The Iron Maiden Timeline
1979
After 3 years playing sporadic pub gigs with various line-ups changing around founder, song writer and bass player Steve Harris, by mid-1979 Iron Maiden are Steve, Paul Di'Anno (vocals), Dave Murray (guitar) and Doug Sampson (drums). Teaming up with Rod Smallwood, who still manages them today, they begin to undertake a widening gig circuit including London's legendary Marquee Club. Following a sold out show there in early October, EMI Records becomes very interested and by November the band have a major worldwide recording contract.
1980
At the beginning of the year Dennis Stratton comes into the band as second guitar and Doug Sampson, who found it difficult handling the ever increasing band schedule, is replaced by Clive Burr. The band embark on their first 'Metal For Muthas' UK headline tour. Their first single 'Running Free' peaks at No. 34 in the UK charts, while their debut self-titled album enters the UK charts at No. 4, following a February UK tour supporting Judas Priest. Maiden then take off on an immensely successful European Tour with Kiss taking them all round the continent for the first time. After the tour, Dennis Stratton is replaced with Adrian Smith.
1981
The album 'Killers' is released, the first of many albums to be produced by Martin Birch. The band headline their first European Tour and make first visits to Japan and North America, touring with Priest and UFO. After the tour Paul Di'Anno leaves the band in September and is replaced by Bruce Dickinson. The band play a few Italian shows and the Rainbow to warm up with Bruce prior to starting to write the new album.
1982
Iron Maiden get their first UK top 10 single, when 'Run To The Hills' goes to No. 7 in the charts. The band undertake their 11 month, 179 date, 16 country 'Beast On The Road' world tour, during which they will play to over one million fans, including Australia for the first time. 'Number Of The Beast' debuts at No. 1 (their first of five No. 1 UK albums) and confounds the British media by staying there. America is further consolidated with very extensive touring supporting Rainbow, 38 Special, Judas Priest, The Scorpions and even stadium shows with Foreigner and Loverboy!
1983
Clive Burr leaves the band and Nicko McBrain joins. 'Piece Of Mind' is released and the accompanying 'World Piece' tour includes their first headline North American Tour. Going successfully straight into 10,000+ seater arenas and including a sold out show at New York's Madison Square Garden, Maiden are able to do this with practically no radio play in America at all which really has never been done before or since.
1984
'Powerslave' is released and kicks off the 11 month, 26 country 'World Slavery' tour, starting in Poland in August. Maiden are the first band ever to take a full arena production behind the Iron Curtain and this tour carries arguably Maiden's most spectacular stage show ever as attested by the later video. Powerslave debuts at No. 2 in the UK charts being kept off No.1 by EMI's very first 'Now....That's What l Call Music' pop compilation. Needless to say the band are not amused by their own label's efforts to keep them off the top!
1985
The tour continues into South America for the first time where they play to an estimated audience of 300,000 fans at the inaugural Rock In Rio as special guests to Queen. The 'Live After Death' album and video, recorded over a record breaking four night run at Long Beach Arena in LA, are released and respectively go to Nos. 2 and 1 in the UK charts.
1986
'Somewhere In Time' is released debuting at No. 3 and the band embark on the 'Somewhere On Tour' World tour. Another truly spectacular stage production is assembled and shipped around the world.
1987
Maiden finish their seven month tour and start work on a new album.
1988
The 'Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son' album goes straight into the UK charts at No. 1 and also gives them their fifth straight USA Platinum album. Four Top 10 singles also come from the album. The seven month, 94 concert 'Seventh Tour Of A Seventh Tour' starts in Moncton, Canada, in May and culminates with four sold out Hammersmith Odeon and two Wembley Arena shows. The band also headline the Donington 'Monsters Of Rock' festival, for the first time, drawing a record breaking crowd of 107,000 with the likes of Kiss, Guns n' Roses and Megadeth in support. They also successfully take the festival into Europe for the first time.
1989
While Maiden are taking a well-earned break from the road, their live video 'Maiden England' hits the No. 1 slot in the UK charts and most other markets across the globe.
1990
Adrian Smith leaves the band and Janick Gers replaces him. The 'No Prayer For The Dying' album is released and goes to No. 2 in the UK charts. The following 'No Prayer On The Road Tour' begins with an extensive 'UK Intercity' tour playing some 21 dates across the UK introducing their fans to Janick.
1991
Maiden celebrate the New Year with their first No.1 single in the UK, 'Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter'. The band complete their seven month 'No Prayer On The Road' world tour.
1992
'Fear Of The Dark' goes straight to No. 1 in the UK album charts on release. Maiden undertake their first full headline South American tour and headline Donington for the second time. After 11 years this is to be the last album produced by Martin Birch who retires to play golf and fish!
1993
Two live albums, produced and mixed by Steve Harris, 'A Real Live One' and 'A Real Dead One', are released, plus the limited edition 'Live At Donington'. Bruce announces he is leaving the band at the end of the 'Real Live Tour' of Europe. He bows out with the 'Raising Hell' pay-per-view TV spectacular, filmed at Pinewood Studios. Blaze Bayley is announced as Bruce's replacement.
1994
Recording of 'The X Factor' album is delayed when Blaze badly injures his leg in a motorcycle accident. 'The X Factor' marks the first studio album that Steve Harris produces at his own Barnyard Studio in Essex.
1995
'The X Factor' is released, and 'The X Factour' opens in Jerusalem with Blaze's debut appearance with the band. The intro to 'Number Of The Beast' sends shivers down collective backs! The tour takes the band to Israel and South Africa for the first time in another extensive eight month World Tour. The band film a video for 'Man On The Edge' for Top Of The Pops on the top of Masada
1996
Maiden appear at European festivals and undertake a tour of South America during which they headline the 'Monsters Of Rock' festival in Sao Paulo to 55,000 fans. 'Best Of The Beast' album is released.
1997
Band commence writing and recording 'Virtual XI' at Barnyard studios with Steve Harris once again taking on the role of album producer.
1998
'Virtual XI' is released, and is launched by a promotional football tour across Europe where the band and selected football professionals play games in front of thousands of fans. This is followed by the 'Virtual World Tour' taking in headline dates in Europe, USA, Japan and finally South America where it is announced shortly after the tour ends that Blaze is to leave the band.
1999
Iron Maiden become a six-piece when Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith rejoin the band. They are reintroduced to the band's fans on the 'Ed Hunter' tour, which coincides with the release of their first computer game of the same name. The tour is a short introduction to the 'new' band with about 28 shows across Europe and North America all of which sell out very quickly. Work begins on the band's new album in Paris enlisting the help of producer, Kevin Shirley. The band find the recording methods Kevin introduces work well and capture the band's energy, marking the beginning of a close working partnership.
2000
Maiden release 'Brave New World' and embark on their 'Metal 2000' festival tour in Europe. The tour continues extensively across the rest of the world in arenas as 'The Brave New World Tour' with UK dates including a first show at Earls Court Arena. Meanwhile the Madison Square Gardens show in New York sells out in hours.
2001
The 'Brave New World' tour ends with a triumphant headline appearance in front of 250,000 fans at Rock In Rio. In May the band are awarded the prestigious Ivor Novello Award in recognition of their achievements on an international level as one of the UK's most successful performing artists.
2002
The band interrupt what was supposed to be a year off for three sold out benefit concerts at Brixton Academy to raise funds for Clive Burr, who sadly is now stricken with multiple sclerosis. Their first DVD, 'Rock In Rio', and CD of the same name is released. 'Rock In Rio' hits No. 1 on DVD charts worldwide, including the USA and UK, and is released on the Sanctuary label outside the USA. The greatest hits album 'Edward the Great' and a special limited edition casket 'Eddie's Archive' are released in November.
2003
Maiden spend the first part of the year recording 'Dance Of Death' in London with producer Kevin Shirley. They warm up for the ensuing tour by playing European summer festivals, including their record equalling third headline appearance at Donington. On this section of the tour alone they play to 700,000 fans in just 28 shows. The tour continues through North America with Dio and Motorhead supporting and includes their fifth sold out Madison Square Garden show. To coincide with the start of the tour their second DVD 'Visions Of The Beast' is released on EMI, debuting at No. 2 in the UK charts and No. 5 in the US.
After a short break the band commence their Death on The Road Tour in November. Playing to sell out arenas all over Europe the band then travel to South America, USA before finishing in Japan in February 2004.
2004
After the completing the Death On The Road Tour the band take some time out while work continues on the first chapter of "The History Of Iron Maiden" DVD Series. The first part entitled "The Early Days" is released in November to critical acclaim and heads the Music DVD charts across Europe on release. The DVD charts the bands early career up to the 1983 with the release of Piece Of Mind. Following DVD's will follow on to reveal the long successful career of the band.
2005
With the success of "The Early Days" Maiden tour during the summer and it's been a remarkable few months. The band have been thrilling audiences by topping the bill at most of this years Major European festivals, broken box office records and raised the bar for bands of all genres. Their own shows have been no exception either. In July they performed to not only a sold out audience of 55,000 screaming Maiden fans in Sweden (a show which took only two hours to sell out!) but for the first time in twenty years the Swedish National TV and Radio broadcast the show live across the whole of it's Scandinavia Network. Something that has not happened since Live Aid in 1985! Maiden stormed the USA crowds with blistering performances on the Ozzfest alongside Black Sabbath. Media reviews have described Maiden's show as "deserving of every accolade". The band returned to the UK to headline the Reading and Leeds Festivals -- the first time the band have headlined Reading since 1982. They rounded out the tour by performing the final show of the tour at the Hammersmith Odeon to raise money for the Clive Burr Trust.
2006
Writing and rehearsals for the bands new album start in January and the band commence recording at Sarm West Studios in London with producer Kevin Shirley in February. Recording of the album proceeds so quickly that the band finish 6 weeks earlier than expected. The band announce headline shows in Europe most of which sell out within hours of going on sale causing more dates to be added in some countries. Maidens album "A Matter of Life and Death" tops Album sales charts around the world and meets critical acclaim from all media. The band tour the USA, Japan and Europe to packed out arenas and receive stunning reviews after they perform the new album in it's entirety. The 2006 leg of the tour reaches a climax with two sold out nights at Earls Court in the bands home, London.
2007
The year starts with a very exciting announcement that owing to the success of the World Tour in 2006 that the band are not only extending the tour but also travelling to new countries they've never visited before. This includes a headline festival appearance in Dubai, UAE and Bangalore in India. Both shows cause national front page news and media coverage and sell out entirely. Fans travel to Dubai from Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and all over the Arab world while in India fans travel in from China, Nepal, Pakistan and all points of India just to be there, some driving more than a 100 hours to get there, with thousands more outside the venue listening to the concert. Plans for the summer continue with the band headlining Download Festival at Donington in the UK for a record 4th time and a series of stadium shows and Festivals across Europe in June.
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