[Artie Fufkin]

For my money and my entertainment value, I would rather have Maiden's first two albums with Paul DiAnno over the dozen or so studio albums with Bruce.

Sure, Number of the Beast was a cracker, but that was a halfway house and lacked the raw, punkiness [?] of the first two and still doesn't make up for the repetitive warblings which soon took over. Maiden became bloated and tedious when Bruce arrived.

Was this his fault or was it just a natural progression for all the band?

[dannius]

To be honest I think that's Harris' doing, I think he is also why Maiden haven't moved with the times.

I was never a fan of DiAnno's vocals.

[Refused]

Dickinson's vocals are far superior. He has a much better range and can pull off the songs live, which DiAnno often had problems with.
I think it was a natural progression for Maiden, after those first two albums they were no longer the same band. They'd become quite big, and toured everywhere. They weren't going to just churn out the same album again and again.

[karkus30]

I preferred the first two albums regardless of the singer, the style was darker and more serious. Later albums began to get flippant and over dramatic, the feel was more bloated, no longer cutting edge.........you were no longer a rebel if you liked Maiden........you were more like Homer Simpson !

[dmpoole]

The first time I saw Maiden was supporting Judas Priest at Trentham Gardens and everybody stood there and couldn't believe this brand new band were wearing Judas Priests stage gear. they even sounded like them a bit but they did go down well.
Shortly after that they came to Victoria Hall supporting Motorhead and my (future) wife fell asleep to Motorhead.
They then came back to Victoria Hall, Hanley on a couple of NWOBHM tours and I had the good fortune of mixing them at one of the gigs they did with (I think) Diamond Head.
For me the early Iron Maiden was the best but Powerslave is definitely the best album.

[Artie Fufkin]

Originally Posted by Refused

Dickinson's vocals are far superior. He has a much better range and can pull off the songs live

Superior?...hmmm, yes, technically that would be true. However I personally don't like his voice a lot of the time, especially when he's singing live!

Don't get me wrong, I like Bruce [he's a good guy and a fine frontman] but a lot of the time when he's on stage he screams up and down his range in what seems a show off kind of way...no, in fact it's not showing off, it's because that's all he can do. There's no restraint with Bruce; no dark and light...it's all Mariah Carey-type warbling just because he can. It seems that, rather than singing lyrics, he's singing sounds.

I never saw Maiden live with DiAnno singing. I have seen concert videos and, yes, like many singers he will miss out words as he catches his breath, but he could hit the notes he needed to and seemed altogether more...real, more honest and I like that.

[krish]

does nobody like Blaze then?

[krish]

Originally Posted by kherm

I never saw Maiden live with DiAnno singing. I have seen concert videos and, yes, like many singers he will miss out words as he catches his breath, but he could hit the notes he needed to and seemed altogether more...real, more honest and I like that.

I saw Paul Di'Anno with his band Killers at Colchester's Oliver Twist pub/club (now just "The Twist") around 92 or 93 (during his bald shaven "right said fred" non-gangster/goatee look) just after Bruce announced his departure. After the gig we were sitting down with him and he was going on about a meeting he was due to have later in the week with 'Arry .. and that if he were to rejoin they'd have to get back to that early punk vibe that he injected into the band. All sounded very BS and desperate, and I think a lot of the speculation at the time about the possibility of him rejoining was down to him, just a publicity stunt for his fading career I believe.

Knowing about parts of his autobiography and also from looking at some info on his Wikipedia entry he does appear to live in a bit of a fantasy world
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Di'Anno

[JohnG]

I prefer Bruce's vocals

[dannius]

Originally Posted by krish

does nobody like Blaze then?

Er, No!

[shb367]

I was a huge fan of the first two albums - had a rawness about them. I always felt that they turned into just another run of the mill heavy metal band when BD joined them

Saw Dianno a couple of times and tho hes as rough as a badgers behind - hearing prowler/sanctuary etc was fantastic

[TopMeTom]

Saw Dianno a couple of times and tho hes as rough as a badgers behind - hearing prowler/sanctuary etc was fantastic




Gotta agree with that saw him in the cartoon croydon with killers, they done the whole first maiden album it was awesome!


mind you I was a little worse for wear snakebite.newky brown, someone gave me a odd ciggy.........anyone knew the toon I think I slid down the stairs to the bog,then pulled some old....er....




ahem.....i'll get me coat!......

[metalhead72]

As a Maiden fan for over 20 years now I would have to say Dickinson.. To be honest the best years for Maiden where the 80's (Live After Death tour being the best). Saying that the last album was great !!

[metalhead72]

Ha steve harris daughter doing well, and good morning shes great looking

[krish]

Originally Posted by Holy_Pilgrim

Ha steve harris daughter doing will, and good morning shes great looking

only because 'Arry keeps giving her a support slot with Maiden, and IronMaiden.com are always plugging her .... rather than any discernible talent or quality music

[metalhead72]

Yeah your prob right, but wow she's

Have a look here http://www.monstroentertainment.com/laurenbio.php

[Refused]

I just want to say that there is nothing wrong with Blaze! All the hate he gets isn't fair on the poor lad.

[dannius]

Originally Posted by Refused

I just want to say that there is nothing wrong with Blaze! All the hate he gets isn't fair on the poor lad.

I think the problem for Baze was that Dickinson is a strong act to follow, and the 2 albums he did with Maiden were a real creative low point for the band.

Plus I still shudder at the sight of those dreadful cg album covers and the sight of a double hard rock band standing there in a football kit.

[krish]

Originally Posted by dannius

...Plus I still shudder at the sight of those dreadful cg album covers and the sight of a double hard rock band standing there in a football kit.

am pretty sure neither of the two Blaze 'X' albums were CGI ... it was photographic/model based for X Factor, but there were images from the Ed Hunter game in the booklet of Virtual XI and CGI was used for single covers and the video for Angel and The Gambler .. I think there was more use of CGI on Bruce's return with quite a few videos, the rather dull Dance of Death cover, and most recent single Different World.

[Matt_C]

Well, for me, Maiden wouldn't be Maiden without Dickinson, and IMO, Bruce is one of the best male vocalists, and frontmen, of our time. Sure, he's a bit of a geek in some ways, but his raw power, immense range and electric delivery and energy, makes him a superb vocalist and frontman

I also must admit that I am not as into the first 2 albums as I am the rest of Maidens albums... Except the "Blaze Era" albums - which I just don't really listen to

On a plus note, I was once very lucky to meet Lauren Harris. Only problem was I was 13 at the time, and she was 11, and I was more in awe of talking to her father, than I was of paying any attention to her. Shame really, maybe I should have paid her some attention and *maybe* we could have become *friends*

Oh well....

[dannius]

Originally Posted by krish

am pretty sure neither of the two Blaze 'X' albums were CGI ... it was photographic/model based for X Factor, but there were images from the Ed Hunter game in the booklet of Virtual XI and CGI was used for single covers and the video for Angel and The Gambler .. I think there was more use of CGI on Bruce's return with quite a few videos, the rather dull Dance of Death cover, and most recent single Different World.

Yeah you might be right, I sold X Factor and Virtual XI on ages ago, must be my hazy memory.

Hated the Dance of Death cover too BTW. Give me the classic Derek Riggs artwork anyday.

[metalhead72]

On a plus note, I was once very lucky to meet Lauren Harris. Only problem was I was 13 at the time, and she was 11, and I was more in awe of talking to her father, than I was of paying any attention to her. Shame really, maybe I should have paid her some attention and *maybe* we could have become *friends*

I know what you mean..

[metalhead72]

What does everybody think of there last album 'A Matter Of Life And Death' I thought was good. Maiden back to form ? Not to sure, As I said in one of my posts I have been a fan since the early 80's and think there best years were in that decade ..
My first introduction to 'Metal' was listen to the Friday Rock show with Tommy Vance and have been a metal head since.. bands have come and go but Maiden and metallica have stayed with the test of time..

[shb367]

I remember listening to the Maiden set from Reading - was it 1980?? on the Friday Rock show. Good to see it got a release on the rarities thingy that Maiden done

[krish]

ok ... showing off time (though its probably the third or fourth time I've posted it) ...

Here I am at the '89 London convention of Maiden FC when the Maiden England vid and Infinite Dreams (Live) single were about to be released
- was getting my The Clairvoyant 12" gatefold autographed, think I managed to get everyone's apart from Nicko

[metalhead72]

You lucky g*t I can't wait to maiden play a gig in London again.. Anybody know ?

[krish]

Another spot of bother for Paul ...

- Iron Maiden's former frontman exposed as benefits cheat by music videos - Telegraph