Despite theirs plans to take a 2027 hiatus following their current world tour, Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith insists they will return.
In an interview with the Billboard, the iconic rocker said:
“I can’t see that [retirement] happening. We all love doing it. (Bassist and founder) Steve Harris, he’s 70 now, and the guy can go and play (soccer) in the afternoon, 90 minutes, a proper game, then go on stage and play tours of a Maiden set — then get up and basically do the same thing the next day. That’s the kind of spirit that drives all of us, so…I’m sure we’ll be back to it before too long.”
Addressing the challenging period he faced during his time away from the band between 1990 to 1999, Harris discussed his emotional state when watching it back in the new documentary Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition, adding:
“Bruce [Dickinson – the band’s frontman] is talking about that (in the film) and how he felt, and that was quite nice to see that he kind of cared a bit, and that I was kind of missed, I suppose. I think it needed to happen at the time. It was the right thing to do. I wasn’t happy. I didn’t jump up and down and stamp my feet and storm off; it just kind happened over a period of time. It was difficult.” “When I came back to the band I had a different perspective. I could see it for what it was and appreciate it a lot more and be part of it. And I haven’t looked back since.”
Performing their classics, the setlist for the current tour is drawn from Maiden’s first nine albums.
“It’s great playing that set. It’s songs from way back, and they still sound great when you give them an airing. They still sound fresh and powerful. We try something different every time, a different kind of theme, to keep it fresh rather than just playing the same old thing, and it’s great fun. The fans are loving it. And for me…I mean, it changed my life, joining Iron Maiden (in 1980) and then we went on to record Killers. So playing those songs just takes me back in time, temporarily,” concluded Adrian.
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Author: Saul Goode
Photo: dr_zoidberg