Albums that changed my life! Iron Maiden: The Best of the Beast!

At a time in my life when my friends and I had formed a band and the time had come to play a gig, we had to audition for a slot at a musical gathering held at XLRI (Tata Auditorium). All those who are from Jamshedpur must surely be knowing about this place but for the uninitiated, these are the specs. It's a 1400 seat indoor auditorium and pretty much the best place to play in Jamshedpur. Anyway, we were playing Bon Jovi and Eagles at the time and just learning what distortion meant and the various possibilities that presented itself with overdriven sound. We were told that the person who would listen to us play was a major fan of all things metal and we should play something a bit heavier to further our chances of getting the gig. So my bandmate told me about Iron Maiden (Yes I needed the telling) and how they are an amazing heavy metal band and he had a couple of their albums and wanted me to listen and try to pick up some of the songs.

Enter "The Best of the Beast". The first thing about the album is that you don't even have to turn it on to be drawn in. The artwork on the sleeve of the album is just fascinating. I was told that the zombie with the evil grin had a name, "EDDIE" and that there were different versions of "EDDIE" for every song and that this particular album sleeve had the Eddies of all the songs in it. It was as metal as could be and the forerunner of so much that defines the genre in terms of visual imagery. Obviously the fact that my friends were positively gaga about the band drew me in, their endless discussions on who the better guitarist was. Most of my friends leaned towards Janick Gers because of his amazing show antics. I however chose Adrian Smith for his amazing riffing and tightly constructed solos as opposed to the blues flash of Dave Murray or the undefinable of Gers.

This much without even turning on the CD. To the first song then, and the concept of riffing would never be the same. "The Number of the Beast", with the intro of words that did send a chill up my spine and that riff. There is little wonder as to why Maiden fill arenas like it were nothing more than a drink at the bar. The scream of Bruce Dickinson filled my ears as I was taken to the sacrificial pit of metal, yet another lamb slaughtered. No points for guessing which song I am listening to. \m/

Another key aspect of all Maiden songs are of course the solos. I don't think that enough can ever be said about the twin axe ( now triple axe) attack that Maiden unleash on their audience. The sheer melody brought across by the different guitar players are an aural treat. It helps that they have different personalities and look for different things in their music so their solos are instantly recognizable in terms of tone and note choice. Go listen to the song in audio or watch them live. It's different to what your mom told you about the good things in life.

"Can I Play with Madness" up next and the song title drew me in and the unusual cowbell playing almost through the song doesn't take anything away from the lyrics and the progressive feeling of the track. Despite being metal guitarists, all guitarists and Steve Harris on bass use Fender guitars and basses. Steve Harris has been playing the same bass for the last 25 years or so.. Some Fender that is. The only guitarist who does change it a bit is Adrian Smith who plays the occasional Les Paul or SG and now plays Jackson strats. No Ibanez metal chugging here I'm very happy to say, since I am a strat player myself.

"Fear of the Dark". I don't think I need to say anything more. If you haven't heard the song yet then you are reading the wrong article. Put your life on hold. Take out 8 minutes and change yourself forever.

"Run to the Hills", the staple song at the end of the set which sees Maiden sending the heathens back to the holes they crawled out of to watch the beast. One of the standout features of Maiden's music is in fact the lyrics. Simple and effective, they put the point across despite the many interpretations. Very rarely would you able to interpret their lyrics as pro-religious or pro-anything for that matter. Perfect for all teenagers coming to grips with the various issues that surround them.

"Bring you Daughter to the Slaughter" is the only UK #1 that Maiden have enjoyed till date. It also enjoys the dubious distinction of being the only track to be #1 one week and out of the top 100 the next. The lyrics are positively evil and suggestive of all things that good innocent girls might want to stay out of, or have guys stay out of!!

Well pretty much all the Maiden anthems make it to this CD but the notable ones of course are, "The Trooper", "Hallowed be thy Name", "Wasted Years", "Aces High" and "2 Minutes to Midnight". Concert necessities, these songs have changed the way of life for 3 generations and shall continue to do so for some time. The "NEW WAVE OF BRITISH HEAVY METAL" could not have a better pioneer and frontman than Maiden and Bruce Dickinson, singer/Olympic fencer/pilot/god knows what else. A true legend who can single-handedly bring together crowds at a gig, no matter what the size of the arena. The typical Maiden "Gallop" is on display with songs like "The Trooper" and "Evil that Men Do".

This album led me to be a lifelong fan of the band. It also led me to be a better guitar player. I remember the nights spent trying to understand what was being played in the "Hallowed be Thy Name" solo before I accidentally stumbled upon the technique of legato. They are one of the true powerhouses of metal with a rigorous touring schedule that defies their advancing years. They are revered in the metal world and are alongside the likes of Judas Priest and Black Sabbath for the respect they garner everywhere they set foot.

UP THE IRONS!!!