When it comes to fans wanting to see their favorite bands perform, some are willing to pay extreme prices to attend a concert. Just looking at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, fans paid thousands of dollars to be part of the singer’s historic moment. While some are content with paying hundreds and sometimes thousands, Iron Maiden wanted to make sure that each fan of the heavy metal band got exactly what they paid for. And for Bruce Dickinson, he isn’t about to allow backing tracks on his stage.
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Speaking with Classic Rock, Dickinson celebrated the band gearing up for its upcoming 50th anniversary concerts. Wanting to honor the band’s legacy, the singer wasn’t about to fake a performance. “Only recently this guy, a big fan, said to me, ‘It’s so great to see Maiden still doing it.’” He continued, “I said: ‘Yeah, and we’re doing it for real!’ There’s no de-tuning. This guy said: ‘Lots of bands use backing tracks now.’ I said: ‘No! No, no, no, no, no!’ That’s the day I quit. Or the day we stop.”
[RELATED: Iron Maiden’s Dave Murray Doesn’t Want To Perform Forever, Hopes to “Bow Out Gracefully”]
Bruce Dickinson Not Interested In “Disneyland Maiden”
Knowing the importance of a live performance, Dickinson and the rest of Iron Maiden weren’t about to use gimmicks to trick fans. “If it’s not real, it’s not Maiden. The idea that you can turn it into the Disneyland Maiden, by using backing tracks, a few tricks…. No! Maiden has to be one hundred per cent real – and f**king fierce!”
With age against them, the band understood that eventually they would step off the stage for the last time. But according to musician Steve Harris, that question has remained for two decades. “Obviously we can’t carry on for ever. The show that we do is a very physical thing. How long can we keep going? I really don’t know. We were asked that question 20 years ago, and ever since.” He added, “You’d like to think your best mate would tell you, wouldn’t you? But I think you’d know in yourself if you can’t cut it any more. And I like to think that we’re still out there giving it large.”
Continuing to explore ideas and write music, Harris and the rest of Iron Maiden looked to the future and their ongoing legacy in the music industry.
(Photo by Jason Mendez/Getty Images)
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