iron maiden tour 2023 plane

What you need to know about Iron Maiden's new aeroplane

6 things we've learnt about Ed Force One

Last night the world had its first look at the latest incarnation of Iron Maiden ’s touring plane, Ed Force One.

IronMaiden.com streamed the plane’s landing at Cardiff Airport on the social media channel Periscope. The band’s gear will now be loaded before plane and band embark for Fort Lauderdale, Florida to begin The Book Of Souls World Tour. Again, the plane’s pilot will be Maiden’s very own air-raid siren vocalist Bruce Dickinson, who will be in charge of transporting his bandmates, crew and stage props across six continents.

After being delayed on its arrival from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, where The Book Of Souls ’ artwork was being applied, bad weather didn’t stop plane spotters and Maiden fans alike assembling to see the band’s huge new aircraft in person. So what’s different about the band’s newest private jet?

1. It’s A Lot Bigger

Whereas the Ed Force Ones of the Somewhere Back In Time and Final Frontier tours were not insubstantial 757-200s, the Irons’ latest airborne chariot is a massive Boeing 747-400. Belonging to Air Atlanta Icelandic, the plane’s sheer size, 70.7m long, with a wingspan of 64.4m and weighing 178.8 tonnes (compared to the 757’s 47.32m, 38.1m and 57.84 tonnes), makes the new EFO a real giant of the skies – albeit slightly smaller than the R101 Airship, subject of the band’s 18-minute epic Empire Of The Clouds . The most noticeable difference is that is has four jet engines, double that of the 757, which helps explain why it was so damn loud when it landed.

2. It Hasn’t Been Modified

The previous EFOs were combi aircraft, that had to be heavily modified structurally to enable the band to transport their crew and mammoth, 12-tonnes of gear for their stage production to the four corners of the globe. However, there’s been no need to change anything about their 747, apart from moving a few seats around, as its comfortably big enough to get all personnel, pyro and as many Eddies as are necessary to make The Book Of Souls World Tour Maiden’s biggest yet. Conveniently there’s enough room for passengers to have a row of seats to themselves and indulge in a well-earned kip between shows.

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3. It’s Faster

With a cruising speed of 567mph, this mammoth of an aeroplane is actually a few miles per hour quicker than its predecessors (530mph). It may not be the speed of light (see what we did there?), but this will shade a few valuable hours off the total time spent in the air during the Irons’ 88,500km globetrotting trek, especially during the long stretches between their first ever show in China and New Zealand. We’ve calculated that this added speed will equate to Nicko McBrain getting in an extra round of golf during the tour.

4. It Can Go For Longer

Quiet back there! Obviously a big disadvantage of long-haul flights is the time-consuming process of needing to land and refuel before continuing. However, the new Ed Force One has an incredible range of 13,450km, nearly double that of a 757, making the refuelling breaks a thing of the past, much to Captain Dickinson’s delight.

5. It’s Very, Very Expensive

One of the 757s that Maiden previously toured in will set you back around $65 million. But according to our research, the average Boeing 747-400 costs a staggering $250 million! Captain Dickinson, who has just received his brand new 747 rating, better hope that his passengers behave themselves, or we suspect he’ll be looking at a rather hefty bill.

6. The Artwork Is The Best Ever

Aside from the full list of tour dates and even bigger band logo, who else in the world could deck out a commercial airliner with their own skeletal mascot, logos of their brand of beer and computer game, as well as a few Easter eggs for fans to spot? Up The Irons!

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IRON MAIDEN Returns To North America With Their Epic The Future Past Tour Coming To Arenas Fall 2024

  GENERAL ON SALE STARTS ON NOVEMBER 3 rd AT 10:00AM LOCAL  

Following their spectacular performances this year at the recent Power Trip Festival in California, in Western Canada and throughout Europe, iconic British band IRON MAIDEN will be returning to the United States and Canada with THE FUTURE PAST TOUR next year.   

Tickets will be available starting with an exclusive IRON MAIDEN fan club presale beginning on Tuesday, October 31 st .  The general onsale will begin on Friday, November 3 rd at 10am local time HERE . Trooper VIP will be once again available at most shows in U.S.A./Canada. Go to www.ironmaiden.com for the latest info.

Bassist Steve Harris says, “We’re really excited to be bringing THE FUTURE PAST TOUR back to Canada and the United States next year. We know from the reaction of our fans at Power Trip and the shows we played in Canada recently that they really enjoyed hearing new songs from both Senjutsu and Somewhere In Time, and we’ve really enjoyed playing them! So it’s going to be a great experience for us to visit many other cities across North America and bring this new show to those fans who’ve waited patiently to see it. See you all in 2024!”

Manager Rod Smallwood comments, “THE FUTURE PAST TOUR is one of the most exciting tours we’ve ever done and to be performing both brand new material and songs that haven’t been played for many years with a mix of fan favourites has been a great experience for both the fans and the band. The energy has been incredible and we can’t wait to continue bringing this amazing and innovative show to fans around the world next year.”

THE FUTURE PAST TOUR , which includes songs from both IRON MAIDEN’s most recent studio album Senjutsu as well as 1986’s seminal album Somewhere In Time , alongside other fan favorites, played to over 750,000 fans at more than 30 sold-out shows across Europe in the summer of 2023. The band also performed in Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver alongside their highly praised appearance at California’s Power Trip Festival this October which had Consequence stating “…Iron Maiden set the bar high at Power Trip” and The Desert Sun saying “Iron Maiden didn’t disappoint and delivered a hard-hitting performance to open the festival on a high note.” Featuring one of the most spectacular stage productions of the band’s career, it has received rave reviews in every city and country that IRON MAIDEN visited.

The North American tour dates, produced by Live Nation, are as follows:

OCTOBER 2024

Fri 4th: North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre, SAN DIEGO, CA

Sat 5th: Michelob ULTRA Arena, LAS VEGAS, NV

Tues 8th: Kia Forum, LOS ANGELES, CA

Sat 12th: Aftershock Festival, SACRAMENTO, CA

Mon 14th: MODA Center, PORTLAND, OR

Weds 16th: Tacoma Dome, TACOMA, WA

Fri 18th: Delta Center, SALT LAKE CITY, UT

Sat 19th: Ball Arena, DENVER, CO

Tues 22nd: Xcel Energy Center, ST PAUL, MN

Thurs 24th: Allstate Arena, ROSEMONT, IL

Sat 26th: Scotiabank Arena, TORONTO, ON

Sun 27th: Videotron Centre, QUEBEC, QC

Weds 30th: Centre Bell, MONTREAL, QC

NOVEMBER 2024

Fri 1st: Wells Fargo Center, PHILADELPHIA, PA

Sat 2nd: Barclays Center, BROOKLYN, NY

Weds 6th: DCU Center, WORCESTER, MA

Fri 8th: PPG Paints Arena, PITTSBURGH, PA

Sat 9th: Prudential Center, NEWARK, NJ

Tues 12th: CFG Bank Arena, BALTIMORE, MD

Weds 13th: Spectrum Center, CHARLOTTE, NC

Sat 16th: Dickies Arena, FORT WORTH, TX

Sun 17th: Frost Bank Center (formerly AT&T Center), SAN ANTONIO, TX

Head to www.ironmaiden.com all ticketing and tour information.

About Live Nation Entertainment

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com .

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Iron Maiden Announces First 2023 ‘The Future Past’ Tour Dates

Iron Maiden has announced the first dates of the Future Past Tour for 2023.

Beginning in June, the band will perform a series of concerts in Europe and the U.K., including a hometown gig in London on July 7. You can see a complete list of tour dates below.

Iron Maiden will play selections from their newest album, 2021's Senjutsu , during the shows but have also stated that there will be a "focus" on their 1986 album, Somewhere in Time , "plus other classic cuts." Up until now, Iron Maiden had been opening their Legacy of the Beast Tour concerts with the first three songs from  Senjutsu , but they've decided to change things for this next trek.

"As it doesn't make a lot of sense to repeat this for a Senjutsu album tour, we thought about other options and we've decided to revisit Somewhere in Time as that tour didn't feature in the various retrospective history tours we've played over the years," bassist  Steve Harris said in a statement.

"They were based on our '80s concert videos and sadly we did not film that tour. We have had lots of requests from fans over the years for many tracks on it so we are now going to play them, plus of course a few others we know you will like! It will also be particularly satisfying to finally get to play some of the more epic tracks on Senjutsu , it's been a long wait!"

"This combination of the two albums we feel is very exciting," the band's manager, Rod Smallwood, added. "We know fans want to hear those epic cuts on Senjutsu for the first time live, and we think that by combining it with an iconic album like Somewhere in Time it will make for another really special tour for fans old and new!" Tickets for the tour will go on sale on Oct. 13, with a fan club presale available beforehand.

Further European dates, as well as other tour details, will be announced at a later time.

Iron Maiden, 'The Future Past' Tour Dates 2023 June 13 - Krakow, Poland @ Tauron Arena June 19 - Zurich, Switzerland @ Hallenstadion June 24 - Dublin, Ireland @ 3Arena June 26 - Glasgow, Scotland @ Ovo Hydro June 28 - Leeds, England @ First Direct Arena June 30 - Manchester, England @ AO Arena July 3 - Nottingham, England @ Motorpoint Arena July 4 - Birmingham, England @ Utilita Arena July 7 - London, England @ O2 Arena July 11 - Amsterdam, The Netherlands @ Ziggo Dome July 13 - Antwerp, Belgium @ Sportpaleis July 15 - Milan, Italy @ The Return of the Gods Festival

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BRUCE DICKINSON Won't Pilot IRON MAIDEN's Plane On Upcoming Tour

IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson , who flew his group around the world in their customized jumbo jet dubbed Ed Force One , named after MAIDEN 's iconic mascot Eddie , has told the Associated Press that he will not be sitting in the pilot's seat when he and his bandmates return to the road later this year. "Oh, no, no, no, no," he said. "We're going to be flying and I'm going to be in the back. Hey, look, I'm 63 — I'm 64 in August. You know, when you get to 65, if you're an airline pilot, they just take you out the back and shoot, right? So, I'm going to be sitting in the back being the backseat driver."

According to the Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) and the International Civil Aviation Organization ( ICAO ),commercial pilots have to retire at age 65. There is currently no maximum age limit for being a private pilot or for being an Air Force pilot.

Dickinson gained a commercial pilot's license after learning to fly in the 1990s. In 2012 he set up Cardiff Aviation , an aircraft maintenance company which has since changed its name to Caerdav .

Bruce , who spent a few years flying planes for Astraeus Airlines, told CNN in a 2007 interview: "Aviation's been kicking around my family for as long as I can remember; my uncle was in the RAF . But I always thought I was too stupid. I was useless at maths and majored in history at university, so I thought history majors don't become pilots, let alone rock stars. And then our drummer learned to fly, so I said, 'If a drummer can learn to fly, then anyone can.'"

Dickinson told Wales Online that he still gets a thrill out of flying, but that it's a totally different sensation to playing live.

"The satisfaction flying airplanes is getting the job done, but the satisfaction with playing live is external, looking out at all the people looking at you," he said. "With an airliner, it's all internal. If you've got passengers, nobody goes, 'Wow! Wasn't that great?' They're thinking about the rest of their day. Your job as an airline pilot is to deliver them safely and be invisible. That's quite nice for me because it's completely the opposite to what I do when I sing."

Bruce will hit the road with IRON MAIDEN for a new North American leg of the band's "Legacy Of The Beast" tour in September.

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• September 30, 2023 Setlist

Iron Maiden Setlist at Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB, Canada

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• Song played from tape Doctor Doctor ( UFO  song) Play Video
• Song played from tape Blade Runner (End Titles) ( Vangelis  song) Play Video
• Caught Somewhere in Time Play Video
• Stranger in a Strange Land Play Video
• The Writing on the Wall Play Video
• Days of Future Past Play Video
• The Time Machine Play Video
• The Prisoner Play Video
• Death of the Celts Play Video
• Can I Play With Madness Play Video
• Heaven Can Wait Play Video
• Alexander the Great Play Video
• Fear of the Dark Play Video
• Iron Maiden Play Video
• Hell on Earth Play Video
• The Trooper Play Video
• Wasted Years Play Video
• Song played from tape Always Look on the Bright Side ( Monty Python  song) Play Video

Edits and Comments

6 activities (last edit by eddiejose , 1 Oct 2023, 08:13 Etc/UTC )

Songs on Albums

• Days of Future Past
• Death of the Celts
• Hell on Earth
• The Time Machine
• The Writing on the Wall
• Alexander the Great
• Caught Somewhere in Time
• Heaven Can Wait
• Stranger in a Strange Land
• Wasted Years
• Fear of the Dark
• The Trooper
• Can I Play With Madness
• The Prisoner

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Iron Maiden Gig Timeline

• Aug 04 2023 Wacken Open Air 2023 Wacken, Germany Start time: 9:10 PM 9:10 PM
• Sep 28 2023 Scotiabank Saddledome Calgary, AB, Canada Start time: 8:55 PM 8:55 PM
• Sep 30 2023 Rogers Place This Setlist Edmonton, AB, Canada Add time Add time
• Oct 02 2023 Rogers Arena Vancouver, BC, Canada Start time: 9:00 PM 9:00 PM
• Oct 06 2023 Power Trip 2023 Indio, CA, USA Start time: 6:50 PM 6:50 PM

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Simple Flying

What happened to the iron maiden boeing 747.

The British rock band knew how to fly in style.

• Iron Maiden's Boeing 747, 'Ed Force One,' was originally a commercial passenger aircraft for Air France.
• The 747 was specially modified to carry the band's stage gear and crew for their world tour.
• The aircraft was later leased for private charters and regular passenger use before being stored in 2022 and potentially scrapped.

Did you know the band Iron Maiden had its own Boeing 747 for a 2016 world tour? But where did this aircraft come from, and where did it go? Let's explore the special jumbo aptly named 'Ed Force One.'

Where did Iron Maiden get the 747 from?

The story of the Iron Maiden 747 actually begins far before they came to acquire the aircraft. The aircraft, a Boeing 747-400 , started its life as a commercial passenger aircraft for Air France as F-GITH in 2003 (the actual aircraft is pictured below). The aircraft operated for Air France for over a decade, finally being stored and retired in 2015.

By the end of its run, the aircraft was configured with only two classes carrying 432 passengers. Business was in the nose of the plane in a 2-2-2 configuration, lacking many of the features you would expect today, such as direct aisle access and privacy. The seats were also not lie-flat and simply reclined, something that would be unacceptable in today's aircraft. The rest of the bottom deck of the aircraft has economy seats in a 3-4-3 configuration, with around 32 inches of pitch. Upstairs, there were several rows of economy seats in a 3-3 configuration with 34 inches of pitch (a precursor to premium economy, if you will).

Want answers to more key questions in aviation? Check out the rest of our guides here .

Switching to private hire

In 2016, the aircraft was bought by an aircraft charter company, Air Atlanta Icelandic, to be used for private hires. During this period, the English rock band Iron Maiden was looking for a particular aircraft to use on the Book of Souls World Tour.

The band had used private aircraft before for tours (notably a Boeing 757 for two previous tours), but this time wanted something larger. From 2008 to 2009, a Boeing 757 (G-OJIB) was used for the Somewhere Back In Time World Tour. And, in 2011, another 757 (G-STRX) was liveried up in The Final Frontier World Tour to become the newest Ed Force One.

What Happened To Iron Maiden's Boeing 757?

The Book of Souls World Tour was a bigger operation. It was a proper global tour, and the band would be taking a complete stage set and crew around the world. The 747 indeed offered the size to transport all the group's stage gear and show materials, as well as the band itself and its crew members.

The Boeing 747 was selected in February 2016 and repainted in a special Iron Maiden livery. It was re-registered by this time as TF-AAK. Nicknamed 'Ed Force One' after the band's mascot Eddie, seats were retrimmed in an all-black cloth, complete with branded headrest covers for the crew members that flew with Iron Maiden on the tour. Even the contracted crew had branded Ed Force One neck scarves for the flights.

Interestingly, the band's lead singer, Bruce Dickinson, so happened to be a licensed Boeing 747 pilot. As such, he flew most of the journeys conducted on Ed Force One during the 17-month tour.

The Iron Maiden 747 on tour

The aircraft was specially modified to carry the 10,000 kg of equipment required by the supergroup for their massive world tour. Predictably, the combination of a legendary rocker at the controls and the Queen of the Skies herself guaranteed an enormous crowd at the airports to witness every take-off and landing the aircraft ever made. The band even set up a dedicated 'spotters page' for fans to share photos of the incredible aircraft.

The aircraft would be flown worldwide, visiting places as far away as New Zealand, Canada, Tokyo, Brazil, and more. In Chile, the aircraft struck a towing truck on the apron and damaged two of its GE engines. These had to be replaced, and the aircraft was back in the air ten days later.

The band finished its tour with a show in Brooklyn, New York, in July 2017. However, the aircraft was on duty with the group for the period of March 2016 to June 2016.

Later years

The Boeing 747 was flown back to Iceland for further chartering. It was leased out to several small private charters, such as taking 350 Icelandic football fans to Marseille for an Iceland vs. Hungary match. The plane was kept in its existing livery for this trip. Following this, the aircraft was sent back and lost its iconic Iron Maiden 'Ed Force One' paint scheme.

It was then leased to Saudi Arabian Airlines in August 2016 for regular passenger use. The aircraft was in rotation and flying for the airline before being stored in Jeddah between March 2020 and October 2021. Air Atlanta Icelandic withdrew the plane from service in April 2022, and it has since been stored in Kemble, UK, a popular site for holding and taking care of inactive jumbos. Reports at the end of 2023 suggested the 747 was heading to be scrapped - although, as of February 2024, it is still listed on ch-aviation as 'stored - to be scrapped.'

Iron Maiden's 747 only saw over 20 years of service, but its days are numbered. Such is the fate of several other 747-400s, with the industry favoring more cost-effective, twinjet widebodies in the current climate.

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Did you have the chance to see this Boeing 747 in its special Iron Maiden livery? What do you think of the plane's overall operations? Let us know what you think of the aircraft and its history in the comments section below.

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Bruce Dickinson Won’t Be Piloting Iron Maiden’s Plane on Next Tour

For over a decade, Iron Maiden have been traveling in style in their own custom-outfitted airplane which enables them to set up tour itineraries that would otherwise be next to impossible. Singer Bruce Dickinson , who is also a commercial airline captain, had been piloting 'Ed Force One' from show to show, but he has now revealed he won't be in the cockpit on the band's upcoming tour.

Iron Maiden's touring regimen is impressive for any band, much less a group of individuals in their 60s (drummer Nicko McBrain , the oldest member, will turn 70 later this year). Serving as the co-captain of the 'Ed Force One' Boeing 747 on top of performing for two hours a night has, been even more jaw-dropping, but those days may firmly be in the past now.

"What’s even more interesting than Ed Force One is how the hell did I end up being an airline pilot in the first place? And secondly, how do you become an airline pilot whilst you’re singing in a rock ‘n’ roll band? I’ve got more crazy airline stories than rock ‘n’ roll stories because, trust me, the days of the airline were way more rock ‘n’ roll than Iron Maiden is onstage. Well, offstage, rather," Dickinson, who also chairs Caerdav, an airplane maintenance, repair and pilot training business venture, told the Associated Press in an interview to promote his current U.S. and Canadian spoken word tour dates.

When pressed about Iron Maiden's upcoming 'Legacy of the Beast' tour legs and the possibility of again piloting 'Ed Force One,' Dickinson replied, "Oh, no, no, no, no. We’re going to be flying and I’m going to be in the back. Hey, look, I’m 63 — I’m 64 in August. You know, when you get to 65, if you’re an airline pilot, they just take you out the back and shoot, right? So, I’m going to be sitting in the back being the backseat driver."

The comment about age 65 is in reference to forced retirement rules in place by both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

See Dickinson's spoken word tour dates here and read Loudwire's full interview with the legend here . You can also head to this location to see Maiden's upcoming North American 'Legacy of the Beast' stops.

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Iron Maiden - The Future Past Tour 2024

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Latest setlist, iron maiden on october 6, 2023.

The Future Past

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Iron Maiden open The Future Past Tour with setlist packed with rarities and live debuts

What a setlist!

Iron Maiden kicked off The Future Past Tour at Arena Stožice in Ljubljana, Slovenia last night (28th May) with a setlist packed with rarities and live debuts.

Following the conclusion of their 139-date The Legacy of the Beast World Tour last autumn, The Future Past Tour features unperformed songs from the band’s 2021 album ‘ Senjutsu ’, rarely performed material from their seminal 1986 album ‘ Somewhere in Time ’, and classic tracks.

Arriving on stage to the traditional sounds of UFO’s ‘Doctor Doctor’, and Vangelis’ Blade Runner outro, Iron Maiden surprised the 14,500-capacity crowd immediately with the first outing in 36 years of ‘Somewhere in Time’ opener ‘Caught Somewhere in Time’.

Iron Maiden launched into another live rarity, ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’, next. It was the first time they had played it since New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom way back in July 1999.

Elsewhere, ‘Somewhere in Time’ track ‘Heaven Can Wait’ was performed for the first time in 14 years, while ‘ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son ’ single ‘Can I Play with Madness?’ and ‘ The Number of the Beast ’ classic ‘The Prisoner’ made the setlist nine years on from their last performances on the Maiden England tour.

However, the biggest story of the night was undoubtedly the live debut of historical epic ‘ Alexander the Great ’, a track that many Iron Maiden fans started to doubt they would ever see live .

Elsewhere during Iron Maiden’s spectacular set, ‘Senjutsu’ songs ‘Days of Future Past’, ‘The Time Machine’, ‘Death of the Celts’, and ‘Hell on Earth’ all had their live debuts.

Watch Iron Maiden perform 'Alexander the Great' for the first time ever:

Iron Maiden concluded the set with seminal songs ‘The Trooper’ and ‘Wasted Years’ – the latter made the setlist for the first time since The Book of Souls World Tour six years ago.

As the official Iron Maiden video below shows, two incarnations of Eddie appeared on stage - the cyborg Eddie from 'Somewhere in Time' and samurai Eddie from 'Senjutsu', with both battling Bruce Dickinson in spectacular style.

The Future Past Tour hits the UK & Ireland in June and July for arena dates in Dublin, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham, Birmingham and two nights at London’s The O2.

Iron Maiden’s The Future Past Tour setlist:

1 - Caught Somewhere in Time (first live performance since 1987)

2 - Stranger in a Strange Land (first live performance since 1999)

3 - The Writing on The Wall

4 - Days of Future Past (live debut)

5 - The Time Machine (live debut)

6 - The Prisoner (first live performance since 2014)

7 - Death of The Celts (live debut)

8 - Can I Play with Madness (first live performance since 2014)

9 - Heaven Can Wait (first live performance since 2008)

10 - Alexander the Great (live debut)

11 - Fear of The Dark

12 - Iron Maiden

13 - Hell on Earth (live debut)

14 - The Trooper

15 - Wasted Years

Iron Maiden's legendary career in photos:

Iron maiden's career beginnings.

Bassist and sole constant band member Steve Harris founded Iron Maiden on Christmas Day 1975 after he exited his previous group Smiler for ventures new. Harris took the band's moniker from the medieval iron maiden torture device after watching the 1939 movie The Man in the Iron Mask. Alongside Harris, the first incarnation of Iron Maiden featured vocalist Paul Day, guitarists Terry Rance and Dave Sullivan , and drummer Ron Matthews. The band made their live debut at St Nick's Hall in Poplar on 1st May 1976 and soon took up a residency at the Cart & Horses Pub in Maryland, Stratford, which rightfully calls itself The Birthplace of Iron Maiden.

Iron Maiden's debut recording 'The Soundhouse Tapes'

Iron Maiden underwent numerous line-up changes throughout the late 70s with singer Paul Day the first to get axed in favour of Dennis Wilcock who mimicked his favourite band by wearing make-up and using fake blood during performances. Other members throughout this period included drummers Barry Purkis and Doug Sampson, keyboardist Tony Moore, and guitarists Bob Sawyer and Terry Wapram. Current Iron Maiden axeman Dave Murray joined Iron Maiden in 1976 but was sacked a year later following an argument with Wilcock. When Wilcock left 1978, Murray was reinstated to the band and has remained a constant member of Iron Maiden ever since. Paul Di'Anno was recruited as vocalist in November 1978 and shortly before New Year, Iron Maiden recorded the three-track EP 'The Soundhouse Tapes', which was limited to 5,000 copies and is now a highly sought-after collector's item.

Iron Maiden's 1980 line-up

Now guided by long-term manager Rod Smallwood , Iron Maiden penned a major record deal with EMI in 1979. With Dennis Stratton recruited as their second guitarist and ex-Samson drummer Clive Burr replacing Doug Sampson, who left for medical reasons, the five-strong band kicked off the 1980s by playing 11 dates of the now-legendary Metal for Muthas Tour, which was headlined at alternate dates by Motörhead, Samson, and Saxon. Pictured is Iron Maiden's Clive Burr, Dave Murray, Steve Harris, Dennis Stratton and Paul Di'Anno walking through a park in 1980.

Eddie the Head makes his debut

Iron Maiden released their debut single 'Running Free' on 8th February 1980 coinciding with the Metal for Muthas Tour. The single features the very first appearance of Iron Maiden's beloved mascot Eddie the Head . His creator, Portsmouth born artist Derek Riggs, obscured the face to build an enigmatic aura ahead of the release of their self-titled debut album two months later. Eddie had already been appearing at Iron Maiden shows for a number of years and was originally a papier-mâché head created by the band's lighting technician Dave "Lights" Beazley, before he soon evolved into a fibreglass head. Eddie has been an ever-evolving mainstay of Iron Maiden's albums, merchandise and live shows ever since and he's easily the greatest mascot in rock history.

Iron Maiden - 'Iron Maiden' (1980)

Iron Maiden's self-titled debut album 'Iron Maiden' was unleashed in the UK on 14th April 1980, and it stormed straight in at number 4 on the album chart. The band's only record to feature guitarist Dennis Stratton and to be produced by Wil Malone, the eight-song album was widely lauded by critics for its rampant ferocity and blistering and uncompromising heavy metal sounds. Mascot Eddie's proper horrorshow face was revealed to the world for the first time thanks to the striking Derek Riggs sketch on the sleeve.

Debut headline tour and Adrian Smith joins Iron Maiden

After cutting their cloth supporting Judas Priest on their British Steel tour, Iron Maiden embarked on their inaugural headline UK solo tour in April 1980 before hitting the road opening for KISS that summer. Following the high profile KISS trek, Dennis Stratton was sacked from Iron Maiden in October 1980 due to creative and personal differences, and Adrian Smith from Dave Murray's former band Urchin was recruited as his replacement. Pictured is Steve Harris, Clive Burr, Paul Di'Anno, Adrian Smith and Dave Murray in early 1981.

Iron Maiden - 'Killers' (1981)

Iron Maiden's second studio album 'Killers' was released on 2nd February 1981 and it was written almost entirely by Steve Harris. Interestingly, most of the tracks – except 'Murders in the Rue Morgue' and 'Prodigal Son' – predate the band's debut album, however they hadn't been recorded professionally until the band joined forces with producer Martin Birch , who went on to helm their next eight studio albums. 'Killers' peaked at number 12 in the UK and spent eight weeks on the chart, eventually shifting more than 100,000 units. The artwork depicts a murderous Eddie holding a blood-smeared axe as his unfortunate victim claws at his chest. The block of flats in the background is based on where artist Derek Riggs was living at the time.

Iron Maiden's first world tour

Following the release of 'Killers', Iron Maiden embarked on their first world tour – the aptly entitled Killer World Tour. Opening in Ipswich on 17th February 1981, the extensive tour featured 131 shows across the UK, Europe, Japan, United States and Canada. Singer Paul Di'Anno didn't complete the tour, however, as he was fired from Iron Maiden due to his increasingly volatile behaviour and waning live performances linked to his excessive drug use. Paul Di'Anno's final show was at Odd Fellows Mansion in Copenhagen, Denmark on 10th September 1981. Pictured are Iron Maiden wearing traditional Kendo uniforms during their first visit to Japan in May 1981 while flanked by two Eddie the Head characters.

Iron Maiden poke fun at the departing Paul Di'Anno

The original cover of September 1981's 'Maiden Japan' live EP depicted Eddie clutching the decapitated head of the then frontman Paul Di'Anno. Maiden manager Rod Smallwood swiftly ordered a redraft when he saw it as the band were preparing to oust Di'Anno. Despite Smallwood's best efforts, the EP was released with the original sleeve in South America.

Iron Maiden recruit Samson's Bruce Dickinson

Pictured is a 23-year-old Bruce Dickinson of British heavy metal band Samson in August 1981. After bumping into Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood at Reading Festival on the August Bank Holiday weekend, Bruce Dickinson auditioned for Iron Maiden in September 1981 and was swiftly recruited to their ranks. Dickinson played his first concerts with Iron Maiden in Italy that October before playing the Rainbow Theatre and Ruskin Arms in London in the run-up to Christmas.

Iron Maiden - 'The Number of the Beast' (1982)

With Bruce Dickinson as their new powerhouse vocalist, Iron Maiden released their third studio effort 'The Number of the Beast' in March 1982 and it climbed to Number 1 in the UK the following month. Boasting fan favourites including 'Run to the Hills', 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' and title track 'The Number of the Beast', the record is rightfully regarded as a masterpiece to this very day and a landmark album of the heavy metal genre. The equally seminal artwork for 'The Number of the Beast' was originally meant to be used on the cover of single 'Purgatory' eight months earlier, however, the band were so overawed that they asked Riggs to hold it back for their next album. An iconic image of Eddie holding Satan like a puppet and Satan clutching an even smaller Eddie, it was all too predictably condemned by staunch Christian groups in America.

Iron Maiden upset Christian groups in the US

Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson, Adrian Smith, Steve Harris, Clive Burr and Dave Murray hit the Queens pub in Islington, London in 1982 following the release of 'The Number of the Beast.' In support of the blockbuster album, Iron Maiden embarked on The Beast on the Road tour across North America, Japan, Australia, and Europe, which featured a coveted headline slot at Reading Festival. In the southern states of the US, Iron Maiden were met with protests from Christian groups who accused them of being Satanists because of their album title track. Unsurprisingly, the protests gave Iron Maiden some welcome free publicity Stateside.

Nicko McBrain replaces Clive Burr

In December 1982, drummer Clive Burr was ousted from Iron Maiden in somewhat acrimonious circumstances. Steve Harris maintained that the firing was due to Burr's offstage antics affecting his performances, while Burr claimed his dismissal was unfair. Iron Maiden drafted in Nicko McBrain, formerly of the rock bands Sleepwalkers and Trust, as Burr's replacement and Maiden soon decamped to Compass Point Studios in The Bahamas to commence work on their next album. Pictured is Iron Maiden backstage at the Alpine Valley Music Theater in Wisconsin in 1983.

Iron Maiden - 'Piece of Mind' (1983)

Iron Maiden unleashed their fourth album 'Piece of Mind' on 16th May 1983 and it peaked at Number 3 in the UK. A lyrically weighty musical opus packed with an array of cultural and historical references including Greek mythology ('Flight of Icarus'), Alfred, Lord Tennyson's The Charge of the Light Brigade ('The Trooper') and the life of samurai Miyamoto Musashi ('Sun and Steel'), musically 'Piece of Mind' packed a punch too and it saw the band finely hone their trademark heavy metal sound. Poking fun at their Satanism accusations, album track 'Still Life' featured a hidden message that could only be deciphered when played backwards. The album artwork saw Eddie undergo a dramatic transformation into a deranged, lobotomised mental patient complete with shackles and straitjacket.

Iron Maiden's World Piece Tour

Iron Maiden on their tour bus in September 1983 during the US leg of the World Piece Tour. A relentless trek, Maiden played 150 shows in seven months across the UK, Europe and North America. Bruce Dickinson noted in 2016 that their tour bus during the eighties was "the subject of all manner of shenanigans." The mind boggles...

Iron Maiden - 'Powerslave' (1984)

Very much keeping up the ante, Iron Maiden released their fifth album 'Powerslave' just 16 months after 'Piece of Mind' in September 1984. Once again recorded at Compass Point Studios in The Bahamas with producer Martin Birch at the helm, 'Powerslave' featured the towering singles '2 Minutes to Midnight' and 'Aces High' plus the 13 minutes and 45 seconds epic 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner', a musical retelling of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's 1798 poem of the same name. The visually striking, ancient Egyptian themed 'Powerslave' cover saw mascot Eddie morph into a giant stone Pharoah.

Iron Maiden's World Slavery Tour

Iron Maiden's Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, Bruce Dickinson, Steve Harris and Nicko McBrain during the World Slavery Tour in 1985. Easily the band's biggest tour to date, Maiden played 189 shows to an estimated 3.5 million people over 331 days. The triumphant yet highly gruelling trek was immortalised with the seminal live album 'Live After Death' in October 1985, which was recorded at Long Beach Arena in California and London's Hammersmith Odeon.

Iron Maiden perform to 300,000 fans at Rock in Rio

Iron Maiden made their South American debut on 24th January 1985 during the World Slavery Tour appearing alongside Queen at Rock in Rio. Pictured are Bruce Dickinson and Steve Harris in their imperious live glory in front of the 300,000-strong crowd. Suffering from fatigue and with tensions growing, Iron Maiden took a well-deserved four-month break following the conclusion of the World Slavery Tour in July 1985.

Iron Maiden - 'Somewhere In Time' (1986)

Iron Maiden's sixth record 'Somewhere In Time' came out on 19th September 1986 and reached no.3 on the UK album chart. Featuring no song contributions from Bruce Dickinson, instead Adrian Smith stepped to the fore with three songwriting credits – 'Sea of Madness', and the singles 'Wasted Years' and 'Stranger in a Strange Land.' The album saw Iron Maiden diversify their musical palette with the introduction of guitar synthesisers and although not strictly a concept record, the theme of time permeates through several of the tracks. 'Somewhere In Time' culminates with the historical epic 'Alexander The Great', which, although a firm fan favourite, has never been performed live by Iron Maiden. The visually potent artwork depicts a cyborg Eddie and there are dozens of references to the band's history and previous album/single sleeves across the front and back covers.

Iron Maiden in 1986

Iron Maiden looking resplendent in the California desert in 1986.

Iron Maiden's Somewhere on Tour tour

Iron Maiden's Steve Harris and Bruce Dickinson on stage at Madison Square Garden in New York in April 1987 on the Somewhere on Tour tour. The ambitious stage set featured a giant inflatable cyborg Eddie as the backdrop.

Iron Maiden - 'Seventh Son of a Seventh Son’ (1988)

Widely regarded as one of Iron Maiden's greatest albums, critically lauded concept record 'Seventh Son of a Seventh Son' landed on 11th April 1988 and it powered to Number 1 in the UK becoming the band's first chart-topper since 'The Number of the Beast' six years earlier. Inspired by the novel Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card, the musically ambitious masterpiece saw the band meld progressive rock elements (complete with keyboards) with their trademark heavy metal sound. The artwork draws parallels with surrealists Rene Magritte and Salvador Dali and depicts a bodiless, floating Eddie holding his innards (which entomb a baby Eddie) while his head burns in direct contrast to the still and serene polar landscape. Rod Smallwood's brief was to create something "surreal and bloody weird" and Derek Riggs succeeded emphatically.

Iron Maiden headline Monsters of Rock

Iron Maiden's ensuing Seventh Son of a Seventh Son Tour featured over 100 shows throughout 1988, including, most notably, the band's inaugural headline appearance at Monsters of Rock in front of an estimated 107,000 people with KISS and Guns N' Roses also on the blockbuster bill. However, the event was marred by the tragic death of two fans during a crush during Guns N' Roses' set. Iron Maiden's two concerts at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre were immortalised in the VHS live video 'Maiden England' in 1989 and, later, the live album of the same name.

Bruce Dickinson releases solo album

With Iron Maiden taking some time out following the gruelling Seventh Son of a Seventh Son Tour, in 1989 Adrian Smith released the album 'Silver and Gold' with his short-lived solo venture A.S.a.P (Adrian Smith and Project). In August '89, Bruce Dickinson recorded the solo song 'Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter' with former Gillan guitarist Janick Gers for the 'A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child' soundtrack. Musical kindred spirits, the pair struck up a close friendship and they soon worked together on Dickinson's debut solo album 'Tattooed Millionaire', which saw the light of day in May 1990. Alongside nine original tracks, the album featured a cover of the David Bowie-penned Mott The Hoople track 'All The Young Dudes', which peaked at no.23 in the UK.

Janick Gers joins Iron Maiden after Adrian Smith quits

Following their break, Iron Maiden regrouped in 1990 to commence work on their eighth studio album. While the record was still in its embryonic stages, Adrian Smith quit Iron Maiden following a decade-long tenure due to differences in opinion with the direction the band were taking musically. Adrian was replaced by Janick Gers, who had recently worked with Bruce Dickinson on 'Tattooed Millionaire.' Hartlepool-born Janick was the first new Iron Maiden member in seven years and he's still with the band to this very day.

Iron Maiden - 'No Prayer for the Dying' (1990)

Released on 1st October 1990, Iron Maiden's eighth studio album 'No Prayer for the Dying' was more stripped back and raw musically than its two more experimental predecessors 'Somewhere in Time' and 'Seventh Son of a Seventh Son'. It was recorded at Steve Harris' barn in Essex and utilising The Rolling Stones' Mobile Studio with long-time producer Martin Birch at the helm. The album featured Iron Maiden's version of Bruce Dickinson's solo track 'Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter', which stormed straight in at Number 1 in the UK (the band's only chart-topper to date) despite the track being shunned by mainstream radio stations. The 'No Prayer for the Dying' artwork was created by Derek Riggs and featured a more 'classic' version of Eddie the Head, emerging from a grave and clawing at an unfortunate undertaker's neck.

Iron Maiden - 'Fear of the Dark' (1992)

Following the year-long No Prayer on the Road Tour, Iron Maiden released their ninth studio album 'Fear of the Dark' on 11th May 1992, and it peaked at Number 1 in the UK. With Bruce Dickinson in particular unhappy with the sound of 'No Prayer for the Dying', Steve Harris' barn was converted into a 'proper' recording studio for 'Fear of the Dark'. The record was co-produced by Steve alongside Martin Birch who retired soon after its release. It proved to be not only Birch's final record with Maiden but his final ever before his death in 2020. Embracing weighty themes such as football hooliganism ('Weekend Warrior'), the AIDs pandemic ('Fear is the Key') and the Gulf War ('Afraid to Shoot Strangers'), 'Fear of the Dark' also featured the band's first power ballad, 'Wasting Love.' The album was the first Iron Maiden long-player not to feature artwork by Derek Riggs as the band opted for Melvyn Grant's eerie painting of a half-tree/half-demon Eddie instead.

Adrian Smith makes guest appearance at Monsters of Rock

Three months after the release of 'Fear of the Dark', Iron Maiden headlined Monsters of Rock for a second time with Skid Row, Thunder, Slayer, W.A.S.P. and The Almighty also on the line-up. The performance was immortalised with the November 1992 live album and VHS video 'Live at Donington' and the set culminated with former guitarist Adrian Smith guesting on 'Running Free.' He recollected years later: "Steve Harris rang me up and said, 'Why don't you come down and play Running Free' with us?' So I went down there and I didn't expect to feel the way I felt. The tour manager brought me up to the side of the stage and I watched a few songs. I got really, really emotional. I wasn't expecting it, but I was overwhelmed — the guys are playing the songs I used to play in front of thousands and thousands of people."

Bruce Dickinson leaves Iron Maiden

In early 1993, Bruce Dickinson announced his plans to leave Iron Maiden to focus on his solo career. However, with the band's Real Live Tour already booked, Bruce agreed to proceed with the shows as a farewell to fans. Unsurprisingly, the tour was blighted be inter-band tensions with Steve Harris in particular extremely unhappy with Bruce's inconsistent performances – claims that Bruce denied. Bruce himself later said of the tour: "It wasn't a good vibe. We walked out onstage, and it was like a morgue. The Maiden fans knew I'd quit, they knew these were the last gigs and I suddenly realised that, as the frontman, you're in an almost impossible situation." Pictured is Bruce Dickinson and Janick Gers at London's Wembley Arena on 17th May 1993. Three months later, Bruce Dickinson played his final shows with Iron Maiden (for now) at London's Pinewood Studios.

Blaze Bayley joins Iron Maiden

With Bruce Dickinson gone, in 1994 Iron Maiden pored over hundreds of demo tapes sent by vocalists aiming to become the band's new singer. However, with Steve Harris wowed by Blaze Bayley 's vocal prowess when Wolfsbane supported Maiden on the No Prayer on the Road Tour, the band successfully convinced him to join their ranks. Blaze Bayley told Planet Rock in 2021 : "They offered me the job. I'm so different to Bruce (Dickinson), I mean just so different in my presentation, my voice, everything. But I think they wanted to change, and they offered me the job. So I left Wolfsbane at that point and went on to the greatest job in the world for a heavy metal singer. It was fantastic, an incredible time." He added: "I don't know why they chose me, but they did, and the things that I learnt then - and already being a fan of Maiden - it stayed with me and that confidence that I'd got as a songwriter, that was unshakable."

Iron Maiden - 'The X factor' (1995)

Unfortunately for Blaze Bayley, his tenure with Iron Maiden didn't start well as he injured his leg in a motorcycle accident near his home delaying the band's tenth studio album. Eventually, 'The X Factor' finally saw the light of day on 2nd October 1995. Iron Maiden's first album since their eponymous 1980 debut without the now retired producer Martin Birch at the helm, sonically the band traversed darker musical realms including the Apocalypse Now inspired 'The Edge of Darkness'. Although 'The X Factor' was initially met with a more muted response than its predecessors, it's looked on much more favourably retrospectively and 11-minute epic 'Sign of the Cross' was added to the setlist for Maiden's The Legacy of the Beast Tour in 2018. The hard-hitting artwork was created by graphic artist Hugh Syme (noted for his work with Rush) and features a revival of the lobotomised Eddie.

Iron Maiden's The X Factour

Blaze Bayley's inaugural trek with Iron Maiden, The X Factour, ran for a year from September 1995 and opened with the band's debut shows in Israel and South Africa. It saw Maiden return to more intimate venues except for the closing South American and Mexican concerts that took place in stadia and arenas. Due to the rigours of touring, Blaze Bayley suffered vocal problems in North America resulting in the cancellation of eight show in spring 1996. Pictured are Blaze Bayley and Dave Murray at London's Brixton Academy on 10th November 1995.

Iron Maiden - 'Virtual XI' (1998)

After unleashing their first greatest hits compilation 'Best of the Beast' in 1996 and the accompanying standalone single 'Virus', Iron Maiden released their eleventh studio album 'Virtual XI' on 23rd March 1998. Widely regarded as a nadir in Iron Maiden's recording history, 'Virtual XI' was the band's biggest commercial flop to date charting at no.16 in the UK and - just like 'The X Factor' - it failed to dent the Billboard Top 100 Stateside. Yet, despite being savaged critically, there were some standout moments on the record including the fast and ferocious opener 'Futureal' and the bona fide Iron Maiden classic, 'The Clansman.' Melvyn Grant created the artwork of a demon like Eddie straight from the bowels of hell ominously reaching for a child wearing a virtual reality headset.

Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith return

Blaze Bayley's five-year tenure with Iron Maiden came to an end in January 1999 when he was fired by the band. Blaze noted 20 years later: "It was a shock to leave Iron Maiden - it was an absolute shock. But CD sales were gone; there was no interest in the band; things were going down; and they wanted a reunion (with Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith) — the record company wanted a reunion." Manager Rod Smallwood convinced Steve Harris to welcome Bruce Dickinson back into the band and the vocalist accepted during a meeting in Brighton in January 1999. The very same day Adrian Smith was also invited back by phone and Iron Maiden became a three-guitar, six-piece heavy metal behemoth. The line-up has remained constant to this very day.

Iron Maiden's The Ed Hunter Tour

The newly 12-legged Iron Maiden embarked on The Ed Hunter Tour in the summer of 1999 in support of their greatest hits album and video game 'Ed Hunter.' A relatively short trek compared to Maiden's usual tours, the band played 28 shows in North America and Europe. Dave Murray broke his finger in Los Angeles resulting in the cancellation of the band's gigs in San Jose, Paradise and Mesa.

Iron Maiden - 'Brave New World' (2000)

Iron Maiden's twelfth studio album 'Brave New World' was unleashed to Planet Earth on 29th May 2000. Lauded by critics and Iron Maiden fans alike, 'Brave New World' was named after the Aldous Huxley novel of the same name and it was recorded with esteemed producer Kevin 'The Caveman' Shirley at Studio Guillaume Tell in France. Musically, 'Brave New World' is a majestic heavy metal opus that has plenty of progressive flourishes and it ushered in the new Millennium perfectly for the band. Towering tunes including 'The Wicker Man' and 'Blood Brothers' (which Steve Harris penned for his late dad) are widely regarded as Maiden classics. For the artwork, Derek Riggs (returning to a Maiden cover for the first time in a decade) created the Eddie that appears as a menacing cloud of smoke above a Steve Stone illustration of a space-age London. It would be Riggs' last Iron Maiden album cover artwork to the present day.

Iron Maiden's Brave New World Tour

The Brave New World Tour took place from June 2000 to January 2001 and saw Iron Maiden perform 81 shows in Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia. Pictured is the fearsome wicker incarnation of Eddie at London's Earl Court Arena on the opening month of the tour.

Iron Maiden's Steve Harris and Adrian Smith at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois on 17th October 2000 during their Brave New World Tour. Three months later, Iron Maiden performed in front of a massive crowd of 250,000 fans at Rock in Rio, which was released as a live album and video.

Iron Maiden raise money for Clive Burr

In March 2002, Iron Maiden performed a trio of sold-out benefit concerts at London's Brixton Academy raising money for former drummer Clive Burr, who had recently been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Iron Maiden played two further gigs for Burr's MS Trust Fund charity in 2005 and 2007 respectively.

Iron Maiden headline the first Download Festival

Iron Maiden headlined the opening night at the very first Download Festival at Donington Park – the home of Monsters of Rock – on Saturday 31st May 2003.

Iron Maiden - 'Dance of Death' (2003)

Two weeks after the conclusion of their Give Me Ed... 'Til I'm Dead Tour, Iron Maiden released their thirteenth studio album 'Dance of Death' on 2nd September 2003. Peaking at no.2 in the UK, the acclaimed album was produced by Kevin Shirley and it contains two Iron Maiden firsts – 'Journeyman' is their first ever fully acoustic track, while 'New Frontier' is the first and only song in Iron Maiden's formidable back catalogue to have been co-written by Nicko McBrain. Once again 'Dance of Death' is packed with historical references - 'Montségur' is based on the fall of the Cathar stronghold in the aftermath of the Albigensian Crusade in 1244, while the Maiden epic 'Passchendaele' references The Battle of Passchendaele in which half-a-million soldiers died in World War I. Eddie the Head plays the role of the grim reaper on David Patchett's computer generated sleeve.

Iron Maiden in 2003

Iron Maiden's Adrian Smith, Steve Harris, Dave Murray, and Janick Gers in concert at London's Earls Court in December 2003.

Iron Maiden’s Eddie Rips Up the World Tour

Tied in with their 2004 DVD The History of Iron Maiden – Part 1: The Early Days, Iron Maiden's Eddie Rips Up the World Tour in 2005 featured material from Iron Maiden's first four studio albums – 'Iron Maiden', 'Killers', 'The Number of the Beast' and 'Piece of Mind'. The first European leg culminated with a massive 60,000 capacity show at Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden on 9th July 2005, before Maiden returned to headline Reading and Leeds Festival (pictured) at the end of the summer.

Iron Maiden inducted into Hollywood RockWalk

Iron Maiden were inducted into the Hollywood RockWalk outside the Guitar Center on Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles in August 2005. Alongside the band's handprints, Eddie the Head's skeletal claw was also immortalised in concrete.

Iron Maiden's Ozzfest show sabotaged

Sandwiched between the European dates, in the summer of 2005 Iron Maiden co-headlined the majority of the Ozzfest tour with Black Sabbath. Seemingly unhappy with comments Bruce Dickinson had made on stage about reality TV and certain artists using autocue, Sharon Osbourne allegedly sabotaged Iron Maiden's final performance at the Hyundai Pavilion in San Bernardino on 20th August 2005. During opener 'Murders in the Rue Morgue', Maiden were pelted with eggs, cups and bottle caps from a specific area of the pit and a man invaded the stage during 'The Trooper' clutching an American flag. Worse, the PA system cut out numerous times and "Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy" chants were played through the speaker system. At the end of the set, Sharon Osbourne addressed the audience calling Iron Maiden "wonderful" but Bruce Dickinson a "prick." Rod Smallwood praised Iron Maiden afterwards for completing their set, saying "The imperturbable attitude and ability of the band shone through and in the end made this a truly remarkable rock and roll event, even if for all the wrong reasons. I do think the band deserve an apology from a number of people, and you know who you are."

Iron Maiden 'A Matter of Life and Death' (2006)

Iron Maiden's 14th studio album 'A Matter of Life and Death' came out 25th August 2006 and it embraced themes of war and religion throughout, including on the artwork which was created by Tim Bradstreet and depicts Eddie as an army general driving a tank through a desolate, war-torn landscape with his skeletal comrades. Continuing their rich vein of form since Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith returned to their ranks, 'A Matter of Life and Death' was praised by critics and it was their first album to dent the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 debuting at no.9 Stateside. Years later, Nicko McBrain has hailed 'A Matter of Life and Death' as the best record he has recorded with Iron Maiden.

Iron Maiden perform A Matter of Life and Death in full on tour

Iron Maiden's A Matter of Life and Death World Tour in 2006 saw the band perform 'A Matter of Life and Death' in its unadulterated entirety before culminating the set with 'Fear of the Dark', 'Iron Maiden', '2 Minutes to Midnight', 'The Evil That Men Do' and 'Hallowed Be Thy Name'. It was their first tour since 1982 not to feature 'The Number of the Beast' in the set. This was rectified in 2007 on the A Matter of the Beast Tour, which featured five songs from their latest records and four songs from 'The Number of the Beast' alongside other Maiden classics. Pictured is Steve Harris throwing his iconic pose in Toronto in October 2006.

Iron Maiden headline Download again

Pictured is Iron Maiden in Sofia, Bulgaria in June 2007 ahead of their appearance at the Lokomotiv Stadium. A week later they headlined Download Festival for the second time, which was their fourth bill-topping spot at Donington Park including Monsters of Rock. They concluded the A Matter of the Beast Tour at London's Brixton Academy on 24th June 2007 with proceeds going to Clive Burr's MS Trust Fund charity.

Iron Maiden's Somewhere Back in Time World Tour

Iron Maiden kicked off the Somewhere Back in Time World Tour in February 2008 and it took in 90 shows over 14 months in front of 2 million people. The setlist predominately celebrated the band's 1980s material including from 'Powerslave', 'Somewhere In Time' and 'Seventh Son of a Seventh Son' with rarities including 'Moonchild' and 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' getting an outing. Loosely based on the World Slavery Tour from 24 years earlier, the ambitious stage production boasted eyebrow-singeing pyrotechnics and the welcome return of the giant mummified Eddie, together with the cyborg walk-on Eddie from 1986. Pictured is Steve Harris at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne at the start of the tour.

Iron Maiden's Flight 666

The Somewhere Back in Time World Tour was a landmark trek for Iron Maiden as it was the first tour they commissioned an aeroplane – an Astraeus Airlines Boeing 757 to be exact - as transport. Dubbed Ed Force One after a naming competition on Iron Maiden's website, the plane was flown by Bruce Dickinson, who was also a commercial airline pilot for Astraeus, and it carried the band, their crew and all the stage production for the tour. Ed Force One featured in the April 2009 documentary film Iron Maiden: Flight 666.

Iron Maiden - 'The Final Frontier' (2010)

Iron Maiden's 15th studio album 'The Final Frontier' was unleashed on 13th August 2010. Widely praised in the music press, the album reached Number 1 in 28 countries around the globe including the UK where it was Iron Maiden's first chart-topper in 18 years. Musically it was densely layered and epic in scope and the album's 10 songs clocked in at 76 minutes and 36 seconds. The Final Frontier' is also notable as it was only the fourth Iron Maiden album that features songwriting credits from Steve Harris on every single track. Melvyn Grant concocted the alien-like Eddie the Head on the sleeve, and it proved to be highly divisive among fans. Steve Harris described this Eddie as "possibly the most outrageous one to date" and he wasn't wrong.

Iron Maiden's second Ed Force One and Grammys win

Iron Maiden's The Final Frontier Tour took place from June 2010 to August 2011 and took in almost 100 shows. The 'Around The World in 66 Days' leg between 11th February and 17th April 2011 saw Iron Maiden use a new Boeing 757 Ed Force One to fly between 27 shows in 25 cities in 12 countries across five continents. Their triumphant concert at Estadio Nacional de Chile on this leg was later immortalised with the 2012 live album and video 'En Vivo!'. February 2011 also saw Iron Maiden scoop their first ever Grammy Award - Best Metal Performance for 'El Dorado.'

Iron Maiden's Maiden England World Tour

Named after the 1989 concert video Maiden England, which was filmed in Birmingham in 1988 and later re-released on DVD, Iron Maiden embarked on the 100-date Maiden England World Tour from June 2012 to July 2014. Just like the 2005's Eddie Rips Up the World Tour and 2008–2009's Somewhere Back in Time World Tour, it was Iron Maiden's third tour inspired by a period of their history and the setlist largely echoed the original Birmingham show a quarter-of-a-century earlier. Firmly entrenched into Iron Maiden folklore, the band's headline performance at Download Festival in June 2013 saw them enter the stage as a Spitfire flew over the crowd in perfect tandem.

Clive Burr dies aged 56

On 13th March 2013, former Iron Maiden drummer Clive Burr died four days after 56th birthday due to complications from multiple sclerosis. Steve Harris said at the time: "This is terribly sad news. Clive was a very old friend of all of us. He was a wonderful person and an amazing drummer who made a valuable contribution to Maiden in the early days when we were starting out. This is a sad day for everyone in the band and those around him and our thoughts and condolences are with his partner Mimi and family at this time."

Iron Maiden launch Trooper Beer

In spring 2013, Bruce Dickinson joined forces with Robinson's Brewery in Stockport to launch Iron Maiden's Trooper beer. On its eighth birthday in 2021, it was announced that Trooper had reached the huge milestone of 30 million pints sold around the globe. Alongside the original Trooper beer, there have been a number of spin-off brews including Trooper Fear of the Dark, Trooper IPA, Sun and Steel (sake infused pilsner), Red 'N' Black (porter), 666 (extra strong bitter), and Belgian styled beer, Hallowed, along with the annual "Day of the Dead" Trooper special edition.

Bruce Dickinson beats cancer

Bruce Dickinson was diagnosed with cancer shortly before Christmas 2014 when doctors discovered a small cancerous tumour was found at the back of his tongue during a routine check-up. In May 2015, Iron Maiden said in a statement: "We are very happy to announce that following his recent MRI scan, Bruce was today officially given the all-clear by his specialists." Bruce himself said: "I'm a firm believer in trying to maintain a positive attitude, and the encouragement from the global Maiden family meant a great deal to me. Right now, I'm feeling extremely motivated and can't wait to get back to business as usual, as soon as I can!"

Iron Maiden - 'The Book of Souls' (2015)

Iron Maiden's sixteenth studio album 'The Book of Souls' was released on 4th September 2015. The 92-minute musical opus was widely praised by critics, and it stormed straight in at Number 1 in the UK – their fifth chart-topping album on these shores. Recorded at Guillaume Tell Studios in Paris with producer Kevin Shirley, Iron Maiden gave the album a "live feel" by embracing spontaneity during the recording process - they entered the studio with only "outlines" of ideas before rehearsing them and laying them down in one go. Clocking it at a massive 18 minutes, epic Bruce Dickinson penned closing track 'Empire of the Clouds' is the longest song in Iron Maiden's four decade recording history. On 'The Book of Souls' album cover, Eddie the Head got a fearsome Mayan makeover by artist Mark Wilkinson.

Iron Maiden's The Book of Souls World Tour

Taking in 117 shows across 35 countries and five continents, Iron Maiden's The Book of Souls World Tour in 2016 and 2017 was the band's longest trek since The X Factour in the mid-90s. In true Iron Maiden style, the Mayan themed stage production was truly mind-blowing and it featured a 10-metre high inflatable bust of Eddie from Mark Wilkinson's album cover image, and an inflatable Devil Goat. The tour spawned the 2017 live album 'The Book of Souls: Live Chapter' featuring tracks recorded at various stops on the tour, including Maiden's 2016 headline set at an extremely soggy Download Festival.

Iron Maiden's third Ed Force One

Once again piloted by Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden used a third Ed Force One plane to fly between shows on The Book of Souls World Tour. Featuring the Mayan Eddie from 'The Book of Souls' artwork, Iron Maiden upgraded to an ex-Air France Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet, supplied by Air Atlanta Icelandic.

Iron Maiden's Legacy of the Beast World Tour

Inspired by their summer 2016 mobile game Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast and comic book of the same name, Iron Maiden commenced The Legacy of the Beast World Tour in 2018 and, due to Covid-19, it's due to conclude in Europe in summer 2022. In keeping with the game, the stage set design features a number of different but interlocking 'worlds' and a gargantuan replica Spitfire plane during opener 'Aces High'. Musically the opening legs of the tour featured a slew a rarities including 'Flight of Icarus', the Blaze Bayley-era tracks 'The Clansman' and 'Sign of the Cross', plus 'For the Greater Good of God' and 'Where Eagles Dare'. The tour has been immortalised with the 2020 live album 'Nights of the Dead, Legacy of the Beast: Live in Mexico City.'

Iron Maiden tease 17th studio album

In June and July 2021, a series of cryptic clues were unveiled pointing towards Iron Maiden's first studio album. In a Sky News interview, Bruce Dickinson wore a Belshazzar's Feast T-shirt – the same image as a poster that appeared at Download Pilot festival in June. Fans. Belshazzar's Feast is the story of the writing on the wall in the bible and fans noticed that a Legacy of the Beast Tour poster had WOTW – writing on the wall – emblazoned on a wall. A series of other cryptic clues have followed including on a poster promoting Nicko McBrain's Rock N Roll Ribs restaurant, a Twitter user called Daniel (@bels_feast) following 16 accounts linked to Iron Maiden's first 16 studio albums, a poster at Robinson's Brewery where Trooper is made and much more.

Iron Maiden unleash 'The Writing On The Wall'

After weeks of Belshazzar's Feast and WOTW cryptic teases, Iron Maiden unleashed their first song in six years, 'The Writing on the Wall', on Thursday 15th July 2021. The seven-minute epic was accompanied by an incredible and thematically potent animated music video featuring a samurai incarnation of Eddie the Head. A sensational return to the fray for both Iron Maiden and Eddie.

Iron Maiden release 'Senjutsu'

Iron Maiden released their 17th studio album 'Senjutsu' on Friday 3rd September 2021 through Parlophone Records. 'Senjutsu' is a double album and it contains 10 songs that clock in at just under 82 minutes. 'Senjutsu' was recorded at Paris' Guillaume Tell Studio will longterm producer Kevin 'The Caveman' Shirley, and Iron Maiden founder and sole constant member Steve Harris on co-production. The album title 'Senjutsu' loosely translates to "tactics & strategy" and the Mark Wilkinson artwork depicts the samurai Eddie from 'The Writing On The Wall' video clutching a bloodied sword.

Bruce Dickinson quashes Maiden retirement rumours

Speaking in March 2022, Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson insists the band have no plans to retire. With all six band members in their 60s and drummer Nicko McBrain turning the big 7-0 in June 2022, Dickinson replied "I think we'll probably drop dead onstage." This was as the band geared up to resume their covid-delayed Legacy of the Beast Tour which had been postponed two years.

Iron Maiden return to touring after 2 year break

Over two and a half years after their last pre-covid show in Santiago's Estadio Nacional in Chile, Iron Maiden resumed their Legacy of the Beast World Tour in Croatia on 22nd May 2022. Reflecting the fact that they'd released Senjutsu in the intervening years, the tour saw a change in both setlist and stage production, with an all-new Japanese temple themed set. In June 2022, they headlined Download Festival for a seventh time with a career-spanning set that was widely praised. The tour sees them taking in North America, stopping in both the USA and Canada before the end of 2022. They've been confirmed as headliners for Wacken Open Air in August 2023, with further 2023 tour dates surely in the pipeline.

Iron Maiden announce The Future Past Tour

In October 2022, Iron Maiden announced they were bringing a brand-new live show, The Future Past Tour , to arenas in the UK, Ireland and Europe in summer 2023. The Future Past Tour will feature previously unperformed songs from the band's 2021 album 'Senjutsu', rarely performed material from their seminal 1986 album 'Somewhere in Time', and classic tracks.

Iron Maiden honoured with Royal Mail stamps

In January 2023, Iron Maiden became only the fifth British band to feature in a dedicated Royal Mail stamp set following in the footsteps of The Beatles in 2007, Pink Floyd in 2016, Queen in 2020, and The Rolling Stones in 2022. The 12 set of stamps capture Iron Maiden in their live glory and also celebrate their beloved mascot Eddie. Steve Harris said: "We were all absolutely astounded – in a good way! When we heard first about the commemorative project, and equally pretty much speechless when we saw the stamps for the very first time. They look superb and I think they really capture the essence and energy of Maiden. We're all very proud that Royal Mail has chosen to honour the band's legacy like this, and we know our fans will feel the same way."

Nicko McBrain suffers stroke

On 3rd August 2023, Nicko McBrain revealed to the world that he had suffered a stroke in January 2023. The 71-year-old recorded a typically cheery video message, explaining to fans that "The good-looking one" was now, 7 months later, feeling 100%. In a longer statement, Nicko explained that he had suffered from a minor stroke known as a TIA, which had paralysed his right side. Manager Rod Smallwood reassured fans that the band were looking forward to "many more tours together".

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• Iron Maiden

Mon 31.07. - Tue 01.08.2023

Iron Maiden

The future past tour 2023, olympic hall.

They have been on the road for almost half a century, tireless and eternally young: the heavy metal legends Iron Maiden. After a twelve-year break, the tough Englishmen are now coming back to the Olympic Hall - twice, at a double concert on 31 July and 1 August 2023. The focus will be on the songs from their latest hit album "Senjutsu" and their cult long player "Somewhere in Time" from 1986.

They rocked the Olympic Hall for the first time in 1980, back then with their big hits like "Sanctuary" and "Running Free". The last time Iron Maiden came here was in 2011, and now the metal legends around singer Bruce Dickinson, guitarist Dave Murray and bassist Steve Harris are returning to the park. Their double concert will revolve around two very special albums: "Senjutsu", the band's 17th and most recent studio album, which, like its three predecessors "A Matter of Life and Death", "The Final Frontier" and "The Book of Souls", made it to No. 1 in the German charts - and reached No. 3 in the Billboard 200, the highest ranking for an Iron Maiden album in the USA.

In addition, the legendary classic "Somewhere in Time", the epic sixth studio album from 1986, will also take centre stage on the tour. "We decided to resurrect the album because this tour wasn't included in the many restrospective history tours we've played over the years," says Steve Harris. And manager Ron Smallwood adds, "We find the combination of the two albums very exciting. It's going to be a very special tour for old and for new fans of Iron Maiden."

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Desire for more? All Events

The Iron Maiden tour adds Phoenix date in 2024. Here's how to get tickets to the concert

I conic British heavy metal veterans Iron Maiden have added a Phoenix date to the North American leg of the Future Past Tour, playing Footprint Center on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, with Mongolian metal greats the Hu.

No further shows will be announced for North America.

The Hu issued a statement saying, “Iron Maiden is the master of the masters of rock music. They are one of the biggest inspirations to us! The way that they create and perform their music is majestic and we still remember the first time we heard their ‘Trooper’ song and felt the deep energy behind each word.”

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Iron Maiden last played Phoenix in 2019

Iron Maiden last played Phoenix on the Legacy of the Beast Tour in 2019 .

This will be their 17th performance in the Valley since playing Memorial Coliseum on June 4, 1981, as part of the Killer World Tour, their first time in the U.S.

Concert review: Iron Maiden make you wonder why more artists don't invest in 10-foot mascots

Future Past Tour features songs from 'Senjetsu,' 'Somewhere in Time'

The Future Past Tour, which features songs from Maiden’s latest studio release, “Senjutsu,” and 1986’s seminal “Somewhere in Time” alongside other fan favorites, played to more than 750,000 fans at more than 30 sold-out shows across Europe in the summer of 2023.

They also played Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver alongside their highly praised appearance at California’s Power Trip Festival in October, which had Consequence raving “Iron Maiden set the bar high at Power Trip” and The Desert Sun saying they “delivered a hard-hitting performance to open the festival on a high note."

The tour features one of the most spectacular stage productions of Maiden’s career.

How to get tickets to Iron Maiden at Footprint Center in Phoenix

Tickets for the Phoenix concert go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, March 29, at livenation.com .

Reach the reporter at  [email protected]  or 602-444-4495. Follow him on X  @EdMasley .

Support local journalism.   Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: The Iron Maiden tour adds Phoenix date in 2024. Here's how to get tickets to the concert

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‘Satanic rituals’ at Taylor Swift shows? That’s false. And experts say the attack isn’t new.

Experts say musicians have been accused of performing satanic rituals for decades

Social media users have their pitchforks and proof, as Taylor Swift lyrics famously say, and they’re hunting for Satan worshippers. The current target? Swift herself.

“Taylor Swift is doing satanic rituals during her shows,” said a man in an  April 12 Facebook reel .

“This is now coming just blatantly,” he said, as footage played of Swift wearing a green cloak surrounded by dancers holding golden orbs. “You’ve got Taylor Swift doing all kinds of witchcraft rituals and satanic stuff on stage.”

Then he showed a clip from Swift’s “Karma” music video, saying: “It shows Taylor Swift in what appears to be hell wearing what appears to be a devil mask.”

Taylor Swift holds a red mask with horns in front of her face the “Karma” music video. (Screenshot/YouTube)

“Nice devil mask there, Taylor Swift,” he said. “Why the devil mask? Why this kind of imagery?”

In another Facebook  video , a man claimed one of Swift’s hand gestures during her Eras Tour show was the singer “throwing up the devil horns.”

These posts were flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our  partnership with Meta , which owns Facebook and Instagram.)

Swift’s catalog of lyrics includes mentions of witches, devils and angels. She sings, “Women like hunting witches, too,” in “Mad Woman” from her 2020 album “Folklore.” In the 2019 song “Cruel Summer,” she sings, “Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes.” We found no mentions of Satan, Lucifer or satanic rituals.

Although some critics have  claimed  her Eras Tour performance of the song “Willow” promotes witchcraft, we found no evidence that Swift’s performances intentionally feature satanic rituals. The “Willow” dance appears to be a stage adaptation of a similar scene from her  music video .

There is  no clear evidence  Satan worship has ever  been practiced  in an organized and widespread way, so it isn’t clear what “Satanic rituals” the post claimed Swift was performing.

Lucien Greaves, co-founder of The Satanic Temple, a religious organization that the IRS recognizes as a tax-exempt church, said that he sees public concern raised about celebrities and alleged satanism almost every month. He called claims like these “incredibly asinine conspiracy theories.”

What would a “satanic ritual” even look like? It’s not clear. The Satanic Temple’s frequently asked questions  page says  the group does not worship Satan or believe Satan — or anything “supernatural” — exists. There is no sacred scripture nor any required rituals. It is a religion because it  provides  “a sense of identity, culture, community, and shared values,” the website says.

Some members may perform rituals they find “personally meaningful” and that are tailored to their individual needs, the  FAQ page  said. Such rituals may include “unbaptisms,” in which people renounce superstitions imposed on them without consent, and destruction rituals, in which people destroy an object they own that symbolizes a source of pain.

We found no evidence that Swift has engaged in any of those activities. She has publicly described herself as a Christian.

In the 2020 documentary “Miss Americana,” she expressed frustration with the policy positions of then-Senate candidate Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. (Swift endorsed Blackburn’s  democratic opponent  in 2018; Blackburn was elected in November 2018.)

“Those aren’t ‘Tennessee Christian values,’” Swift said. “I live in Tennessee. I am Christian. That’s not what we stand for.”

Still, like a line from Swift’s “Reputation” album — “they’re burning all the witches, even if you aren’t one” — the lack of evidence hasn’t stopped social media claims linking Swift to satanism or devil worship.

Swift previously appeared to poke fun at the witchcraft attacks. In November, she shared  a video  captured during a performance, when she was singing about an airplane and a plane happened to fly overhead at the open-air stadium, with the caption, “Never beating the sorcery allegations.”

Never beating the sorcery allegations ✨🛬✨ pic.twitter.com/d0mlvF4gZW — Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) November 13, 2023

We contacted Swift’s spokesperson and received no reply.

A history of musicians facing satanism accusations

Experts told PolitiFact that musicians have long been accused of performing satanic rituals.

“When someone goes looking for signs of satanic ritual, they will find those signs everywhere, from the packaging on products they buy to stop signs,” said Susan Campbell, a distinguished lecturer in the University of New Haven’s Department of Communication, Film and Media Studies.

Joseph Uscinski, a University of Miami political science professor who studies conspiracy theories, agreed that “people see what they want to see.”

“There is a long history of satanic panics in the United States,” Uscinski said. In the 1980s, “all of my favorite bands were accused of taking part in satanic rituals: Led Zeppelin, Ozzy Osbourne, Motley Crue, Iron Maiden.”

Campbell said fans of the rock band Kiss might recall warnings that the band’s name stood for “Knights In Satan’s Service” and related rumors that listeners were “guilty of worshiping Satan.”

“Love the band, hate the band, there is no evidence that members or fans of Kiss worship the devil,” Campbell said.

Campbell said she thinks that Swift’s  2020 endorsement  of President Joe Biden and her  success in encouraging  her fans to register to vote “opened the door for people” to falsely attack her.

“The better approach when faced with such nonsense is a fairly simple two-step process,” Campbell said. “1. Consider the source of these rumors and 2. Do a little digging for yourself.”

A Facebook post says, “Taylor Swift is doing satanic rituals during her shows.”

Swift’s songs mention neither Satan nor Satanic rituals. Swift has publicly described herself as a Christian.

The leader of The Satanic Temple dismissed the allegations about Swift as conspiracy theories, and there is no clear evidence Satan worship has ever been practiced in an organized and widespread way.

At PolitiFact, the burden of proof is on the speaker. Absent proof, we rate this claim False.

This fact check was originally published by PolitiFact , which is part of the Poynter Institute. See the sources for this fact check here .

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