stayc main image

Miley Cyrus Sued Over ‘Flowers’: The Fine Line Between Inspiration and Infringement

September 18, 2024

Music creators often walk a delicate line between drawing inspiration from their favorite songs and unintentionally infringing on the work of others. The recent lawsuit filed against Miley Cyrus...

Read more
stayc main image

Breaking the "Second Verse Curse": Tips to Keep Your Songwriting Flowing

September 16, 2024

This is a predicament that many songwriters encounter: You're thrilled with the direction your song is headed, the melody feels great, and you've nailed the first verse and chorus. But then you...

Read more
stayc main image

Improving Vocal Samples After Pitch or Tempo Changes: Tips and Tricks from Music Producers

September 16, 2024

Vocal manipulation, such as pitching up/down or changing tempo, is a common practice in music production, especially in remixes. However, these changes can often lead to unwanted artifacts...

Read more
stayc main image

Overcoming Perfectionism in Songwriting

September 16, 2024

“How can I write songs with perfectionism?”If this sounds like you, you're not alone. Many songwriters, even those who are otherwise confident in their creative abilities, face a similar battle...

Read more
stayc main image

How to Find Your Genre: Narrowing Down Your Sound and Streamlining Your Music Creation Process

September 16, 2024

When you're creating music on your own, it can be tough to define your style, especially with so many genres and influences out there. You might feel like you’re trying to piece together a puzzle...

Read more
stayc main image

Unlocking the Art of Cryptic Lyricism: Strategies to Transform Your Writing

September 16, 2024

Writing lyrics that are metaphorical and cryptic can feel like a daunting task, especially when you hear others do it effortlessly. It’s easy to feel that your lyrics come across as literal or...

Read more
stayc main image

Efficiently Providing Music Lessons for Younger Children: Tips for Teaching Piano, Drums, and Guitar

September 9, 2024

Teaching music to young children is a rewarding but challenging experience, especially if you're used to playing instruments yourself rather than instructing others. Whether it’s drums, piano...

Read more
stayc main image

Finding Your Unique Voice in Music: Lessons from the Greats

September 9, 2024

Every great musician has a distinct voice that defines their sound. Think of Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day, Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses, or Dave Mustaine from Megadeth. Imagine Green Day...

Read more
stayc main image

The Impact of Technology on Modern Music Creation: How to Maximize Tools like DAWs, Sampling, and AI

September 9, 2024

In today’s fast-paced, tech-driven music world, having musical talent is just the beginning. Technology has transformed the way music is produced, offering musicians unprecedented access to...

Read more
stayc main image

The Art of Creating a "Luxurious" Sound in Instrumental Music: Lessons from Legends

September 9, 2024

Many aspiring music creators are captivated by the lavish, grandiose quality of certain beats. Tracks like Kanye West's "Devil in a New Dress" or many of Westside Gunn's productions embody this...

Read more
stayc main image

Should You Start with an EP? A Guide for New Music Creators

September 9, 2024

When it comes to launching your music career, one common question arises: "Should I start with an EP or a single?" This is a crucial decision for any new artist, especially for those who are trying...

Read more
stayc main image

Why Connor Price and Forrest Frank’s ‘Up’ is the Ultimate Feel-Good Anthem

September 9, 2024

Connor Price and Forrest Frank’s track ‘Up’. This song has been everywhere, and for good reason—it’s got everything you need to vibe, feel inspired...

Read more

The Story of Iron Maiden

stayc main image

Photo Source: Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden is one of my favourite heavy metal bands, and is one of my favourite musical groups overall as well. With their theatrical performances, complex musical arrangements and iconic songs, they’re a band that is still very popular almost 50 years after they were first formed. This article will provide a brief summary of the band.

First conceived in London in 1975, the original band members were Steve Harris on the bass guitar (he was also the main songwriter), Dave Sullivan and Terry Rance on the guitar, Ron Matthews on the drums, and Paul Day on vocals. The name “Iron Maiden” was inspired by a neo-medieval torture device with the same name, according to Harris. During the first few years of the band’s existence, there was quite a bit of shuffling around of the band line-up. Paul Day was booted from the group due to his lackluster live performances, Ron Matthews was replaced with Barry Purkis, who was then replaced by Clive Burr, and a number of guitar players came and went. 

By the time the band released their debut album in 1980 (self titled), the members were Harris (still on bass), Dave Murray, Dennis Stratton on guitar, Clive Burr on the drums, and Paul Di’Anno on vocals. Featuring classic songs including “Running Free”, “Phantom of the Opera” and “Transylvania”, the album was quite successful and was number 4 on the UK Albums Chart. Their next album, “Killers”, which was released in 1981, was also very successful and featured hits like “Wrathchild” and “Murders in the Rue Morgue”. However, Paul Di’Anno was fired from the band due to his excessive drug usage after the tour for this album and was replaced by Bruce Dickinson, marking the beginning of a new era for the band. 

The first album with Dickinson (released in 1982), “Number of the Beast”, saw even more success than the last two. With songs like “Children of the Damned”, “Number of the Beast”, and “Run to the Hills”, this album solidified that band’s status as a successful heavy metal band, with the subsequent albums “Piece of Mind” and “Powerslave” furthering this. However, the band experienced some internal conflict in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith temporarily left the band due to creative differences regarding the direction that the band should take.. During this time, Dickinson was replaced by Blaze Bayley and the albums “The X Factor” and “Virtual XI” were produced. 

In 1999,  Dickinson and Smith reunited with the band, marking the return of Iron Maiden’s iconic band member line-up. The albums released after this reunification, which were “Brave New World”, “Dance of Death”, “Final Frontier”, and “the Book of Souls” received very positive feedback and were a testament to the band’s ability to remain creative as the years went by. 

In conclusion, Iron Maiden will go down in history as one of the greatest and most influential heavy metal bands ever. With their amazing live performances, awesome musical story-telling, and overall amazing music, the impact that Iron Maiden has left on the heavy metal community will be felt for years to come.