20 Facts You Probably Didnt Know About Iron Maiden

ByEduardoRivadavia

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Asoneofheavymetalsmostpopularandmostwelldocumentedbands,IronMaidenhaveseentheirfansleavealmostnostones
unturnedwhenitcomestorandomtriviaandobscurefactsassociatedwiththeirhistoric,fourdecadecareer.Butwethinkweve
identifiedafew,whichwebringtoyounowinthese20FactsYouProbablyDidntKnowAboutIronMaiden.Enjoy!

No overnight sensation, Iron Maiden formed on

Christmas Day, 1975, and spent the next four
years scraping and fighting for recognition
before finally scoring their deal with EMI
Records.

Iron Maidens celebrity mascot, Eddie the Head

was thus named because, at first, he was
nothing but a modest stage prop, consisting of a
ghostly mask (or giant head) hung over the
bands logo and drum kit.

Maiden guitarists Dave Murray and Adrian Smith

were childhood friends. Smith bought his first
electric guitar from Murray for 5 British pounds,
and the pair formed some of their first bands
together.

The main character of the song Charlotte the

Harlot, from the first Iron Maiden album, later
appeared in songs like 22 Acacia Avenue (1982),

Hooks in You (1990), and From Here to Eternity

(1992).

EMI

Before he was deemed too unreliable and

replaced with Bruce Dickinson, Maidens first
recorded singer, Paul DiAnno, had replaced an
even less suitable singer named Dennis Wilcock,
who had tried convincing Steve Harris to base
Maidens image on Kiss.

The striking cover art developed by Derek Riggs

for The Number of the Beast featured a blue,
instead of black night sky, due to shoddy quality
control at the printing factory! The color blunder
was finally rectified in 1998.

Producer Martin Birch was involved in a

terrifying car crash during sessions for The
Number of the Beast, and when he received the

repair bill, it was for precisely 666. He refused

to pay it until they added an extra pound.

Steve Harris still regrets placing the excellent

Number of the Beast outtake Total Eclipse on
the B-side of 1982s Run to the Hills single,
instead of the inferior Gangland, which made it
onto the album.

After taking a lot of flak from religious groups

over The Number of the Beast, Maiden recorded
a backwards message for the Piece of Mind
song, Still Life, featuring drummer Nicko
McBrain doing one of his trademarked comedy
accents, but nothing satanic.

10

Depending on where you bought your copy of

Piece of Mind, the last song can be listed as
Dune and/or To Tame a Land. Thats because
author Frank Herbert, creator of the acclaimed
science fiction series, was no fan of heavy
metal and refused to give his blessing.

11

Look closely at the numerous Egyptian hieroglyphs

covering the detailed Powerslave album sleeve and
youll find hidden messages like bollocks, Indiana
Jones was here and Wot, no Guinness?

12

After vehemently rejecting synthesizers during

the early part of their career, Iron Maiden
surprised many fans by using them all over the
Somewhere in Time LP. Every song, in fact,
except its biggest single, Wasted Years.

13

The Can I Play With Madness video marked

one of the final on-screen appearance of Monty
Python legend Graham Chapman (hes the
ornery professor). Chapman passed in October
of 1989.

14

Before becoming part of the Iron Maiden

family, guitarist Janick Gers was part of the
competition. In 1980, he was the driving force
behind Maidens N.W.O.B.H.M. foils White
Spirit, best remembered for their serious sonic
fixation with Deep Purple.

15

Bruce Dickinson wrote Bring Your Daughter

to the Slaughter for his first solo album, but
wound up relenting when Steve Harris
pestered him to let Maiden record it for 1990s
No Prayer for the Dying.

16

Maidens ninth album, Fear of the Dark, was

their first whose Eddie cover wasnt designed
by Derek Riggs. A submission by Melvyn Grant
was utilized instead.

17

Blaze Bailey, who replaced Bruce Dickinson in

Maiden between 1994 and 99, had enjoyed
mercurial success with his former band,
Wolfsbane, which in 1989 became the first UK
group signed to Rick Rubins Def American
label.

18

Believe it or not, after Blaze Baileys dismissal

in 1999, Steve Harris was not initially sold on
inviting Bruce Dickinson back into the Iron
Maiden fold. Thank Eddie all involved
eventually saw the light!

19

Journeyman, which closed 2003s Dance of

Death album, is Iron Maidens only song to be
fully recorded on acoustic guitars.

20

Bruce Dickinson coauthored the script for the

2008 motion picture, Chemical Wedding,
which, as diehard fans know all too well, shares
a title with one of the singers 1990s solo
albums.

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