The year 1968, is an important year for heavy metal besides other subjects. Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple who then accepted as the founders of this genre with their developments in music established this very year, and through the 70’s they affected a lot of people. However, at the end of this period, it seemed as if an end was coming to the heavy metal as well as this band. Yet, in 1975 a band was established quietly in England. Iron Maiden took its name after a device that was used in the Medieval Era in the church to torture people. For a long time, they created their music without taking much attention. In the ’80s with their successful records, they helped resurrect metal music from its ashes with some other musicians and the music world gained another legend. Let’s check the past years, Eddie and Troopers, ups and downs, and especially to this iron virgin…
Who came and who passed?
Iron Maiden was established in 1975 by bassist Steve Harris. Until 1978, the band couldn’t establish its skeleton crew. The first members of the band except for Steve Harris didn’t stay in the band as long as to become a legend. The people who left the band had their own various reasons; some because his girlfriend didn’t want him to go on tours, some against all objections played the guitar with his teeth, some because of lack of confidence, and some because of the jealousy of the other members of the band. Like a young child, they developed from the start and until the end. Even when the band became internationally popular legends whose records sold themselves for millions, important names like Adrian Smith and Bruce Dickinson left the band. They both returned after five years but the band was about to fall apart like other bands who lost their lead singer. They then started to work with Blaze Bayley. Their albums in that period were not as good as the previous ones. After the return of Bruce Dickinson, the band continued to release excellent records that were praised both by critics and their fans.
The Lost 10 Years
Iron Maiden became successful in the ’80s. Many agreed that they have released their most successful records in that decade. Their 1982 The Number of Beast is considered as their best work and the following ones; Piece of Mind and Powerslave, are also among their most successful albums. In the ’90s due to the conflicts inside the band, Bruce Dickinson left the band and the band lost their power. Still, in 1999 with their album called Brave New World they made a successful comeback. The swordmasters of the music industry didn’t lose their productivity ever since though they never became as successful as in the ’80s but they also never fell under the average.
Intellectual Heavy Metal
The first thing people come up with who dislikes this kind of music is that it is for truck drivers. When we discuss this shallow allegation we shouldn’t think about our beloved truck drivers. The reason for this kind of allegation is that underneath the strong voices there aren’t actual words or a message it conveys. Without creating any resentments I think we can say that for some bands in metal music this is actually correct. However, does it necessarily be like this? It is totally a different subject… However, Iron Maiden is definitely outside of this category. Apart from their criticism against the social and political environment, they have stolen our hearts with their references to significant writers like Orson Scott Card, Albert Camus, and William Golding.
A Global Akmar Psychosis
You remember the Akmar Passage where urban myths derived and identified with Satanism. People who listen to metal music hang around mostly and with the influence of the media, this passage started to be perceived as the center of this bizarre religion and the metal music is the music of this cult. Remember the torture that long-haired young people with Iron Maiden and Metallica t-shirt had. We can just say typical Turkish people but when the subject is Satanism you can see this irrational behavior all around the world. When the band has gained huge success with their The Number of Beast, they were accused of being Satanist by the people in America, many protests were organized against them and they had to cancel many concerts in many places. In fact, some of the religious people in America burned their records and covered their faces with a mask in order not to inhale the smoke. Why? Because they believed that it consists of demonical substances. Well, I don’t even know what to say to these kinds of people.
I admire you, Sabrina
One of the most important factors that bring Iron Maiden today is its loyal fans. Such as, in the 90’s when it seemed as if the band would fall apart, they still managed to gather thousands of people when they gave concerts. Their fans loved them so much that one of their fans named her child Iron Maiden. Metal music has such an addiction. If you start listening to it you cannot just give up. Therefore you realize that the audience who loves listening to metal music is between the age of 15-55. Though Iron Maiden was accused of being Satanist, one of their biggest fans is actually a priest from Brazil. That priest has 186 tattoos on her body about Iron Maiden and it is said that he even preaches about Iron Maiden.
The only permanent member: Eddie
With the developing technology over time and different designers, though it changed its shape a bit, his presence never vanished: It is Eddie, the mascot of the band. Eddie’s face appeared on each album and almost on every single cover. At first, Eddie was created as a visual for the Running Free song. In this design, we see Eddie as a one-armed zombie who is chasing Bruce Dickinson. The members of the band love him so much that they have decided to put him on each cover. So, thanks to that, we see him sometimes on battlefields, sometimes in hell and prison. Over time, his statues started to decorate all over the stage. Therefore, Eddie became as popular as the Iron Maiden.
Three-Headed Guitar
Normally, rock bands have two guitarists. Either there is one guitarist and if necessary the lead singer also takes a guitar in his hand and throws a rhythm or there are two guitarists. One for the beat and the other for the solo; sometimes the lead singer accompanies them with his acoustic guitar. Iron Maiden is definitely not a normal band. As you all know, Iron Maiden with its three guitarist rocks on stage. And the interesting fact is that all three of them are the lead guitarist. Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, and Janick Gers, our guitarists, have excellent collective work among themselves. (They believe that there is no need for a rhythm guitar because the talented bassist Steve Harris manages it just perfectly.)
