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 Heavy Metal Hall of Fame -- Iron Maiden By: Dave Sobecki |
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To be considered as an inaugural inductee into the Metal Hall of Fame, a band needs more than longevity and record sales -- true worthiness must be measured in influence on the genre, and this is another area in which Iron Maiden is indisputably deserving. While much of the groundwork was laid by the true forefathers of metal -- Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Kiss -- for an entire generation of metal fans it was Iron Maiden that defined true metal in the early 80’s. In a world where new bands are almost inevitably compared to more well-known acts, Iron Maiden stands alone as the metal band that is most often referenced. Even today, when a new act features galloping rhythms and wailing vocals, the first thought that comes to mind is "Iron Maiden". This stands, I think, as the ultimate tribute to Maiden’s lasting import to the metal scene. Iron Maiden burst upon the scene with an aggression that appealed to fans of earlier hard rock bands, but there was no mistaking the fact that this was not a harder version of rock -- this was clearly a genre of its own. Many of the bands that we consider as early metal acts today -- Kiss, Judas Priest, Def Leppard, AC/DC -- had some mainstream crossover, and at one time were considered to be merely the heaviest of the rock bands on the scene. But Iron Maiden, from the begining, spawned a subculture. If you wore an Iron Maiden, Eddie-infested t-shirt in 1983, you weren’t just another rock fan -- you were metal. Their historical, literary and cinematic themes made the typical 70’s relationship-based music seem almost trivial: this was clearly a band that took their music and their subject matter seriously. Yet a number of B-sides released throughout the 80’s and 90’s showed a playful side of a band that refused to take themselves too seriously. There is little doubt that it’s the combination of serious belief in their craft, and realization that music is supposed to be enjoyed, that has helped keep the band relatively stable and constant for so many years. When glam metal took the world by storm in the mid to late 80’s, Iron Maiden managed to create music that kept themselves in the public eye without ever betraying the roots from whence they came, as well as the fans who expected nothing short of metal greatness with every release. Very few bands have been able to deal with such high expectations, especially in the face of changing musical trends that led to creative issues... and at times to the ultimate downfall of so many others.
The band, of course, has had three lead singers, two drummers and four guitarists, but the two constants for 23 years have been guitarist Dave Murray, and the true
Far from being a hall of fame inductee that’s already ridden off into the sunset, Iron Maiden appears primed to continue their ride atop the metal world well into the 21st century, continuing to create their own trends, rather than follow those created by others.
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The Trooper--RealAudio
driving force behind Iron Maiden, bassist Steve Harris. Ultimately, if there’s one stylistic aspect that best defines Maiden, it’s Steve’s up-front, pounding bass. With the
reunion that occurred for the 2000 release of 'Brave New World,' Maiden has managed to once again piece together the lineup that existed during the period that many
consider to be the apex of the band’s creative genius: Bruce Dickinson, Steve Harris, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Nicko McBrain, with the additional advantage of a
third lead guitar, long-time member Janick Gers. 
