IRON MAIDEN Singer: 'If Any Of Us Sat Still For More Than A Month, We'd Go Insane'

The Times of India conducted an interview with IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson ahead of the band's February 1 concert in Mumbai. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

The Times of India: IRON MAIDEN has successfully lasted more than three decades. What has kept you'll going all these years?

Bruce: I think it really boils down to the fact that we all simply love what we do. Now, however, we've slowed down, so we get to spend time with our families and occasionally try out other projects in between too. Yes, there's always a little bit of pressure to make sure you deliver what's expected of you from fans, yet we can't wait to get going when we get back together. I think if any of us sat still for more than a month, we'd go insane. It's in our blood.

The Times of India: 1975-2008, how has the band evolved over the years?

Bruce: We have all evolved differently as individual musicians and artistes, but the formula which makes up the band's sound is still intact, so it still has "our" sound.

The Times of India: IRON MAIDEN live shows are characterised by energy, vibrancy and volume. What is MAIDEN's secret to energetic concerts?

Bruce: Well, it's actually a delicate balance as it essentially has to be about the music and not just a bunch of fireworks and lights. Yes, we do put on a spectacle; I suppose it comes from the old theatre mentality of sending an audience home happy and kind of awestruck by what they've seen.

One thing I can't stand is seeing artists playing high-energy music and just staring at their shoes. It makes no sense to me. But we are always sure not to go too far and let the show be overbearing on us; we never let the crowd's attention be turned away from the band for too long. The show should never be bigger than the artist performing it, it detracts from the music experience. I don't want to be performing to an audience that is looking at a TV screen or some fireworks going off.

The Times of India: How do you'll overcome creative conflicts when composing songs?

Bruce: We don't have too many conflicts. Even the guitarists work out most of the parts between themselves and there's no ego between them. The writing process is a fairly democratic one too, where as we all get together a few weeks before we go into the studio to record a new album. We listen to each other's ideas and then piece together all the parts to come up with an album.

The Times of India: This is your second visit to India. What is it that fascinates you'll about India?

Bruce: India is a massive place so without committing to a huge tour of the country — which we simply can't do — we wanted to get back as soon as we could.

It's simple, if we play in a country which loves our music, we will keep coming back. India is a vibrant and lively place, and although it's a bit of a shock to the system when you enter a completely different culture, I found the place very friendly and the people very respectful.

Read more at The Times of India.