Bruce Dickinon

50 Years of Iron Maiden: Updated Playlist

Playlist below has been updated.  All episode dates subject to change.  Tomorrow is our 10th episode, not including bonus shorts!

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN bonus episode: Maiden Grail Acquired

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN bonus episode: Maiden Grail Acquired

 

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK bonus episode

Back in 2013, T-Rev and I hit up the Hamilton record show, where I first encountered Iron Maiden’s Live!! + One EP.  I held it in my hands.  I didn’t know what I was holding, and I put it back, assuming I had all the tracks already.  I did not.  It was $100.

A few weeks ago, John Clauser from My Music Corner was heading to a record store in Birmingham Alabama.  I asked, on a lark, if he would mind picking me up a Live!! +One and he said “sure”!  He packed it with care and send it to Canada.  A Holy Grail item for sure, I was thrilled to get it.  Now you can watch me open the record as all three of us (John, Harrison and I) take a solid look at the record.  There are different versions available of varying authenticity, so let’s take a good look at this record.

Would you have bought it?  Let us know in the comments.

Past episodes:

Please “like” and subscribe, and help us keep going this year with 50 Years of Iron Maiden, on Grab A Stack of Rock!

Monday March 24 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 8:00 P.M. Atlantic.   Enjoy on YouTube.

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN bonus episode: Run For Your Lives Dream Setlists

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN bonus episode: Run For Your Lives Dream Setlist

 

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK bonus episode

Welcome to our very first “bonus episode” of 50 Years of Iron Maiden!  These bonus episodes will feature shorter videos on a variety of topics.  With Maiden’s 2025 tour beginning in May, we wanted to get ahead of the pack and speculate on the setlist.

Harrison and I set two rules for these setlists, based on what we know from Iron Maiden themselves.  1) Each one of the first nine albums will be represented in the set, and 2) They will at least one song that has never been played live before.  From there we let our imaginations run wild!

What songs do you think Maiden will play this year?  What’s on your wishlist?  Tell us in the comments below, and UP THE IRONS in 2025!

Past episodes:

Please “like” and subscribe, and help us keep going this year with 50 Years of Iron Maiden, on Grab A Stack of Rock!

Monday March 17 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 8:00 P.M. Atlantic.   Enjoy on YouTube.

 

 

#1173: I Like Iron Maiden…A Lot

RECORD STORE TALES #1173: I Like Iron Maiden…A Lot

In 1984, I “rebooted” my musical taste and started from ground zero.  Out went Styx for almost two decades.  Out went Joey Scarbury, and Kenny Rogers.  In came KISS, W.A.S.P., and of course, Iron Maiden.  I don’t think there was ever a time that Iron Maiden were my #1 favourite band, because Kiss almost always held that spot.  It is safe to say that Maiden were always in the top five.

In grade school, I rocked Iron Maiden while being scolded by Catholic school teachers for doing so.  It didn’t stop me.  Through highschool, I proudly had their posters in my locker.  It didn’t matter that Maiden weren’t hip with the cool kids.  I was never cool, and never really intended to be.  I was happy to be one of the Children of the Damned, not having to fit my personality into any particular shoebox.

There was a time I wavered, which I shall now admit to you.  There was one Iron Maiden album that I didn’t intend to own.  I reversed my decision within four months, but it was in the fall of 1990 that Iron Maiden may have faltered in my eyes.  The album was the “back to basics” No Prayer For the Dying.  My favourite member, Adrian Smith was out.  I loved Janick Gers’ work with Bruce Dickinson, but I don’t think he quite fit with Maiden immediately.  I also didn’t like the growly, un-melodic way that Bruce Dickinson was singing.  I thought maybe this time, I would just buy the CD singles, and not worry about the album.  I came to my senses.  No Prayer wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t the return that we hoped for.  I didn’t really want Maiden to get “back to basics” but was willing to go along for the ride.

My enthusiasm returned in 1992 with Fear of the Dark, a partial return to form with some solid tracks.  It could have been better, but I was happy.  Then the roof fell in.  Suddenly, Bruce Dickinson was out.  Meanwhile, the entire world had been sent into a grunge upheaval.  Bands like Iron Maiden were dismissed as irrelevant in this new angry world.  Bands who played their instruments with seasoned pride were being replaced by groups with punk aesthetics.  Maiden seemingly had no place in this new world, and now the lead singer was gone.  Just like Motley Crue, who were suffering a similar fate.

Blaze Bayley was the audacious name of the new singer, from Wolfsbane, and a different one he was.  A deep baritone, he was little like Bruce.  Immediately, I loved The X Factor.  My girlfriend at the time ridiculed me by telling me that Iron Maiden would “never be cool again”.

Oh, how wrong she was.

By the year 1999, Bruce was back.  And so was Adrian.  Maiden have never been bigger.  They have continued to issue albums, never being shy to play new material and deep cuts live.

That’s why I’m telling you this story.  2025 marks 50 Years of Iron Maiden, and there will be a lot happening.  2025 will launch the Run For Your Lives tour, and Bruce has promised that they will play some songs they’ve never done before.  It will also be the debut of new drummer Simon Dawson, from Steve Harris’ British Lion.  Nicko McBrain, on the drum stool since 1983, has finally taken a bow from the live stage.  It can’t be easy doing what he does.

2025 will also mark the launch of a new Martin Popoff book on Maiden (more on that in the coming weeks) and most importantly…tomorrow, January 10, Harrison Kopp and I will launch our own video series, 50 Years of Iron Maiden.

I have “only” been a fan for 40 years, but I’m all here for it.  Up the Irons.  Let’s give ‘er in 2025!

 

IRON MAIDEN SERIES ANNOUNCEMENT! Grab A Stack of Rock Celebrates 50 Years of Iron Maiden

Coming in 2025, right here on WordPress and YouTube.

M – Hi!  This is Mike!

H – And this is Harrison, from Grab A Stack of Rock

M – And we just wanted to let you know we have something very exciting cooking up for 2025.

H – That’s right.  2025 is the 50th Anniversary of the formation of Iron Maiden, and we are going to mark the occasion with a series of deep dives.

M – Right here on Youtube, we plan on discussing every studio, and every song, in detail.  We’re also bringing in a slate of special guests to help us.

H – Not just studio albums, but we will also be talking about the official live records too.

M – Live records, B-sides, the history, the artwork…we plan on doing Iron Maiden right.

H – I guess it will be my job to talk about the tours, correct?

M – That’s right buddy.  You’re an expert on the setlists, so we’ll have to touch on what songs were played, and which ones never were.

H – We have our work cut out for us my friend.

M – We sure do, but it’ll be a labour of love.  I’m really looking forward to this, especially some of the guests that will be joining us.

H – Let’s not spoil everything just yet.

M – You’re right Harrison.  So like, subscribe, and share the Grab A Stack of Rock Youtube channel for 50 Years of Iron Maiden.

H – Coming in 2025.

#ironmaiden #nickomcbrain #brucedickinson #pauldianno #steveharris #eddie #derekriggs #martinpopoff #martinbirch #davemurray #adriansmith #paulmarioday #denniswilcock #blazebayley #janickgers #adriansmith #cliveburr #dennisstratton #grabastackofrock

REVIEW: Bruce Dickinson – “Afterglow of Ragnarok” (2023 single)

BRUCE DICKINSON – “Afterglow of Ragnarok” (2023 BMG 7″ single)

In 2024 we will be graced by a new Bruce Dickinson platter, his first solo album since Tyranny of Souls in 2005.  He’s back with Roy Z, and a forthcoming concept album called The Mandrake Project.  This single is billed as a “prequel”.  It comes with a beautiful, full colour comic book insert, installed in the middle of the gatefold.  The story will be fully revealed next year, but this is a project that Bruce has been working on a long long time…

Witness:  The B-side “If Eternity Should Fail”, a demo version of a song that Iron Maiden re-recorded on The Book of Souls.  It’s not the first time Maiden have lifted a song from Bruce’s solo compositions!  He remarks in the liner notes that the song is radically re-imagined on the final Mandrake Project album, but that the keyboards on this demo actually made it to the Maiden version!  Bruce on keys, Roy Z on bass and guitar.  It’s really not that different at all!  The drums are most noticeable.  Presumably this is a drum machine.  Roy’s bass work is pretty cool too.  It introduces the character of Necropolis, who will feature on the album.

The A-side, “Afterglow of Ragnarok”, is promising.  Drums thunder, in cavernous hugeness. Downtuned guitars provide a metallic gutpunch, with a riff that is as solid as any in Bruce and Roy’s impressive history.  The chorus is another demonstration of power and melody.  A Bruce classic, this will be.

Looking forward to The Mandrake Project, we are.  Bruce’s solo work has often rivalled Maiden in quality, not to set expectations too high.  This single is a positive omen.

4.5/5 stars

Sunday Chuckle: Half-Beard

This one comes from reader Harrison From Down Unda.  Harrison, as you know, is a huge Iron Maiden fan.  Recently on the subject of shaving my beard off, he suggested I do the half-beard, like Bruce Dickinson did in 1986.

Little did Harrison know that I was way ahead of him, having already done it (and my head) years ago!