Personnel :
- Bruce Dickinson _ vocal ( Curent member)
- Paul Di'Anno – vocals ( foermer member )
- Dave Murray – guitar
- Dennis Stratton – guitar, backing vocals
- Steve Harris – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Clive Burr – drums
Iron Maiden, released on April 14, 1980, is the debut album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was released by EMI in the UK, reaching number 4 in the UK album charts.
The album was released a few months later in the U.S. originally on Harvest/Capitol Records and subsequently Sanctuary Records/Columbia Records and included the song "Sanctuary", which had been released in the UK only as a single, added to the track listing. In 1998, just like all other pre-X Factor albums, the album was re-released, and "Sanctuary" was added in all territories.
Of all the songs in this album, "Phantom of the Opera," "Running Free," "Sanctuary" and "Iron Maiden" remain on the set lists of nearly all of the band's concert tours, with the latter used to introduce a giant representation of the band's mascot Eddie from the back of the stage.
Four songs from the album: "Prowler", "Remember Tomorrow", "Running Free" and "Iron
Maiden" were covered for the 2008 tribute album Maiden Heaven: A Tribute to Iron Maiden released by Kerrang! magazine.
Every song on this album except 'Strange World' has since been recorded by the Dickinson-fronted line-up of the band, either on live albums, on studio B-Sides, or both.
History
This was the only album produced by Will Malone, who lacked interest in the project and allowed the band to produce most of the album themselves. The band (especially Steve Harris) criticised the quality of the production, but many fans like the raw, almost punk-like sound to the songs.
This was also the only studio album for guitarist Dennis Stratton, who left a short time after the album was released. He was replaced by Adrian Smith. "Transylvania" is a well known instrumental piece by the band which was composed by founder and bassist Steve Harris.
The song was covered by Iced Earth on the album Horror Show. "Strange World" tells of a dystopian society, where people never grow old. Amongst other things the narrator (singer) laments how "smiling faces [are] ever so rare". Meanwhile, "Charlotte the Harlot" is the first of four Iron Maiden songs which make reference to the fictional prostitute 'Charlotte'.
The 7-minute epic "Phantom of the Opera" remains a fan favourite, and is still performed at many Maiden concerts, while live performances of "Iron Maiden" often signal the entrance of band mascot Eddie onto the stage.
"Running Free" was released as a single on February 23rd, 1980, and reached number 34 in the UK singles chart. The band also performed the song entirely live on the UK TV show Top Of The Pops. The usual tradition was for artists to lip-synch, and Maiden were the first band to perform their song without lip-synching on the show since The Who in 1972.
The "Sanctuary" single was released on June 7th, and charted at number 29. Manager Rod Smallwood's management company was named after the song.
The 1998 re-release has, besides the addition of the previously mentioned song "Sanctuary", a different cover than the original release. The picture is the same, except that it's redrawn. However, on recent advertising-posters and the Iron Maiden website, the original cover is once again shown.
Metal For Muthas Tour and Europe 80 was the tour supporting the album Iron Maiden
Track listing
No. Title Writer(s)
1. Prowler Harris
On the 1998 re-release, the fade out of "Transylvania" and the intro to "Strange World" were put at the end of "Transylvania", originally both the beginning of "Strange World". 1995 reissue bonus disc
No. Title Writer(s)
1. Sanctuary Di'Anno, Murray, Harris
2. Burning Ambition Harris
3. Drifter (live) Harris
4. I've Got the Fire Ronnie Montrose
(live Montrose cover)
Iron Maiden
- Paul Di'Anno
- Blaze Bayley
- Clive Burr
- Paul Day
- Dennis Stratton
- Doug Sampson
- Dennis Wilcock
Studio albums
- Iron Maiden
- Killers
- The Number of the Beast
- Piece of Mind
- Powerslave
- Somewhere in Time
- Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
- No Prayer for the Dying
- Fear of the Dark
- The X Factor
- Virtual XI
- Brave New World
- Dance of Death
- A Matter of Life and Death
- The Final Frontier (2010)
Live albums
- Live After Death
- Maiden England
- A Real Live One
- A Real Dead One
- A Real Live Dead One
- Live at Donington
- Rock in Rio
- The BBC Archives
- Beast over Hammersmith
- Death on the Road
- Flight 666
EPs
- The Soundhouse Tapes
- Live!! +one
- Maiden Japan
- No More Lies
Compilations
- Best of the Beast
- Ed Hunter
- Edward the Great
- Best of the 'B' Sides
- The Essential Iron Maiden
- Somewhere Back in Time
Box sets
- The First Ten Years
- Eddie's Head
- Eddie's Archive
Videos
- Live at the Rainbow
- Video Pieces
- Behind the Iron Curtain
- Live After Death
- 12 Wasted Years
- Maiden England
- The First Ten Years
- From There to Eternity
- Donington Live 1992
- Raising Hell · Rock in Rio
- Visions of the Beast
- The Early Days · Death on the Road
- Flight 666
Singles
"Running Free" · "Sanctuary" · "Women in Uniform" · "Twilight Zone" · "Purgatory" · "Run to the Hills" · "Number of the Beast" · "Flight of Icarus" · "The Trooper" · "2 Minutes to Midnight" · "Aces High" · "Wasted Years" · "Stranger in a Strange Land" · "Can I Play with Madness" · "The Evil That Men Do" · "The Clairvoyant" · "Infinite Dreams (live)" · "Holy Smoke" · "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter" · "Be Quick or Be Dead" · "From Here to Eternity" · "Wasting Love" · "Fear of the Dark (live)" · "Hallowed Be Thy Name (live)" · "Man on the Edge" · "Lord of the Flies" · "Virus" · "The Angel and the Gambler" · "Futureal" · "The Wicker Man" · "Out of the Silent Planet" · "Wildest Dreams" · "Rainmaker" · "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg" · "Different World"
Tours
"Metal For Muthas Tour and Europe 80" · "Killer World Tour" · "The Beast on the Road" · "World Piece Tour" · "World Slavery Tour" · "Somewhere on Tour" · "7th Tour of a 7th Tour" · "No Prayer on the Road" · "Fear of the Dark Tour" · "Real Live Tour" · "The X Factour" · "Virtual XI World Tour" · "The Ed Hunter Tour" · "Brave New World Tour" · "Give Me Ed... 'Til I'm Dead Tour" / "Dance of Death Tour" · "Eddie Rips Up the World Tour" · "A Matter of Life and Death Tour" · "Somewhere Back in Time World Tour" · "The Final Frontier
World Tour ·
Related articles
Members · Discography · Tours · Songs · Awards · Eddie · Tributes · Urchin · Kevin Shirley · Derek Riggs · Rod Smallwood · Martin Birch · Psycho Motel · Samson · Michael Kenney · The Entire Population of Hackney
