Here is the episode we’ve all been waiting for: Author Martin Popoff (Iron Maiden: Album By Album) joins us to talk about record #2, Killers.
With Adrian Smith now in the fold, Maiden settled into the studio with legendary producer Martin Birch to lay down another series of tracks that the band had been working up for years. “Wrathchild”, “Killers”, “The Ides of March” and more will be broken down, track by track.
We will also discuss the singles, the B-sides, and the tour. Once again Harrison goes through the Killers tour and tells us the facts, figures and songs.
Don’t miss this awesome episode of 50 Years of Iron Maiden, tonight on Youtube.
50 Years of IRON MAIDEN episode 2: Iron Maiden (1980) and “Women In Uniform”
With John Clauser (My Music Corner)
GRAB A STACK OF ROCK #86
Welcome to the big leagues, as Iron Maiden are signed to EMI and release their first singles and album! New members Clive Burr and Dennis Stratton are now on board with Steve Harris, Dave Murray, and Paul Di’Anno. We cover it all on this second episode of 50 Years of Iron Maiden.
Joining Harrison and I is John Clauser from My Music Corner! We bid you welcome to this special pre-recorded look at Iron Maiden’s self titled debut album. Because we always aim to go in depth as possible, we’ll discuss the entire album track by track, the artwork, and all the singles and B-sides. As an added bonus, we’ll also take a look at the standalone single “Women In Uniform”, a Skyhooks cover that the band have somewhat disowned.
A new feature to the series debuts tonight as well: Harrison Kopp will take the spotlight every time we talk about a studio album, to go over the tour in detail. Harrison will provide the facts, the figures, and the dates, while also analysing the setlists. This segment is a highlight of the show.
This episode premieres at 7 o’clock PM exclusively on YouTube. (Sorry Facebook – we are trying some new things with this Maiden series. The live episodes will still be streamed to Facebook, but not these recorded ones.)
One of us will try to be in the comments tonight, so if you want to take part in a discussion, please don’t miss the premiere!
After the masterful introduction that was the first Iron Maiden album, the band jettisoned guitarist Dennis Stratton to get the guy that Steve wanted years before: Adrian Smith. An old buddy of Dave Murray, Adrian fit like a glove and the next album was recorded.
Written entirely by Steve Harris except for one Di’Anno co-write, Killers was also produced by Martin Birch. Birch had already helmed the biggest and best albums by Deep Purple, and was more than capable of capturing the Maiden sound in the studio, unlike former producer Will Malone.
Popular opinion is split on Killers. Some fans see it as a significant up-shift from the previous, others see it as inferior. Both aruments hold water. There is no denying that the partnership with Martin Birch created a better sounding album, one more consistent with the band’s live intensity. The addition of Smith on guitar meant that you’re hearing a more unified sound, two guitar players in great sync with each other. The songs are also harder and more intricate, with even more sections and changes.
While Killers is a good album in those respects, the songs were not as memorable this time out. There are two scorchers on this record that are among my all-time Maiden favourites: “Wrathchild” and “Killers” itself. Then you have some second tier goodies like “Murders In The Rue Morgue”, “Innocent Exile”, and “Drifter”. Beyond that, there’s little else here that would make my Maiden road tape. I don’t know why, but time after time, listen after listen, year after year, the rest stubbornly refuses to grow on me.
Killers contains one ballad (“Prodigal Son”, which is almost like Iron Zeppelin) and two instrumentals (“The Ides of March” and “Genghis Khan”). Oddly enough, one of those instrumentals, “The Ides of March” is identical to a song by rival NWOBHM band Samson, called “Thunderburst”. The song was originally an Iron Maiden idea; Samson’s drummer Thunderstick was very briefly in Iron Maiden during the late 1970’s. Samson’s singer was some guy called Bruce Bruce, known to his mum as Bruce Dickinson.
This picture disc edition of Killers came with a bonus CD containing all the associated non-album songs. “Twilight Zone”, included here, is actually an A-side of a non-album single. The US version of Killers had “Twilight Zone” on the album. Its selection as a single ahead of something like “Wrathchild” seems strange with hindsight. I never really liked the song that much, aside from Di’Anno’s screamy chorus. This one was a Dave Murray co-write as well.
Another non-album single, the infamous “Women In Uniform” is also included. This is the one that the band hated, a cover from a German band called Skyhooks. I liked it because of my early association with the cheesey music video. I wouldn’t call it a standout track, but I like it better than “Twilight Zone”. This single acually pre-dated Killers, and Dennis Stratton is still on guitar. Its two B-sides, “Invasion” and “Phantom Of The Opera (Live)” are both included. “Invasion” is an improved remake of the song from the first EP, The Soundhouse Tapes. It’s still not up to the standard of anything on album #1, but it’s still an entertaining tale of the Norsemen comin’, “raping and pillaging, robbin’ and lootin’ the land.” An early Maiden history lesson from Steve Harris.
I’ll have to say something about Derek Rigg’s artwork as well: Now we know what Eddie was up in that back alley on the last album! No good, clearly, as he’s weilding a bloody hatchet, as a man’s hands can be seen grasping his shirt. Behind Eddie, you can see a “kinky sex shop” and the Ruskin Arms, where many legendary Maiden gigs went down. Is that Charlotte in the red window?
Rating Killers is very difficult. It’s still better than most band’s best albums, yet it’s one of my least favourite. Trying to be objective here, I will rate Killers:
3.5/5 stars
Also pictured below: A bootleg CD from the tour called Another Live.
IRON MAIDEN: Iron Maiden (1980, 1996 bonus CD, EMI)
Straight out of the gates, Maiden galloped onto the international scene, with their own sound and a debut album as strong as anybody’s. An incredible album in fact, Iron Maiden had the benefit of containing songs that Steve Harris had been playing for years, in various incarnations of the band. They were road tested and taut as muscle.
The cover by Derek Riggs depicts a prototypical, haunting version of Eddie. But there he is still, roaring under the streetlight of some London back alley, probably up to no good. This cover was re-painted for the 1998 remastered edition, but I think an original is always best.
Revised 1998 artwork
Although Harris despised punk rock, Iron Maiden is punk-like in its delivery. While plowing through intricate riffs and time changes, they do so with the intensity of their punk rivals, feeling like they’re about to fly off the rails. But they never do; Maiden were absolute pros even then.
Producer Will Malone did not capture the full-on Maiden sound, sonically. It is however a step up from their EP, The Soundhouse Tapes. Maiden would not find their studio sound until hooking up with Deep Purple/Rainbow producer Martin Birch, next album.
Every song is brilliant. The opening wah-wah guitar intensity of “Prowler” warns away the timid, before the song trounces forward, propelled by Steve Harris and new drummer Clive Burr. Paul Di’Anno is absolutely at his peak as a singer, with range, grit, and power to spare. He throws it all into “Prowler”.
“Remember Tomorrow”, co-written by Paul, is a slow-burner, along the lines of those old slow Black Sabbath songs. Paul sings his ass off, and if any one song was his showcase, I would say it has to be “Remember Tomorrow”.
The tempo picks up again with the first single “Running Free”, a song that I feel never peaked until released in a live verion. Live, it’s faster and more intense. In the studio, it feels like it never quite gets up to speed. However, a classic song it remains, with Maiden’s first undeniable sing-along chorus.
7 minutes of “Phantom Of The Opera” closes side one of the original vinyl. Steve’s first multi-part epic, this is the song that proved too difficult for many guitarists auditioning for the band. Long time axeman Dave Murray could handle the material no problem. Finding a second player proved difficult, until Dennis Stratton showed up and fit the bill. “Phantom” proved to be his undoing nevertheless. While the rest of the band were out, he overdubbed Queen-like choir vocals and guitar harmonies, which horrified Harris. It wasn’t so much that Stratton had initiative and ideas to present, it was that they were so far off what what Steve’s vision of Maiden was. Stratton proved to be the wrong fit, and this remains his only album with Iron Maiden.
Side two began with the instrumental stomper “Transylvania”. This fades into a spacey ballad, “Strange World”. “Strange World” is one of the most immediate songs on the album, perhaps because it’s different from the rest. If I had to compare it to something else, it might be “Solitude” by Black Sabbath, but with guitars instead of flutes! And solos too…Dave’s epic side of solo composition.
Dave’s first ever writing credit is up next, “Charlotte The Harlot”. This fast one introduces the character of Charlotte, who turns up again in future Maiden songs. This standout song is followed by the band’s signature closer, “Iron Maiden” itself. I think it’s likely that this song will remain in Maiden’s sets pretty much forever. Not only is the riff great, but the pace is absolutely perfect for headbanging!
The bonus CD comes with the associated B-sides for this album. From the “Running Free” single, there’s “Burning Ambition”. This is an early song that wouldn’t have fit on the album, as it is too much hard rock and not enough heavy metal for the album proper. The bonus CD also contains the non-album single “Sanctuary”, another classic up there with “Iron Maiden”. This song was slipped onto the US versions of the album. It’s awesome of course! Also from the “Sanctuary” single are live versions of “Drifter” and “I’ve Got The Fire”. “Drifter” was another earlier song that would show up in studio form next album. This version has Di’Anno’s reggae-ish “Yo, yo yo yo” singalong which I have always liked. “I’ve Got The Fire” is an excellent Montrose cover, and not the last time Maiden would cover Montrose (nor this song)!
With an album this this under their belts, the future for Iron Maiden would be bright indeed.
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