from the LP Iron Maiden, EMI Records, 1980Although they went on to become superstars of the heavy metal universe, it will always be these early days of Iron Maiden’s career that bring me the most enjoyment, the rough mashup of prog rock leanings and solid metal chops with a punk attitude still sounds fresh today; seriously, I know I’m in the minority opinion here (based on their record sales anyways), but the addition of vocalist Bruce Dickinson ruined Maiden for me: “Run to the Hills” anyone? I’ll never forget the measurable letdown I felt upon listening to The Number of the Beast for the first time, expecting to hear the scariest music ever made, and instead getting “Run to the Hills”…Run to the fucking hills?? Are you kidding me?!? Anyways, back when this debut album was released they still had Paul Di’Anno singing for them, and their sound was a lot less polished; based on this track, which actually dates back to 1978 when they recorded their first demo, it’s no wonder punk rockers were allowed to dig these guys!
