IRON MAIDEN Announce Benefit Gigs For Former Drummer!

IRON MAIDEN will be performing two special benefit gigs at London's Brixton Academy on Wednesday, March 20th and Thursday, March 21st to help ex-drummer and bandmate Clive Burr, who is suffering from multiple sclerosis — a disease of unknown cause. These will be the only shows that the band will play anywhere in the world in 2002. All profits from the two shows will go to the Clive Burr MS Trust Fund, and most of those involved in the shows, including all band members, their management, agency and promoters, are supplying their services for nothing to maximize the fund. All merchandising profits will also be donated to the fund.

IRON MAIDEN have decided to get together from around the world and re-arranged their personal schedules to help Burr. The band were to have taken a creative break following the huge worldwide success of their last album and Brave New World tour until preparation of their next studio album, due for release in 2003. However, they unanimously decided to break their 12-month sabbatical when they heard news of Clive Burr's ill health while filming The Classic Album documentary on The Number Of The Beast, which was recently released on VHS and DVD.

Clive's disorder is causing him intermittent numbness and can affect his balance. Some days are better than others. At present there is no known cure for MS, although he is helping test new drugs in the hope that his body response may contribute to a cure.

Clive joined IRON MAIDEN at the very end of December 1979 and played on the group's first three albums, Iron Maiden, Killers and Number of the Beast, and toured extensively with the band over this groundbreaking period before leaving in early 1983.

"We were gutted to hear of Clive's condition," said founding IRON MAIDEN member Steve Harris in an official statement. "It must be a very scary prospect for him to face. It seemed natural that we should try and help Clive by trying to improve his future quality of life. We are setting up a special trust, The Clive Burr MS Trust Fund, and are keen to help him as much as we possibly can"

Says MAIDEN manager Rod Smallwood of Sanctuary Management, "MAIDEN has always been a family and, even after all these years, we still consider Clive to be part of that family and as such we feel we should help him in any way possible. We are sure the fans will agree and add their support to this."

Tickets for this special fund raising event cost £25.00 and will available to IRON MAIDEN fan club members before going on sale to the public on Friday, January 25th.