Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson is featured in the latest issue of Classic Rock, where he discusses performing live with the band. Following is an excerpt.
Dickinson: “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 fucking fierce! Only recently this guy, a big fan, said to me: ‘It’s so great to see Maiden still doing it.’ I said: ‘Yeah, and we’re doing it for real!’ There’s no detuning. This guy said: ‘Lots of bands use backing tracks now…’ I said: ‘No! No, no!’ That’s the day I quit. Or the day we stop. If it’s not real, it’s not Maiden.”
Iron Maiden are gearing up for a milestone in their storied career with the announcement of the “Run For Your Lives” world tour, set to coincide with their 50th anniversary. In a video message bidding farewell to 2024 and the recently concluded “The Future Past” tour, Dickinson shared his excitement for the band’s future endeavors.
“Hello, folks. This is my tour pass for 2024. That’ll get me anywhere in 2024, but I don’t need that anymore now because 2025 is gonna be something special,” Dickinson said. “Not just because of the tour pass. Honestly, we are pushing the boat out with the tour. Not that I need to tell anybody, ’cause basically the tour is sold out already.”
Indeed, the anticipation for this tour is palpable, with tickets already in high demand. Dickinson added, “It’s gonna be really, really cool. I’m really looking forward to it. We’re gonna be doing stuff we’ve never, ever done before, and it’ll be a setlist for the ages.”
Kicking off in May 2025 in Hungary, the “Run For Your Lives” tour will traverse Europe, with announced dates running through July 2025 in Germany, and it will become the baptism of fire for recently announced new drummer Simon Dawson. Never known as a band that does things half-ways, Dickinson hints at an extended run: “It’s not gonna stop in 2025. It’s gonna roll into 2026 ‘cause there are parts of the world that we need to get to that we can’t get to in 2025.”
This grand spectacle is said to be covering material from the band’s first nine albums, from “Iron Maiden” to “Fear of the Dark,” and likely bringing back many cherished tracks that have been absent from setlists for years. For newcomers, it’s a golden opportunity to experience the raw power and theatricality that have defined Iron Maiden’s live performances for decades. As Dickinson puts it, “If you’ve seen us before, then get ready to take that experience to a whole new level. If you’ve never seen us before, then what the hell have you been waiting for?”
With a reputation for groundbreaking stage productions, all signs point to the Iron Maiden team being determined to make this tour unforgettable. “We have already been hard at work for months putting together an even more spectacular and elaborate new show which will bring the songs to life more than we have ever been able to do before,” the band teased in 2024.
Source: bravewords.com
