Written by Phil Ashdown
On 14th April 1980 Iron maiden released their highly anticipated eponymous debut album. Buoyed by the success of the Running Free single reaching No 34 on the UK charts and a performance on BBC’s Top Of The Pops, for which the band refused to mime, insisting on playing live they were finally ready to let the record buying public hear what all the fuss was about.
Maiden had toured solidly throughout the UK on the Metal For Muthas tour and had built up a solid reputation as an excellent live band. They were even offered a support slot on Judas Priest’s British Steel tour (Priest’s British Steel LP was released on the same day) and some claimed that Priest had to considerably raise their game having to follow Maiden onto the stage.
The album contained eight tracks, picked from songs mainly written by Steve Harris that had been honed to perfection by the band on the road. It is produced by Wil Malone whom the band have since claimed lacked interest, effectively leaving the young band to produce it themselves. Steve Harris claims it took only thirteen days to complete at Kingsway Studios in West London during January, with the band taking time out from touring to complete the mixing process at Morgan Studios in West London in February. Earlier efforts in December 1979 with Guy Edwards and The Sweet’s Andy Scott both ended in failure, particularly when Scott insisted on Harris playing the bass with a pick instead of his natural way of using his fingers!
Despite the band’s criticism of the overall sound and production it was met with critical and commercial success, reaching No4 on the UK album charts. Geoff Barton, reviewing the album in Sounds said, “Heavy metal for the ’80s, its blinding speed and rampant ferocity making most plastic heavy rock tracks from the ’60s and ’70s sound sloth-like and funeral-dirgey by comparison.”
This was to be the only studio album with guitarist Dennis Stratton who was dismissed after a European tour supporting Kiss. The reason was given as “musical differences” due to alleged claims that Sratton added harmony guitars and backing vocals to the track Phantom Of The Opera which were promptly removed by the band.
They were soon back on the road on the Iron Maiden Tour which included their first headline dates in mainland Europe. They were shocked to find how popular the band were in places like Leiden in Holland with fans getting the message by word-of-mouth in these pre-internet days.
Another single, Sanctuary, was released on 23 May. It featured a recording made during the album sessions and was never intended to be included on the LP. The B-side included two live recordings from London’s famous Marquee, Drifter – which would be included on the next album and a cover of Montrose’s I’ve Got The Fire. It entered the UK charts at No33 before peaking at No29 a week later. The cover artwork caused controversy as it showed band mascot Eddie, wielding a bloodied knife, standing over the body of then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. At the suggestion of band manager Rod Smallwood EMI released two versions of the single, one with Thatcher’s face censored as a way to gain more press coverage. This proved successful with the Daily Mirror running a story about the single and publishing the uncensored artwork.
Tracks on the album include the 7-minute “Phantom of the Opera” which is one of Harris’s favourites and is still performed live relatively frequently. With lots of mood and time-changes, Harris marks it as “the first song I’d written that was a bit more proggy” “Transylvania” is an instrumental piece composed by Harris, Iron Maiden is the only song played at every Maiden show and normally involves a giant Eddie rising from behind the drumkit. Charlotte The Harlot is written by guitarist Dave Murray and on Running Free and Remember Tomorrow, Harris collaborated with singer Paul Di’Anno.
Of all the album’s songs, “Phantom of the Opera”, “Running Free”, “Sanctuary” and “Iron Maiden” are the most frequently played in the band’s concert tours. All of the album’s songs, excluding “Strange World”, have been recorded with Bruce Dickinson on vocals, either on live albums, studio B-Sides or both
- Prowler
- Remember Tomorrow
- Running Free
- Phantom Of The Opera
- Transylvania
- Strange World
- Charlotte The Harlot
- Iron Maiden
On release the album received immediate critical acclaim, with Geoff Barton, reviewing the album in Sounds, writing, “Heavy metal for the ’80s, its blinding speed and rampant ferocity making most plastic heavy rock tracks from the ’60s and ’70s sound sloth-like and funeral-dirgey by comparison.”
To promote the second part of the Iron Maiden Tour the band entered the studio to record a cover of Australian band Skyhooks’ Women In Uniform. Steve Harris was not keen on the idea of doing a cover but when producer Tony Platt got involved, as he had worked with AC/DC Harris agreed. The idea had been suggested by the band’s publishers, Zomba and it turned out that Platt and guitarist Dennis Stratton had been tampering with the song’s mix and had been told by Zomba to get a hit single. Harris sacked Platt and mixed the song himself. The single was released on 27 October and peaked at No35 in the UK charts. They also shot a video that was filmed at London’s Rainbow theatre and directed by Doug Smith.
Again, the artwork was created by Derek Riggs and featured Eddie arm-in-arm with two young women (in uniform) with Margaret Thatcher waiting round a corner with a sub machine gun. Again it was intended as a tongue-in-cheek joke but even prompted a demonstration at Maiden’s show at Leeds University on 22 November.
ALBUM TRACKLISTING
- Prowler
- Remember Tomorrow
- Running Free
- Phantom Of The Opera
- Transylvania
- Strange World
- Charlotte The Harlot
- Iron Maiden
ALBUM LINE-UP
Steve Harris – Bass
Paul Di’Anno – Vocals
Dave Murray – Guitar
Dennis Stratton – Guitar
Clive Burr – Drums
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- Iron Maiden - Run To The Hills - UK - 12" picture disc - £50.00, $65.00, €59.50 (New Item) (arrived 12-Mar-2025 17:00)on March 15, 2025 at 1:13 am
IRON MAIDEN Run To The Hills (1985 UK limited edition 3-track 12" Picture Disc single, featuring the title track recorded live at the Long Beach Arena in March 1985 & Phantom Of The Opera & Losfer Words from Hammersmith Odeon in October 1984,clear PVC sleeve. With a superb Phantom Of The Opera 'Eddie' picture on the A-side with Prince Charming 'Eddie' on the reverse 12EMIP5542)
- Iron Maiden - Holy Smoke + Insert - VG - UK - 12" picture disc - £20.00, $26.00, €23.80 (New Item) (arrived 12-Mar-2025 14:55)on March 15, 2025 at 1:13 am
IRON MAIDEN Holy Smoke (1990 UK limited edition 3-track 12" Picture Disc single, also including the covers of All In Your Mind by Stray and Kill Me Ce Soir by key Maiden influence Golden Earring. The disc features a superb image of Eddie standing on a pile of burning television sets, complete with back picture insert. The insert shows a litte creasing and the PVC sleeve has some splitting at the bottom. The disc shows just a couple of superficial scuffs 12EMPD153)
- Iron Maiden - From Here To Eternity + plinth - UK - shaped picture disc - £50.00, $65.00, €59.50 (New Item) (arrived 26-Feb-2025 17:00)on March 15, 2025 at 1:13 am
IRON MAIDEN From Here To Eternity (1992 UK limited edition shaped 7" Picture Disc single, also including I Can't See My Feeling, clear PVC sleeve complete with back picture insert with Monsters Of Rock 92 flash advert & self-assembly card display plinth EMPD240)
- Iron Maiden - The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg - EX - UK - 10" vinyl - £25.00, $32.50, €29.75 (New Item) (arrived 27-Feb-2025 14:19)on March 15, 2025 at 1:13 am
IRON MAIDEN The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg (2006 UK limited edition 3-track 10" single pressed on Clear Vinyl, including live versions of The Trooper and Run To The Hills recorded live in 2005 for the Radio 1 Legends session. Comesin a hype stickered picture sleeve featuring Eddie standing at the grave of Benjamin Breeg with a pickaxe in his hands. The sleeve displays some corner creasing, whilst the vinyl shows light signs of play, overall an Excellent example 10EM703)
- Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £25.00, $32.50, €29.75 (Back In Stock) (arrived 28-Feb-2025 12:01)on March 15, 2025 at 1:13 am
IRON MAIDEN The Number Of The Beast (1987 UK Fame issue 8-track LP, the third album by the legendary NWOBHM band originally released in 1982, including Children Of The Damned, The Number Of The Beast, Run To The Hills & Hallowed Be Thy Name, housed in a sleeve which still features the incorrectly printed colours of the original issue [the sky has a blue tint & should have been grey]. The sleeve displays a little edge wear with a the start of a small seam split to the top, whilst the vinyl shows only a few light surface marks which have no real impact on play, overall remains Excellent FA3178)
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