 'The Osbournes'. It's a problem of their ego."

Q: But she [Sharon Osbourne] thought it was personal.

Steve: "Why? Because she has an ego the size of ****ing California!"

Q: I don't know Steve, it seems that Sharon Osbourne is a peculiar woman. Those of you who have worked with her might know it better than me.

Steve: "I met her several times over the years and I haven't had any problem with her before, but what she did wasn't professional. If she had a problem with somebody, she should have talked with Rod or directly with Bruce. Why did she wait until the end of the tour and did she act that way? If she didn't like something, she should have stopped it way before. I'll tell you something. It wasn't just that. We played a great show on the first night of the tour in Boston and she did not say anything. But on the second show, we went onstage and we had no sound. Nothing was coming from the PA during the first song. I think that it's highly unprofessional."

Q: Do you think that a possible reason is that in IRON MAIDEN the singer still sings, instead of stutter or babble?

Steve: "No idea, I don't know what made her act that way. It's ****… We would not do it again. We have headlined in the USA since ****ing 1983 and we did Ozzfest to try to reach a new generation of fans. It's difficult to get to them in another way and I think it worked. However, look what happened in the end…"

Q: How was to play an extended set because Ozzy could not perform in certain nights?

Steve: "We knew it would happen. We knew he would not be able to do two shows in a row. We knew it could happen."

Q: So it wasn't a surprise then.

Steve: "No, we were ready for it. We did not have any problem with Ozzy. One of the nights he could not perform, Bruce said some kind words from the stage, wishing him a fast recovery and all the best. Apparently his wife wasn't listening…"

Q: Ozzy is not the problem, his wife is.

Steve: "Oh, I haven't said anything. I have said too much (Laughs)."

Q: Back to the album. There are two songs that have surprised me: "For the Greater Good of God" and "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg". Those are the tunes I find more similar to the material from "Dance of Death". Are they leftovers from the recording sessions of the previous album?

Steve: "No, everything in this album is new. There is just a part of a song where I have used a bass idea from a previous song, but it doesn't have anything to do with 'Dance of Death'."

Q: I think that sometimes you try to make room for three guitars when the song hasn't got enough space for three guitar solos or multiple harmonies. Do you think the three guitars are overused in the band?

Steve: "Not really. In the past we have done twin harmonies with a third rhythm guitar. The three guitars are not the reason behind the length of the songs."

Q: What is the plan for the future? Some years ago you said you were going to tour less, recording albums in the winter and touring in the summer.

Steve: "To be fair, we do not want to do nine- or 10-month tours. We can't do them physically. If we did those tours, we would risk ourselves to be burnt out and then have some years off. The last tour was four months long and when we finished it we were still wanting more, something that it's really good (laughs)! It means we could return to work faster, instead of touring for 10 months and then have a year off. The only problem is that we can't do more than a date in Spain and that we don't play in Portugal, Greece or Belgium, places where we should play."

Q: But you don't do seven dates in the same country, like it happened before in Spain.

Steve: "We are not 20 years old anymore. The problem is that the band gets bigger every year, but we cannot be on tour for nine months, because then…"

Q: ... You feel old.

Steve: "It's not that we would feel old; it's a matter of quality over quantity. It's better to do things well. We have to be realistic."

Q: There have been many rumours in the press about the end of MAIDEN.

Steve: "We can't go on forever. Now we feel strong. The only reason why we keep going is because nowadays we plan things in a better way. If we kept on doing things like in the old days, we would realize that we could not keep playing."

Q: Don't get me wrong, I don't want MAIDEN to end!

Steve: "Of course, but it's a typical thing to speculate about. We have to plan things well and then we could keep the band alive longer."

Q: I believe you would do this album tour. Then, another retrospective tour with songs from "Powerslave", "Somewhere in Time" and so on will follow and, finally, a last album and a tour before retirement.

Steve: "We don't know it yet. We would like to do many things. We would love to do another studio album and we will probably record one. Or perhaps we won't. We have to be passionate about what we do."

Q: If it wasn't for the private jets, would you have continued touring?

Steve: "When touring becomes a problem you realize that you don't want to do it. Now we enjoy touring. Due to our popularity, we should be playing much more shows, but we can't anymore. Now we play in certain cities one year and in different cities the following. Perhaps people would have to travel to see us live…"

Q: It's what many classical artists do: tours with just 15-20 dates. People go to see them instead of them going to play to wherever the people are.

Steve: "Well, we have been one of the hardest touring bands ever and we have earned our right to tour less. What do people prefer? A nine-month tour and then the band breaking up because we could not keep on doing this? I think that's not the best possible solution…"

Q: People should check the World Slavery tour schedule.

Steve: "Unfortunately this is a problem for our younger fans that haven't seen us live many times. But we can't do anything about it. We can't do long tours. Nowadays flights are cheaper and a fan has more chances to catch a plane to see us. I know it's a problem, but we can't do anything about it if we want to keep going."

Q: In this way you also avoid to be seen live too many times, as it has happened with SAXON, who play in every European festival year after year.

Steve: "You are completely right. We are going to get loads of **** for not playing in Portugal — especially myself, as I have my second home there — or in Belgium, Greece, Australia and all those other countries. But what can you do? You can't please everybody."

[ABlairican Pie]

http://www.ironmaidenonlineclub.com/showthread.php?t=10053

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[ABlairican Pie]

Sept. 9, 2006

Vitamin Records has set a September 19 release date for the IRON MAIDEN tribute album "The Hand of Doom Orchestra Plays Iron Maiden's Piece of Mind: The Orchestral Tribute". A description of the project on the Vitamin web site reads as follows:

"Amongst the dust and debris of time and trends, IRON MAIDEN stands alone. Fans readily embrace the band’s impossible-to-copy mixture of intelligent lyrics, complex music, and memorable visuals. While 'Number of the Beast' may receive the critical accolades, the follow up, 'Piece of Mind', also proves to be an undisputed masterpiece. Between exhilarating yet stark portrayals of battle and clever adaptations of literature, guitars thunder, the rhythm gallops, and Bruce Dickinson's voice soars. 'Piece of Mind' ultimately bursts with songs critical to IRON MAIDEN's career.

"THE HAND OF DOOM ORCHESTRA triumphantly performs 'Piece of Mind' in its epic entirety. The power of classical music has never been lost on IRON MAIDEN. On this album, violins, woodwinds, cello, and classical guitar combine to create immense and rich instrumental renditions of 'Revelations' and 'The Trooper'. THE HAND OF DOOM ORCHESTRA creates a symphonic masterpiece that retains IRON MAIDEN's timeless vitality."

Check out the cover artwork and listen to audio samples at this location.

http://www.vitaminrecords.com/web/page.asp?pgs=product&catid=26&id=1114

http://www.vitaminrecords.com/web/images/products/9157_Lrg.jpg

The Hand of Doom Orchestra Plays Iron Maiden's Piece of Mind: The Orchestral Tribute

Catalog #: VIT-9157
Release Date: 9/19/2006
Details:
Amongst the dust and debris of time and trends, Iron Maiden stands alone. Fans readily embrace the band’s impossible-to-copy mixture of intelligent lyrics, complex music, and memorable visuals. While Number of the Beast may receive the critical accolades, the follow up, Piece of Mind, also proves to be an undisputed masterpiece. Between exhilarating yet stark portrayals of battle and clever adaptations of literature, guitars thunder, the rhythm gallops, and Bruce Dickinson’s voice soars. Piece of Mind ultimately bursts with songs critical to Iron Maiden’s career. The Hand of Doom Orchestra triumphantly performs Piece of Mind in its epic entirety. The power of classical music has never been lost on Iron Maiden. On this album, violins, woodwinds, cello, and classical guitar combine to create immense and rich instrumental renditions of “Revelations” and “The Trooper.” The Hand of Doom Orchestra creates a symphonic masterpiece that retains Iron Maiden’s timeless vitality.

Tributed Artists:
Iron Maiden

Songs:
1 Where Eagles Dare
2 Revelations
3 Flight of Icarus
4 Die With Your Boots On
5 The Trooper
6 Still Life
7 Quest For Fire
8 Sun and Steel
9 To Tame A Land

[ABlairican Pie]

Sept. 9, 2006

It is common knowledge that IRON MAIDEN has some of its most loyal fans in Sweden. In 2005, the British heavy metal band sold out the 56,000-capacity soccer stadium Ullevi in Gothenburg in less than two hours. The 50,000-plus tickets to the band's three concerts in Stockholm and Gothenburg in November 2006 were also sold out in record time. Now the ties between Sweden and IRON MAIDEN will be even closer. The troubled Swedish airline Flyme has bought 51 percent of the stocks in the British air carrier Astraeus and is making a big stink about the six-million-pound takeover, reports the business magazine Affärsvärlden. In addition to a fleet of ten Boeing 737 and 757 planes, Flyme has also secured the services of IRON MAIDEN vocalist Bruce Dickinson. The 49-year-old air-raid-siren-turned-pilot has been Astraeus' most high-profile pilot since 2003.

According to Telegraph.co.uk, Dickinson became fascinated by aeroplanes after attending airshows as a child in Worksop, Notts, where he grew up. At Oundle school he was a member of the combined cadet force and used the school's Link trainer, a basic full-size cockpit simulator formerly used to teach RAF trainees to fly.

"I used to sneak into the shed where it was kept, switch on, jump into the cockpit and fly it," he said. "I had no idea what I was doing, but it was great fun."

His dabblings on the trainer came to an end when he was expelled at the age of 16 for "a moment of madness" involving the headmaster's dinner.

Dickinson took up flight training in the early 1990s. He passed his private pilot's licence test, obtained a commercial licence and eventually, with fellow band members, bought a twin-engine aircraft which he piloted for tours in Europe and the U.S.

In the late 1990s, a friend who was a commercial pilot invited him to act as his co-pilot on a Boeing 737 simulator while he was being checked on for a job with the charter airline British World Airlines.

The simulator instructor was Capt. John Mahon, the airline's operations director. "John was curious to find out about my flying skills and invited me to fly the sim. He later asked me for an interview and said he was looking for pilots."

Dickinson started flying as a co-pilot for British World on charter flights around the Mediterranean and to West Africa, before the airline folded at the end of 2001.

When a number of BWA executives launched their own airline, Astraeus, in January 2002, Dickinson went with them.

Capt. Mahon, now operations director of Astraeus said: "Bruce demonstrated a high level of flying skill and an operational maturity required for the position. I am delighted at his progression to flying our Boeing 737s."

Several of Dickinson's passengers have been taken aback to find themselves being flown by a famous rock star.

"We have had IRON MAIDEN fans on board who when they heard my name being announced as first officer asked the hostesses if it was the rock star. When told it was they spent the flight with their jaws on the floor then ask if they can have a chat with me," he said.

"After we landed a couple of fans have put their heads around the door and have said 'Oh my God, it is him.'"

[ABlairican Pie]

September 12, 2006

Iron Maiden still waging war

By JOHN POWELL -- JAM! Showbiz

http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/2006/09/12/iron_maiden256.jpg
Iron Maiden

A soldier faces what he knows will be his final battle in "The Trooper." A pilot takes to the skies in "Aces High." A battle-weary warrior deals with the psychological aftermath of the "Fortunes of War."

The Iron Maiden musical catalogue is littered with songs exploring the glory and the horror of war. The theme is nothing new to the band. With their latest release "A Matter of Life and Death," the rock veterans have dedicated an entire album to the subject matter which today, seems rather appropriate considering the state of the world.

"In Britain, you grow up with the backdrop of war and also all the terrible things that happened in Northern Ireland. I grew up watching that on television. It is a big part of your psyche here," Iron Maiden lead guitarist Adrian Smith told JAM! Showbiz down the line from England.

As they sat down to plot out the album, Smith says the band didn't plan on the war theme. It just came about naturally as the songwriters collaborated, bounced ideas off each other and discussed the things that weighed heavily on their minds.

"Expressions and words just come into your head when you hear a piece of music when you are writing. The themes just sort of suggest themselves and sometimes almost write themselves too," Smith explained. "The music we came up with was quite powerful. We just needed some big themes and so with all the stuff that is going on in the world today, it seemed relevant."

Taking into account the heated subject matter, the songs themselves are not preachy in tone. After listening to the album, you aren't left with the feeling that you have had a front row seat at a sermon. If you are looking for debates on weapons of mass destruction or the upper class versus the lower class in times of war, you won't find them on "A Matter of Life and Death."

Instead, the band humanizes the theme by delving into the experience of being a soldier no matter where it is you call home, and the far-reaching implications that even distant conflicts can have on us all.

"First and foremost, music is an art and you don't want to be preaching at people. 'A Matter of Life and Death' is observation and comment set to music," said Smith. "It is probably the only good thing about getting older. You gain a bit more of a wider view of things and you get more philosophical, which is great for lyric writing."

Having been with Iron Maiden since 1980, Smith left the band in 1990 to pursue a solo career and was replaced by Janick Gers.

"I think at the time, I felt a bit stifled. I had been in the band since I was quite young and grew up in the band. It reached a point where I couldn't grow any more. In a band, you need a 110 per cent commitment and enthusiasm. I needed a break as well. I had a young family and I wanted to spend time with them. I basically spent nine to ten years on the road. I was a little burned out," Smith recalled.

In 1999, Smith rejoined Maiden adding another veteran guitar to their line-up.

"It is fantastic to come back. It is marvelous to have the opportunity again. When you are older, you appreciate these things more," said Smith.

Not all of the tunes on "A Matter of Life and Death" are about "guns sending flak" or "the smell of acrid smoke." "The Pilgrim" and "For The Greater Good of God" explore the impact of religion. "Out of the Shadows" is about mankind moving forward and learning from the mistakes of the past.

The track that stands out above all the others though is "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg." Actually two songs fused together by Steve Harris and Dave Murray during the songwriting process, "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg" is narrated by a man who is tortured by lost spirits or souls that are driving him mad. Well before the album's release in North America last week, the secret of who Benjamin Breeg might be has fascinated fans.

The mystery deepened when research on the Internet revealed a site containing a relative's personal journals and pleas for any information on his missing cousin: Benjamin Breeg. One such posted lead is a painting done by Breeg that suspiciously contains the face of the band's mascot, Eddie, in the background and the cover of the promotional single shows Eddie digging at the grave of Benjamin Breeg. The tombstone's inscription is in Romanian and translates to mean "Here lies a man about whom not much is known." Most fans have surmised that Benjamin Breeg is in fact the fictional Eddie and the whole thing is a clever publicity stunt to coincide with the release of the album.

"Steve (Harris) wrote the lyrics so you will probably have to ask him. He probably knows who this Benjamin Breeg is. It is a bit of a mystery, isn't it?" said Smith coyly when asked if he had any clues to offer.

Throughout the years, Eddie, the demonic, skeletal mascot, has become as synonymous with the band as their melodic, symphonic sound. That fact has never been lost on Iron Maiden.

"I don't even think we could do a show without him now. He is a big part of the band. We are all about music but Eddie bridges the gap between the band and the fans. I think a lot of kids are fascinated with the Eddie character. They are drawn into that then they listen to the music and become fans. That is what a good logo is all about. It draws attention to the band and then it is up to the music to hook people or not." said Smith who promises Eddie will faithfully make an appearance during their World Tour which begins October 4th in Hartford, Connecticut.

Maiden has scheduled three dates in Canada. They will play on October 9th in Quebec City, October 10th in Montreal and October 16th in Toronto.

Iron Maiden's North American tour dates:

04/10/2006 Hartford, CT - New England Dodge Music Center

06/10/2006 Boston, MA - Agganis Arena

07/10/2006 Camden, NJ - Tweeter Center At the Waterfront

09/10/2006 Quebec City, QC - Colisee Pepsi Arena

10/10/2006 Montreal, QC - Bell Centre

12/10/2006 Uniondale, NY - Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum

13/10/2006 East Rutherford, NJ - Continental Airlines Arena

16/10/2006 Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre

17/10/2006 Auburn Hills, MI - Palace of Auburn Hills

18/10/2006 Rosemont, IL - Allstate Arena

21/10/2006 Irvine, CA - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

[ABlairican Pie]

EMI press release...

Metal legends IRON MAIDEN'S new album ‘A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH’ has not only been released to enormous critical acclaim across the globe but has also resulted in some of their highest chart placings ever. In addition to their Number One chart debut on the Billboard Pan-European Chart the album has now debuted at no.9 on the Billboard USA Chart on their US-label Sanctuary Records and at no.2 in Canada.

This is the band's first ever US Top 10 entry in their long and illustrious history and a remarkable achievement, this being their 14th studio album. The album is also No.1 in the US Independent Album Chart. It has even crashed in at No.4 in the official album chart in India which is far and away the highest placing any heavy rock act has ever achieved in that country.

Band founder Steve Harris comments; 'We really enjoyed the process of making this record and were delighted with the reaction. It’s very gratifying that our fans all over the world seem to agree by supporting us so strongly. We are now very much looking forward to the forthcoming tour and intend to play live as much of the album as we feel works in the set. This tour will be very different to the last one in terms of the songs we play and we will very much enjoy the challenge of playing this new material live.'

Manager Rod Smallwood adds; 'This is great news for the band, especially – finally - a Top 10 US Billboard entry. During the 80s we had six straight million-plus selling Platinum records and all of these would have been at least Top 10 under Soundscan with three or four probably debuting at No 1. Having said that though we are very pleased to finally make it and this, along with great sales all over the world and number one in Europe, really is a testament to Maiden's and Metal's ever increasing popularity. We very much look forward to starting our World Tour in the States and Canada in early October and if ticket sales are anything to go by it will be quite an event for our fans over there.'

Maiden's Top 10 US debut comes hot on the heels of the band's No.1 album in Europe on Billboard’s pan - European chart with nine No 1 and eighteen Top 5 chart entries in Europe alone. First week sales in the UK were also at their highest since 1990. In just the first week the new album has shipped over a million copies Worldwide and impacted on the charts pretty well everywhere in the World.

Next month the band start A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH WORLD TOUR which takes them initially into major arenas through North America, Japan and most of Europe with the majority of the dates already sold out. They will play to over half a million fans over 44 shows in 11 weeks in 18 countries.


CHART BREAKDOWN SUMMARY TO DATE

# 1 Germany, Sweden, Italy, Finland, Greece, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Croatia, Poland, Brazil
#2 Canada, Switzerland, Norway, Hungary, Columbia
#3 Chile
#4 UK, Austria, Spain, India
#5 France, Ireland, Arabia
#6 Iceland, Belgium
#7 Holland
#8 Denmark
#9 USA
#10 Mexico
#11 Portugal, Japan
#12 Australia
#15 Hong Kong
#16 New Zealand

[ABlairican Pie]

"The Classic Metal Show", heard live on Saturdays from 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. EST and available online exclusively at www.theclassicmetalshow.com, has announced that legendary IRON MAIDEN drummer Nicko McBrain will be joining the program on Saturday, September 30. Nicko will be checking in to talk about the band's latest release, "A Matter of Life and Death", as well as their upcoming world tour in support of the album.

"A Matter of Life and Death" has sold 88,000 copies in the United States since its Sept. 5 release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Also scheduled to appear on the show are Century Media recording artists BRAND NEW SIN and Auburn recording artists WRETCH.

[ABlairican Pie]

IRON MAIDEN are due to kick off their hugely aniticipated world tour in the U.S. next Wednesday (October 4) in Hartford, Connecticut

The band's new album, "A Matter of Life and Death", has already achieved tremendous chart success and critical acclaim all over the world, including their highest-ever chart position in the U.S., No. 2 in Canada and No. 1 on the Pan-European chart. Sales of tickets across the shows in North America have reflected the reaction in Europe where most the shows are already sell-outs. Boston and Philadelphia are already sold out and most of the other shows are rapidly heading for sellout.

Says vocalist Bruce Dickinson: "We've been working really hard in the last few weeks to make sure that the show and production on this tour is going to make people's jaws drop. The music will be incredibly intense and our production team has worked incredibly hard to ensure the stage show will share that same energy and excitement. We've enjoyed a brilliant reaction to the album from everywhere and basically we're all just itching to get out there and play it."

Adds the band's manager, Rod Smallwood: "IRON MAIDEN has always been renowned for its exciting and spectacular stage performances and this tour will certainly not disappoint our fans, both new and old. The reaction and feeling around this album for the band has been nothing short of amazing and they're all charged up to deliver something very special this time around. I was down at music rehearsals last week and the band are really pushing themselves hard, which I believe is a reflection of the power, energy and intensity that can be heard on the new album. Although I can't reveal what the set will contain I think a lot of people will be literally 'blown away' by this show. Personally I can't wait to see it next week!"

The show in Hartford next week is the beginning of a three-month world tour that visits major venues in the USA, Canada, Japan, and then finally two months of dates in Europe, finishing in London just before Christmas.

"A Matter of Life and Death" has sold 88,000 copies in the United States since its Sept. 5 release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

[ABlairican Pie]

IRON MAIDEN: 'Different World' Single To Arrive In November - Oct. 1, 2006

According to Billboard.com, "Different World" has been confirmed as the second single from IRON MAIDEN's "A Matter of Life and Death" album. The single will be released on November 14 (the day of MAIDEN's sold-out show at Helsinki's Hartwall Arena in Finland) though this is likely to be a U.S. release date. Europe is expected to receive the single at least a day earlier. Speculation exists that some of the cover songs recorded during the album sessions could surface as B-sides, including "Tush" (ZZ TOP), "Angel of Death" (THIN LIZZY), "Space Truckin'" (DEEP PURPLE) and "Hocus Pocus" (FOCUS).

"A Matter of Life and Death" has sold 89,000 copies in the United States since its Sept. 5 release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

[ABlairican Pie]

Steve Harris Returns For Another Star Role On Iron Maiden’s Latest, A Matter Of Life & Death<

Command Performance
By Brian Fox | 26 September, 2006

Examine the piercing stare of the 49-year-old professional on the facing page—thoughtful, brooding, and serious. Now turn the page and check out the maniacal pose of that Spandex-clad heavy-metal god. Quite an act, you might say. Which one is real? Both. The man behind them: Steve Harris.

Witness the intensity of Harris in either mode, and you’ll know he’s the real deal. Somehow both no-nonsense bloke and consummate showman, Harris has become a master of role-play in his 30 years living heavy metal. Bassist, lyricist, businessman, rock star, athlete, and family man—Steve is all these and more. Of course, Harris is known mostly for one especially grand role: father of metal’s most beloved group Iron Maiden.

Maiden’s shocking imagery and savage, aggressive sound was revolutionary in the early days of metal. Combining hard rock’s raw brutality with progressive rock’s technical agility, Maiden codified its own style in the 1980s, earning diehard fans. From 1981 through 1983, singer Paul D’Anno was the public voice of Maiden, but frontman Bruce Dickinson’s arrival with 1983’s Number of the Beast marked a big shift for the band, and its fan base began to multiply. For the last two decades, Iron Maiden has remained one of the busiest—and most celebrated—acts in hard rock, banging out heavy-metal anthems like “Run to the Hills,” “The Number of the Beast,” “Aces High,” and “Wasted Years.” From the start, Steve has been the strongest creative force in the band, which for the last few albums has included Dickinson, drummer Nicko McBrain, and guitarists Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, and Janick Gers.

With its acrobatic bass lines, twin guitar leads, majestic vocals, and epic compositions, the new release A Matter of Life & Death is classic Maiden. But calling it a return to roots misses the point. Rather, it is a portrait of a freshly focused band. Slower and moodier than past albums, the new material shows that after nearly three decades, Maiden is still delivering original new music—not to mention spectacular live shows—to rabid fans. Indeed, Maiden is at its finest when staging colossal live shows; put on any live Maiden record and you’ll hear why. Nowadays the band performs mostly at European festivals, but this month it’s treating American audiences to a unique glimpse of A Matter of Life & Death.

Among bassists, Harris has distinguished himself as one of rock’s most intense performers, ably contributing to our technical playbook. His agile fingerstyle galloping (see music, page 40), swift melodic runs, and multi-part compositions have inspired legions of players to improve their game. Steve himself is quick to point out that he is no bass hero—in his mind, he simply plays his part. But in a genre rife with bland eighth-note pounding and rote pentatonic riffs, Harris has always pushed beyond the conventions of rock bass. His live and studio lines have all the momentum, focus, and intensity of a well-paced lay-up or an Oscar-winning performance.

Performance aside, Harris is a living example of the vision required to make it in music. From the beginning, his single-minded drive has powered Maiden. In fact, Steve has accomplished much in his life by being a strong leader and a determined (some would say “stubborn”) visionary.

Does this record sound different compared to your last few?

Definitely. We returned to my old bass sound. With the last couple of albums—especially with three guitarists—we had to step back from having that wiry bass tone. We were recently mixing some old live stuff and I realized, Well, that’s my sound. Plus, it fits with what we’re doing musically now, where we’re more clearly influenced by progressive rock.

The new record sounds slower than your last.

Yeah, we slowed songs down to make them sound heavier. But getting Nicko to play slower isn’t the easiest thing in the world. Sometimes we have to rein him back a little! [Laughs.]

What’s it like playing with Nicko?

Fantastic—he’s mad as a box of frogs, which is exactly what you’d want from a drummer. Playing with him is never boring.

What are some of your favorite lines to perform?

“Hallowed Be Thy Name” [from The Number of the Beast] is always fun because it has those big, ominous, low E sounds in the beginning. A lot of our songs are in E because some things just sound best there. If you try certain riffs in other keys, they just don’t have the right vibe. Some songs are fun to play because they are technical, and other songs are fun because I don’t have to think about them; I can just let myself go.

Do you play much in your down-time?

I mess around when I feel like it, but not every day. Even when I was learning to play, I thought it was better if I didn’t play every day. Instead of trying to force myself, I just play when I feel like it.

Explain your right-hand technique.

I play with two fingers, except when I want to play a chord; then I splay out all of my right-hand fingers like a fan. I find myself doing more chordal playing these days. I like the heaviness of it.

It sounds like you’re playing with a pick on a couple of the new tracks.

No, that’s me playing with my fingernails. I keep the nails on my index and middle fingers just a bit longer.

Was speed important to you when you first started playing?

No. I didn’t think it out like that. It just evolved. People tell me that I invented that rhythmic gallop, but I’m sure it was around before I was. I just brought it more to the fore. In the case of “The Trooper” [Piece of Mind], that’s what the song needed, since the song is about Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “Charge of the Light Brigade.”

You’re one of the few rock bassists to play flatwound strings.

In the early days, I tried every string there was. Most of them got too screechy when I played slow. That, or they sounded dead. But once I tried flatwounds, I knew they were the right fit.

At one point, Rotosound was about to delete its flatwound line. I decided to do the signature flatwound series with them just so they’d keep making them! The only problem I face now is that I sweat so much the strings start to lose the highs by the end of each gig. I want to keep them sounding wiry.

I’m really not into the technical side of things, and I don’t mess with my sound too much. I’ve tried other basses, other rigs, and God knows what else. You name it, I’ve tried it. But this rig has been good to me for almost 30 years [see gear, page 34]. I may not sound very adventurous, but I don’t really care about being adventurous. It’s my sound.

A lot of people ask me about it. I’ve had people play through my rig, and it just sounds different. Even my bass tech [Michael Kenney] sounds very different through my rig. A big part of your sound is simply the way you play.

Who were the players you most admired when you were young?

Loads of them. I’m more into songs than players, but I’d say John Entwistle [the Who], Chris Squire [Yes], Martin Turner [Wishbone Ash], Rinus Garritsen [Golden Earring], and Andy Fraser [Free]. Those guys are all very different, and I picked up little bits and pieces from all of them. I didn’t try to sound like them; I just wanted to play the songs I liked.

What kinds of music do you listen to?

I grew up loving the big, cinematic sound of progressive rock. I think you can hear that influence more than ever on this new record. Still, I consciously keep away from listening to music when I’m writing or recording, because I don’t want any subliminal stuff to seep in. I find it’s better just to keep away. It can pull you in a direction you might not want to go. Once the record is done, I can go out and listen again.

Tell me a little about the writing process for this record.

Normally we allow ourselves three weeks for writing and three weeks for rehearsal, but this time we had everything prepared in about a week-and-a-half. We track live, so we did a lot of rehearsing before we went in. Since we worked on one song at a time, we were able to pin down the parts really well.

Are you always in writing mode?

I get ideas at various times and just put things down whenever. I find it quite traumatic when we actually get into a writing period. There’s just so much pressure to come up with good stuff. These days I get more input from the rest of the guys, which is great. The tunes then go in different directions, so it’s good all around.

What do you need in order to write?

Just a place where I can have peace and quiet. I write all of it on bass—usually acoustic bass guitar. Then we all get together and write acoustically—the old fashioned way, I suppose. If someone’s got a basic idea, I’ll come up with a vocal or guitar melody.

With the new batch of material, what are you most excited to play live?

There’s lots of interesting stuff happening on this record. The one I’m really looking forward to is “The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg,” because it’s much more riffy than songs we’ve done in recent years. Technically, it’s not very difficult to play. It just has a deep, heavy riff.

What’s your stage volume like?

It has to be pretty loud to cut through those three guitars. But I’ve actually cut back a lot; it’s not as loud as it used to be. All I’ll have in the monitors is a bit of kick, snare, and toms. And there are points in the set when I’ll come back to my little space onstage next to my amp. I like having my own pocket of sound. That’s what’s good about using 4x12s—they’re very directional, and they have good clarity at close range.

You need to have a lot of stamina to play a full set of your tunes.

Yeah, mostly general physical stamina rather than finger stamina. I do lots of running. But musically, you’ve got be careful not to over-rehearse, because you need to keep that element of danger when you play.

Do you do any particular preparation on the day of the show?

No—we show up as late as possible, get changed, and go on. We haven’t done soundchecks in years. We do one soundcheck at the beginning of the tour and one later in the tour if there’s any problems.

But you do psyche yourself up into a frenzy before you go on; I’ll do a few exercises just to loosen up. If anything, I think hanging around too long messes you up. If you’re off doing something completely different—being a tourist or whatever—it’s more spontaneous when you get there and go on. The worst thing you can do is sleep during the afternoon before a gig. I find it much better if I play a round of tennis or some football or something on the day of the show. Then I’m much more fired up.

Do you ever get yourself into tight spots live, if you’re playing a difficult line and the tempo starts to pick up?

Nine times out of ten, I can deal with it. I actually find it easier to play fast.

Are long, epic tunes harder to pull off live?

No. The challenge is just remembering where things come in the song.

What are some of the things you’ve learned about putting on great live shows?

We like to hit people quite hard and fast in the first few songs. That also gives more leeway for the soundman to get things in order. You can’t play anything big and dramatic first. Plus, it just feels good to do that. You can just go on and go crazy, get the adrenaline going.

What are some of the things Iron Maiden did right as a business?

We got the right manager—that’s for sure. And we don’t listen to many outside people. It’s not that we think we know it all—we just go with our gut. I’ve learned that when we’ve listened to other people, it’s been wrong. You listen to too many outside people and you start to get confused.

If you’ve got a strong focus on what you’re doing, people will go, “Right—let’s do it.” If you start second-guessing things, people are going to wonder what’s going on. That kind of fear filters through to everybody involved. People feed on positive thinking, not indecision. Sure, you make some mistakes that way, but being stubborn isn’t such a bad thing sometimes. It gives you a directness, and I like that. There’s no messin’ around.

Precision Strike
Steve Harris has used the same mid-’70s Fender Precision Bass since Maiden’s early days, playing fingerstyle with Rotosound flatwounds. Steve’s P-Bass has seen a number of different finishes over the years, including blue sparkle; it’s currently white with the emblem of the West Ham United Football Club. Harris uses custom heads modeled after vintage Hiwatt 200s, and Marshall 4x12 cabinets. “An Ampeg SVT is the closest I’ve gotten to getting my sound with a ‘normal’ amp,” he says.

[ABlairican Pie]

IRON MAIDEN's manager Rod Smallwood has checked in with the Iron Maiden Online Club (the band's official fan club) with another on-the-road update from MAIDEN's current world tour:

"Another blazing gig [in Boston, MA]. Audience were fantastic, it was almost like playing at home. l love this show and think it's the best we have ever done and that's saying something. If you think that's just manager bull**** — 'well, he would say that, wouldn't he?!' — wait 'till it's your turn to see it and eat your words!! 'Breeg' went down a storm and there were more 'Breeg' shirts in the audience than anything else. This is largely down to radio station WAAF who are one of the handful of U.S. stations who give us some support and they have been for a long time so thank you WAAF for that support. You never know but the historical ignoring of MAIDEN by U.S. radio may possibly change with 'Different World' which went to radio here last week (but don't hold your breath!) so if you live in America get calling your local rock station and hammer them to play 'Different World'!! The vid for this will go up online soon — watch out for it — it's effin 'great (cue 'well he........' etc. etc. ad nauseum) but just check it out!

"So the gig was great for me and (l think) the fans, at least those who don't bitch about 'not enough favourites' and want to hear 'Run To The Hills' all the time, but what about the band... sadly, that's a different story. On-stage sound problems spoiled it for them. Hartford was the same but we put some PA on stage to rectify it but there was a sort of whooshing bottom end feel apparently last night and Bruce couldn't hear his vocals so really had to strain. It's hard for the band to really enjoy a show irrespective of audience reaction if they find it hard to enjoy playing due to poor on stage sound. Also one of the guitars got mistuned (which l don't remember ever happening to us before) and really messed up 'The Legacy' which happens to be my favourite track. The poor roadie was distraught and most apologetic but l think he was last seen hanging from Boston bridge. But that's what these smaller earlier shows are for — get the gremlins out, get the band flowing then everyone can relax and enjoy the playing, hopefully tonight in Camden will be better. Hope so 'cos after that it's all the biggies coming up with Quebec already sold out at 10,500 and Montréal close to sellout at about 12,500 tix sold and then NY area. Can't wait to get this show into the big halls, especially eastern Canada where live probably the best and the loudest fans on earth — yes, possibly even more so than South America and southern Europe (and sometimes NY madness). Some of you may argue with this, but l tell you it's true — if you're not from Quebec or Montreal, you are just going to have to get you and more mates singing louder next time and restore some local pride!!

"Most of the band were a bit downbeat after the show but they went through all the problems with the crew straight after show. We have a good crew, they will sort it, spirits were soon lifted when we got to a very good (and we recommend it to you) bar called Foley's (would you believe the Hyatt bar closed at 12 — pathetic — don't stay there, guys) where the barman was from Warrington and a rugby league fan so we had a good chat. As to what followed, see the photos....says it all!!!

"Finally got a good sleep last night so up late, breakfast and started this. We leave about 3 for Camden so l will leave you for now. Back tomorrow hopefully with good news about our onstage sound and singing the praises of the Philly fans!!"

Check out pictures from MAIDEN's trip to the Foley's bar in Boston at www.MaidenNorway.com.

[ABlairican Pie]

IRON MAIDEN's video for its forthcoming single "Different World" has been posted online at YouTube.com. The clip, which was immediately added to MTV2, will make its television debut on "T-Minus Rock" tomorrow (Monday, October 16). The show airs on MTV2 Monday through Friday at 11:00 a.m. The video will also be available for streaming on MTV2.com and via MTV wireless on Monday as well. The stunning animated video was directed by Howard Greenhalgh — best known for SOUNDGARDEN's "Black Hole Sun".

In true MAIDEN style and to satisfy intense fan demand, a series of short action-packed clips from the video were previewed via their web site, www.ironmaiden.com, the week up to Sunday, October 15 when the full promotional clip was exclusively revealed first to their fans before the worldwide premiere on Monday, October 16.

Sanctuary Records will release "Different World" as a single in the U.S. on November 14, featuring Radio 1 Zane Lowe's "Legends" session of "Hallowed Be Thy Name" and "The Trooper" as B sides. These tracks have previously been used as B sides to "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg", which was released in Europe in August and although it was not eligible for the U.K. chart it reached No 1 in Spain, Sweden, Finland and Hungary.

As previously reported, a 12-minute audio interview with IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson, conducted earlier this month by Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF 101.1 FM, has been posted online at this location (Windows Media). http://www.wrif.com/media/2006_10ironmaiden.asx

IRON MAIDEN's new album, "A Matter of Life and Death", has sold 106,000 copies in the United States since its Sept. 5 release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

[ABlairican Pie]

Christina Fuoco of The Flint Journal recently conducted an interview with IRON MAIDEN guitarist Dave Murray. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

On playing the band's new album, "A Matter of Life and Death", in its entirety on its current tour:

"We thought the songs were so strong that it justifies playing them live. There's a lot of highs and kind of lows (in the music). There's a lot of moods. ... They're not just straight-ahead bang, bang, bang. There's quite a lot of quiet passages and where it changes tempos. The fans can stand there and listen to the music as opposed to going out there and bashing their head away for two hours."

"We thought, 'Well, every tour we've come out and we've been playing a lot of the old material, maybe two, three, four, five, six songs from the new album. We just felt like, 'Let's do this whole album.' The reaction from the other night was quite stunning, so we thought we had made the right decision."

"There will be other tours when we're going out doing all the older stuff."

On "A Matter of Life and Death" debuting at No. 9 on the Billboard 100 album chart (No. 2 in Canada), the band's first U.S. Top 10 entry ever:

"I think we've pretty much done the same sort of things that we've normally done. We make an album, then we prepare for the tour. Maybe because of stuff like the Internet, the band is more accessible. Through that, (fans) can follow what's going on.

"I don't know really. For some unknown reason, this album has shot up. Maybe they've been listening to the earlier stuff and were just waiting for this one to come up. It's been a few years since (the 2003 album) 'Dance of Death', anyway. That's a good question. If we knew why, we'd bottle it and sell it as a magic potion."

On still being relevant after 30 years of peaks and valleys, numerous membership changes and the wrath of Sharon Osbourne:

"Yeah, it's nice to be relevant. I think everybody wants to be relevant — especially now. It's such a diverse time of music. But with IRON MAIDEN, fans they kind of know what they're going to get. They hook into the whole package.

"I think this is the 14th studio album we've done, and God knows how many tours. It's nice to feel that, 'Yeah, OK, there's still a buzz out there.' You just want to go in and make an album and have fun with it, go on tour and have fun with it, and enjoy it."