Significant Moments in Iron Maiden History

eddie livesIf you’re like me, Iron Maiden consumes your mind every April, never fail. The debut album Iron Maiden (Capitol; 1980) was released on April 11, 1980 – precisely eight years to the day before Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (Capitol; 1988) (a masterpiece) was released. Yes, like it or not, April is Iron Maiden month and the band does in fact provide the soundtrack for many a midnight-prepared tax return in forlorn H&R Block offices nationwide. Don’t take my word for it; ask your preparer.

And so it is that to celebrate tax day in a fashion your Maiden-appreciative preparer might admire, we proudly bring to the forefront select anecdotes from an historical record and treatise of sorts entitled Various Significant Dates in IRON MAIDEN History at this time. Have all applicable receipts at the ready, cue the Maiden album of your choice and enjoy.

82/05/10 – The Number Of The Beast b/w Remember Tomorrow single is released in the UK. It went top 20, and the video featured ballroom dancers waltzing merrily with ’666’ on their backs. The big Eddie (the 12 foot tall one) made his first appearance on the Beast On The Road tour, but even though Eddie made an appearance in the video, he was edited out by MTV after viewers complained that he was scaring them too much.

82/09/21
– Dave Murray throws his guitar into the crowd at a free festival in Chicago, IL. Of course, he forgot to take his lead out, and it hit a guy in the back and it cost $50 to make sure he was okay.

More significant moments, plus ’Every Band Who Has Opened For Iron Maiden’ after the jump…

Mar ’82 – During the middle of the Beast On The Road tour, and with Run To The Hills in the top ten, Maiden appears on TISWAS, the classic Saturday morning TV slapstick show for kids of all ages – where not even the threat of Eddie could deter the kids from throwing creme pies at Maiden.

Apr ’82 – Another first, following THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST’s triumphant reign at the top of the charts – the NME asked for an inteview. The NME was and remains completely anti-rock, so Maiden agreed to do the interview as long as it was solely on their terms, i.e., printed in a question and answer format (so as to stop them from mis-quoting and misleading), and that they got the front page. NME eventually reluctantly agreed, and sent forth their most notorious interviewer Paul Morley to interview them (he got pretty drunk during the interview as well). Morley didn’t give Harris and Dickinson credit for being brighter than he though, so he couldn’t really ’take them down’ in the interview, and eventually Eddie himself appeared on the front page.

Bands who have opened for IRON MAIDEN (Source)

Blitz Fish (jazz rock group) – (11/18/76)
Praying Mantis – several dates early on, 1979 – 1980.
Urchin – (08/10/79)
Trust (w/ Nicko McBrain on drums) – (03/15/80)
Humble Pie – (Jun ’81)
Whitesnake – (Jul ’81)
Blackfoot – (Mar-Apr ’82)
Girlschool – (Jul ’82)
Vandale – (06/09/83)
Rock Goddess – June ’84, Helsinki Ice Hall
Fastway – (Jun-Jul ’83)
Saxon – (Jun-Jul ’83)
Coney Hatch – (Jul-Aug ’83)
Quiet Riot – (Sep-Oct ’83)
Michael Schenker – (Nov ’83)
Waysted – (09/11/84)
Twisted Sister – (01/28/85)
W.A.S.P. – (World Slavery Tour)
Accept – (World Slavery Tour)
Motley Crue – (World Slavery Tour)
Queensryche – (World Slavery Tour)
Warrior – (World Slavery Tour)
Ratt – (World Slavery Tour)
Mamas Boys – (World Slavery Tour)
Yngwie Malmsteen – (01/08/87)
Vinnie Vincent Invasion – (02/27/87)
Waysted – (04/07/87)
Killer Dwarfs – (8/7/88)
Ace Frehley’s Comet – (7/8/88) Meadowlands, Rutherford, NJ
Wolfsbane – Intercity Express Tour 1990 (a series of about 30 UK night shows
at venues of around 3-5 thousand and was billed as a thankyou tour.
Helloween – 7th Tour Of A 7th Tour
Guns ’n’ Roses – 7th Tour Of A 7th Tour
Megadeth – 7th Tour (for at least 1 gig at Alpine Valley, WI, replacing GnR
’cause Axl Rose was sick)
L.A. Guns – 7th Tour Of A 7th Tour, Los Angeles
King’s X, Anthrax – (12/21/90)
Anthrax – (Feb-Mar ’91)
Dream Theater – (May/June ’92) – RITZ, New York City
Testament – (08/27/92)
Warrant – (09/02/92)
The Almighty – (04/09/93, 05/17/93)
Corrosion of Conformity – (07/11/92, Lakewood Amphitheater, Atlanta, GA)

One more time, in case you glazed over that list: No fewer than seven different bands opened during the World Slavery Tour. Impressive to be sure, but could it be a larger number? The above list varies slightly from the opening band list found on this page. Anybody out there have the definitive answer? Call your accountant.

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