by Pietro Sirianni

Created on: March 06, 2009   Last Updated: March 07, 2009

The original masters of Metal, IRON MAIDEN! I wrote that name on my notebook cover many times as a teenager. Such sweet memories of long hair and leather. Even if one was not a huge metal fan there was something appealing about the band. What was it? Was it Bruce Dickenson's vocal acrobatics, Steve Harris' bass lines that were years ahead of their time? The guitar harmonies? The "gallop" style rhythm? EDDIE, the gigantic evil mascot? It was all of those things together. A delightful recipe that culminated in a savory dish of METAL!

I can still remember hearing "The Number of the Beast" for the first time. I was 12 years old. I was spending a week with a friends family at a summer beach home. It was early evening and we were talking to some girls when my friend put in the tape in the "boom-box." Yes in those days we carried around "boom-boxes" that only played audio cassettes or the radio. The introductions dialogue troubled my Catholic School upbringing, but when that music kicked in, it was all over. Forget what the nuns said, something about the music took me over and I was never the same. It was nothing like the songs that were popular then: Blondie's "Call Me", or Micheal Jackson's "Rock with You." Forget that stuff, Iron Maiden was the real deal. We spent the night talking to the girls, listening to Maiden, and smoking cigarettes. What more could a 12 year old want. My hair wouldn't again be touched by scissors for years.

In a time before "Glam" bands made Metal more of a joke than a respected genre Iron Maiden worked their way to the top by means of hard work and great music. The gimmicks and stage show were secondary to the music, they were there to help promote the music. Unfortunately, when "Glam Metal" became popular the roles were reversed and it was the gimmicks and show that came first and the music second. No one can deny the true artistry in songs like "Number of the Beast", or "The Trooper." Epic stories supported by powerful music; blazing guitar harmonies over a driving rhythm section, and gripping vocals that rose and fell effortlessly. Iron Maiden was and is a band loved by fans, serious musicians, and critics alike.

They made us listen, we liked what we heard and they stayed with us from their first album, "Iron Maiden" (released in 1980) until their most recent release, "Somewhere Back in Time" (2008). Their longevity in the fickle world of music speaks volumes, as so few bands have survived the test of time. Iron Maiden survived because their music had integrity and always had something to say. Before "hair-bands" were popular, before grunge, before hip-hop and rap, before "pro-tools" and lip-synced performances, there was Iron Maiden, and they are still here! If you haven't already, go find out why.

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