BRUCE DICKINSON: Term 'Rock Star' Is 'Just An Invention Of The Media' And It Means 'Nothing'

In a new interview with French digital-media company Brut., IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson admitted that he is uncomfortable with the "rock star" label that he has been associated with for more than four decades.

"What's a rock star? I mean, what is that?" he asked (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "Actually, it's nothing. It's just an invention of the media and the socials and whatever picture you took and if you're popular. It's actually nothing. If you said 'I'm a storyteller,' that's something.

"I don't go around with bodyguards," Bruce revealed. "I don't drive around in limousines. I take the metro or I walk. I don't own a car. I have a bicycle and I take the metro — in London and in here [in Paris] all the time."

Later in the interview, Dickinson said that MAIDEN's iconic mascot Eddie — the ghoulish figure which has appeared on the band's album sleeves since MAIDEN's inception — is "what has defined us — because you think of IRON MAIDEN, you think of Eddie," he explained. "And although I'm the singer, you don't automatically think of me, you think of Eddie, which is fine. Because it goes back to the earlier question of being the rock star — we have Eddie, so we don't have to be the rock star. We don't have to go and take some overdose and be found lying outside some Paris nightclub and go into rehab and have all these things and go and have like six porn-star girlfriends and all that shit, which is just like nothing to do with music. We've got Eddie. And Eddie is more radical and cool than any of them."

As previously reported, Dickinson will likely land his highest-charting solo album in the U.K. with his latest effort "The Mandrake Project". The singer's first solo effort in 19 years occupied the No. 2 slot at the midweek stage, according to Official Chart Company figures.

"The Mandrake Project" was released on March 1 via BMG. Bruce and his long-term co-writer and producer Roy "Z" Ramirez recorded the LP largely at Los Angeles's Doom Room, with Roy Z doubling up as both guitarist and bassist. The recording lineup for "The Mandrake Project" was rounded out by keyboard maestro Mistheria and drummer Dave Moreno, both of whom also featured on Bruce's previous solo studio album, "Tyranny Of Souls", in 2005.

Last month, Bruce revealed the addition of two new guitarists to his solo touring band. Swedish-born guitarist, songwriter and multi-platinum-credited producer Philip Näslund and Swiss session and touring guitarist Chris Declercq (who incidentally played on Dickinson's current single, "Rain On The Graves") will accompany previously announced members Moreno, Mistheria and Tanya O'Callaghan (bass). Roy Z will not be part of the touring lineup.

The first chance to see the six-piece live will now be at The Observatory in Orange County, California on April 15.

Dickinson made his recording debut with IRON MAIDEN on the "Number Of The Beast" album in 1982. He quit the band in 1993 in order to pursue his solo career and was replaced by Blaze Bayley, who had previously been the lead singer of the metal band WOLFSBANE. After releasing two traditional metal albums with former MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith, Dickinson rejoined the band in 1999 along with Smith.