OFF: Re: Dio, Maiden, etc.

[Carl Edlund Anderson]

On 09 Sep 2008, at 15:22 , gary shindler wrote:
> Haven't heard Maiden since the reunion album and I missed the Blaze  
> era (like they'll get him back!).
> I think Paul Dianno gets a bum rap. The albums he sang on were  
> good. I doubt Dickinson could sing "Purgatory" as well.

The Di'Anno stuff seems all right to me -- though I can understand  
why they ended up needing to replace him, I can also understand why  
they still (I think) perform songs from that era.

The reunion album was _Brave New World_, I guess; it seems pretty  
good to me, too, as did the follow-up _Dance of Death_.  Still, I  
like _A Matter of Life and Death_ more (I'm not claiming this is  
necessarily a widely held opinion :)) than either of those.  AMoLaD  
has got a few long, proggy (let's say it: indulgent!) yet riff-tastic  
songs that really work for me.  There ya go!


> I remember thinking Judas Priest were a joke when I saw them with  
> Megadeth and Testament. Halford was stalking the stage like he was  
> a member of Run DMC (before he came out and left). I think their  
> bass player hid through the whole show.


Ah, now I never really warmed to Priest, either.  I keep thinking  
that I must be missing something, and need to re-listen to either the  
classic or modern output, but whatever hear never latches on.  Maybe  
someday!  I didn't use to like Maiden or Dio-era Sabbath, either! :)


Speaking of 80s metal and 70s metal and suchlike .... Of late, I have  
quite enjoyed the new Grand Magus _Iron Will_ album.  GM started as a  
very doomy stoner band, and have steadily added what seem to be 80s- 
ish power-metal influences; I wouldn't have predicted that working  
for me, given my history of suspicion of 80s metal -- but it has!   
They were a _good_ stoner-doom band back when they started, but  
largely one of many.  They've kept key elements of that sound, but  
have rocked up the tempos, and the singer has something of a baritone  
Dio-Gillan vibe rather than the usual stoner bawl.  Plus, they're a  
power trio with a Flying V and a Rickenbacker bass, so what's not to  
like? :)

Cheers,
Carl

--
Carl Edlund Anderson
http://www.carlaz.com/