IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson assures us that the band don’t downtune or use backing tracks while performing live
Speaking Australia’s Triple M radio station, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson was asked how the band have been able to work new music into their live shows, without meeting much in the way of fan resistence. Bruce responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Well, yeah, that’s because they — that’s because, strangely, they actually like the music. [Laughs] Which is bizarre, isn’t it? I know that’s a really weird concept now — where people actually go to a show to listen to the music.
“But it’s because we’re not fashion icons or anything else like that. We’ve always been — how can I put it? We’re not like Michelin star chef-type grub; we’re meat and potatoes. And it’s straightforward, what people come to see is. I mean, the songs are not necessarily straightforward, but the attitude is. And we still play all the songs in the original key; we don’t drop, downtune and stuff like that. We still play everything too fast, because we’re all excited.
“We’ve never played to click tracks or like time code and everything else now, ’cause I see a lot of bands now, and I’m going, ‘Hang on a minute. Hey, you sang that without moving your lips.’ So there’s all this backing vocals being flown in left, right and center and everything. But we don’t do any of that. Everything is analog and real. So we are kind of old school in that respect. But I think that pays dividends ’cause the audience understand that reality is increasingly kind of rare now.”
IRON MAIDEN has successfully wrapped up the 2023 leg of their “The Future Past” tour, which has been nothing short of a musical extravaganza.
“The Future Past” tour is a musical journey that has delighted fans with previously unperformed tracks from IRON MAIDEN‘s most recent studio album, “Senjutsu.” But that’s not all; it also shines a spotlight on the gems from their 1986 release, “Somewhere In Time,” and delivers a selection of other beloved classic cuts.
Speaking of “Senjutsu,” this album made its grand entrance in September 2021. It was a significant milestone for IRON MAIDEN, marking their second consecutive double album following the 2015 release “The Book Of Souls,” which, by the way, holds the record for being the longest MAIDEN album, clocking in at a staggering 92 minutes.
“Senjutsu” wasn’t just another album; it was IRON MAIDEN‘s first release in six years, and it left a resounding mark. The recording process for this masterpiece took place in 2019 in the vibrant city of Paris. Renowned producer Kevin Shirley, a long-standing collaborator with the band, took the helm, with bassist Steve Harris co-producing. Notably, “Senjutsu” includes three tracks, each exceeding the ten-minute mark.
For this musical endeavor, the band once again enlisted the artistic prowess of Mark Wilkinson, who created the breathtaking Samurai-themed cover artwork based on an idea by Steve Harris himself. “Senjutsu” showcases MAIDEN‘s knack for blending music and visual artistry into a captivating experience.
The album also made waves on the charts, debuting at an impressive No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. In a remarkable feat, “Senjutsu” charted higher than even some of the band’s early classics like “Powerslave” and “The Number Of The Beast.” What’s even more astounding is that nearly 90 percent of the album’s 64,000 equivalent album units came from pure album sales, solidifying the enduring appeal of physical records.
This critically acclaimed double album achieved a debut one position higher than both “The Book Of Souls” (2015) and “The Final Frontier” (2010), both of which peaked at No. 4. It was a testament to IRON MAIDEN‘s enduring power in the world of music.
To add to their string of accomplishments, “Senjutsu” became the band’s 13th album to secure a place in the Top 40 in the United States, cementing their status as legendary rock pioneers.