IRON MAIDEN Singer: 'Reality TV Leaves Me Completely Cold'

Darryl Sterdan of the QMI Agency recently conducted an interview with vocalist Bruce Dickinson of British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Q: What does it mean to put out a 15th album? It can't give you the same thrill as the first one.

Dickinson: Well, it's not really a numbers game. Not for us, anyway. Every album you put out is important because it could be the last one — especially when you get up to 15. I'd like to think this album would be a great starting point for our next album, or an equally great finishing point if we decide never to make another one. Not that we think of it as our last album. But never say never at this point.

Q: This record has some of your longest and most complex songs. Is that about challenging yourselves? You, in particular, seem like a man who not only likes challenges, but needs them.

Dickinson: Yeah. Without them, I'd get bored very quickly. But I think you have to find what challenges are appropriate. It's like the Clint Eastwood thing: A man's got to know his limitations. Once you know your limitations, then you can exceed them.

Q: Speaking of bringing people in, you literally fly planeloads of fans to and from shows as part of a VIP package. What happens on those flights?

Dickinson: We try and make it special. The flights are all Fight 666 — that's on the boarding passes and everything. And we make up goodie bags — you get a hat and Bruce Air sunglasses and flags and all kinds of good things. And the only way you can get this stuff is if you're on the flight. You can't go and buy it on a website. And I dish out signed photographs as well, and I chat to everybody. I come back and take pictures, I hang out with the cabin crew and sign stuff.

Q: "American Idol" needs a new acerbic Brit judge. Interested?

Dickinson: Absolutely not. You couldn't pay me enough to go on that show. I find it a bit sad that people enjoy it. There's another show called "Britain's Got Talent" which is clearly just an exercise in laughing at people's inability. It's sad. Reality TV leaves me completely cold. I couldn't tell you who won any of those shows. I've never watched them for longer than 30 seconds, which is sufficient to go, "I can't believe people sit and watch this shit."

Read the entire interview from the QMI Agency.