Iron Maiden

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Information about Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in East London, formed in 1975 (37 years ago). The band is directed by founder, bassist and songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the group has released a collective total of thirty-five albums: fourteen studio albums, nine live albums, four EPs and eight compilations.

As pioneers of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Iron Maiden achieved success during the early 1980 (32 years ago) and after several lineup changes, went on to release a series of platinum and gold albums. These include the US platinum-selling landmarks The Number of the Beast in 1982 (30 years ago), Piece of Mind in 1983 (29 years ago), Powerslave in 1984 (28 years ago), the acclaimed live album Live After Death in 1985 (27 years ago), Somewhere In Time in 1986 (26 years ago), and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son in 1988 (24 years ago). Their most recent studio effort, A Matter of Life and Death, was released in 2006 (6 years ago) and peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200 and at number 4 in the UK. The album was certified gold in the UK. It is also one of the few rock albums to be certified platinum in India.

As one of the most successful heavy metal bands to date, Iron Maiden have sold more than 100 million records worldwide,including 75 million albums through EMI Records. The band won the Ivor Novello Awards for international achievement in 2002 (10 years ago), and were also inducted into the Hollywood RockWalk in Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California during their tour in the United States in 2005 (7 years ago). Their influences include Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Thin Lizzy, UFO, Deep Purple, Queen, Uriah Heep and Wishbone Ash. As of Oct. 2009 (3 years ago), the band has played just over 2000 (12 years ago) live shows during their illustrious career.

Legacy and influence

Iron Maiden were ranked #24 in VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock". The band were ranked fourth on MTV's "Top 10 Greatest Heavy Metal Bands of All Time". Iron Maiden were named as the third best heavy metal band of all time on VH1 Classic: Top 20 Metal Bands. The band also won the Ivor Novello Award for international achievement in 2002 (10 years ago). The band was also inducted into the Hollywood RockWalk during their tour in the United States during 2005 (7 years ago).

Iron Maiden frequently use the slogan "Up the Irons" in their disc liner notes, and the phrase can also be seen on several t-shirts officially licensed by the band. "The Irons" has been used to refer to the London football club, West Ham United, of which founder Steve Harris is a fan. Fans of Iron Maiden have been known to use the phrase as a greeting or sign-off to other Iron Maiden fans.

Iron Maiden's mascot, Eddie, is a perennial fixture in the band's science fiction and horror-influenced album cover art, as well as in live shows. Eddie was drawn by Derek Riggs until 1992 (20 years ago), although there have been various versions by numerous artists including Melvyn Grant. Eddie is also featured in a first-person shooter video game from the band, Ed Hunter, as well as numerous books, graphic comics and band-related merchandise.

In 2008 (4 years ago), Kerrang! released an album, entitled Maiden Heaven: A Tribute to Iron Maiden, composed of Iron Maiden cover songs played by artists such as Metallica (36 walls), Machine Head, Dream Theater, Trivium, Coheed and Cambria, Avenged Sevenfold, and others who were influenced by Iron Maiden throughout their careers. Well over a half-dozen other Iron Maiden tribute albums (each featuring various artists) exist, including a piano tribute, an electro tribute, a black metal tribute and a hip-hop tribute.

Iron Maiden songs have been featured in the soundtracks of several video games, including Carmaggedon 2, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (5 walls), Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 and SSX on Tour. Their music also appears in the Guitar Hero and Rock Band series of rhythmic games and Madden_NFL 2010'.. Iron Maiden songs have also appeared on the Italian horror movie Phenomena (called "Creepers" in the U.S.), and Murder by Numbers; while MTV's animated duo Beavis and Butthead have commented favorably on Iron Maiden multiple times.

Punk rock band NOFX released a song titled "Eddie, Bruce, and Paul" on their 2009 (3 years ago) album 'Coaster'. This track tells the story of Iron Maiden, and is performed in the style of their early work.

Misconceptions about the band

In the year 1982 (30 years ago), the band released one of their most popular, controversial and acclaimed albums, The Number Of The Beast. This led to pro Christian group particularly in the US to brand the band as Satanic and devil worshippers; smashing and burning the band's albums. In the 90s the band was banned from performing in Chile for the same reasons, but contrary to belief, the band is not satanic. According to the band the devil imagery which is linked with the band due to a few songs and their album covers is not what they really are about. In an interview included on Iron Maiden's DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) The Early Days, Steve Harris puts the record straight saying he is not a satanist. The band's later albums contain songs and lyrics about war, religion, terrorism, corruption and present day crisis and events rather than songs about the devil or the occult. Their most recent studio effort A Matter of Life and Death was primarily based on war, the Manhattan Project, birth and religion.

Current members

• Steve Harris – bass, backing vocals, keyboards (1975–present)
• Dave Murray – guitars (1976-present)
• Adrian Smith – guitars, backing vocals (1980–1990, 1999–present)
• Bruce Dickinson – lead vocals (1981–1993, 1999–present)
• Nicko McBrain – drums, percussion (1982–present)
• Janick Gers – guitars (1990-present)
• Michael Kenney – live keyboards (1986–present)

Former members

• Doug Sampson – drums, percussion (1977–1979)
• Dennis Stratton – guitars, backing vocals (1979–1980)
• Paul Di'Anno – lead vocals (1978–1981)
• Clive Burr – drums, percussion (1979–1982)
• Blaze Bayley – lead vocals (1994–1999)

Albums

• Iron Maiden (1980, 32 years ago)
• Killers (1981, 31 years ago)
• The Number of the Beast (1982, 30 years ago)
• Piece of Mind (1983, 29 years ago)
• Powerslave (1984, 28 years ago)
• Live After Death (1985, 27 years ago)
• Somewhere in Time (1986, 26 years ago)
• Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988, 24 years ago)
• No Prayer for the Dying (1990, 22 years ago)
• Fear of the Dark (1992, 20 years ago)
• A Real Live One (1992, 20 years ago)
• A Real Dead One (1992, 20 years ago)
• Live at Donington (1993, 19 years ago)
• The X Factor (1995, 17 years ago)
• Virtual XI (1998, 14 years ago)
• Brave New World (2000, 12 years ago)
• Rock in Rio (2002, 10 years ago)
• Dance of Death (2003, 9 years ago)
• Death On The Road (2005, 7 years ago)
• A Matter of Life and Death (2006, 6 years ago)
• Iron Maiden: Flight 666 (2009, 3 years ago)

Source: en.wikipedia.org

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