Iron Maiden is one of the all time great bands in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene.
They began in England in 1975, and influenced heavy metal music and other types of rock music from that point on. To date they have released over thirty recordings. Iron Maiden pioneered the NWOBHM sound, and reached the height of their career in the early 1980s.
Membership in the band has changed, as often happens in Heavy Metal or other Rock bands. The only original members of the band still with the band are bassist Steve Harris and Dave Murray, guitarist. Unlike some of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands however, Iron Maid is still alive and going strong.
Iron Maiden name was taken from a torture device Harris saw in a movie named “The Man in the Iron Mask.” The Iron Maiden used for torture in olden days was a coffin-like cabinet that people could be locked into, questioned, and tortured.
Iron Maiden played in the Red Lion pub in Leytonstone, England in the early days of their career. Eventually the group ended up at the famous Soundhouse recording studio and was a part of the “Soundhouse Tapes,” recorded in 1978. Their recording sold out within a few weeks. “Prowler,” one of Iron Maiden’s songs on the “Soundhouse Tapes, “went to number one on the heavy metal charts. From that point on, the group was unstoppable.
In 1979, Iron Maiden accepted a contract from the prestigious EMI record label. The product of this union was the band’s self titled “Iron Maiden” album in 1980. With this album, Iron Maiden became one of the originators and leaders in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal music style. This recording was a hit in the UK and in the US as well, taking Iron Maiden’s popularity overseas.
Iron Maiden’s first UK #1 album was “The Number of the Beast” and was released in 1982. Unfortunately, word erroneously got out to the American public that Iron Maiden was Satanic because of the title of the album. This rumor slowed down the growth of popularity of the group in America. Christian and right wing political activists broke the records of both Iron Maiden as well as others in protest.
A highlight in Iron Maiden’s early career was the World Slavery Tour in 1984. The group toured for thirteen months, performing shows. After a well deserved break, Iron Maiden experimented with a science fiction inspired album entitled “Somewhere in Time” in 1986. Iron Maiden added synthesized keyboard and guitar sounds, which made a major change to their sound. The new sound was a hit with the fans. By 1990, Iron Maiden had been famous long enough to release a 10th anniversary compilation album called “The First Ten Years.”
In the 1990s the band began to change members, causing a certain amount of upheaval. Lead singer Bruce Dickenson took time off to work on a solo album. Iron Maiden gained a new guitarist in Janick Gers. The group eventually recorded the “No Prayer for the Dying” album, and gained their first #1 hit UK single, named “Bring Your Daughter…to the Slaughter.” Lead singer Bruce Dickenson left the band to pursue a solo career, new lead singer Blaze Bailey came on board. Fans were not crazy about the change in lead singers, and subsequent recordings’ sales fell.
When the 1998 album “Virtual XI” was released, chart rankings were the lowest ever for Iron Maiden. Members of the group went their separate ways until the year 2000. By then, Blaze Bailey had left the band and Bruce Dickenson had returned as lead singer. Iron Maiden went on a world tour with great success in 2001.
By 2005, Iron Maiden rereleased its original “Iron Maiden” album as a 25th anniversary CD. The group has been declared #24 in the list of the 100 Greatest Hard Rock Bands.
True to form, the band is still going strong today and their popularity shows absolutely no sign of declining. A huge draw everywhere.
Maiden has never been my bag though I must say. In the minority there I guess. Saw ’em once supporing (I think) Judas Priest and did own there first album but it never did much for me and Miaden have passed me by ever since – other than a frantic Saturday afternoon in about 1980 trying to track down a copy of then (then) newly released “Women in Uniform” single. Mission not accomplished.