Management: BLAZE BAYLEY Should Be Back On The Top Again

Metalhead Music Management, the new management company representing BLAZE, the band fronted by former IRON MAIDEN/WOLFSBANE singer Blaze Bayley, has issued the following statement regarding the band's current status and future plans:

"After a lot of wrong information and misunderstanding and rumors from the old lineup over the last couple of days we feel morally obligated to put the naked truth as we see it to all Blaze Bayley fans worldwide.

"In the beginning, we have one easy question, is Blaze Bayley in his rightful place at the top of metal music?

"THE ANSWER IS... NO!!

"Why haven't you the loyal Blaze Bayley fans worldwide not seen, felt or heard from him for many years? Few concerts? Little or no promotion and bad organization! Is this the fault of Blaze Bayley? Certainly not!! We have followed the career of Blaze Bayley from the beginning, not only with IRON MAIDEN but also with WOLFSBANE. We have seen the videos and listened to all the CDs and witnessed live performances from him.

"We have faith in the new Blaze Bayley project and we are certain that all the Blaze Bayley fans have faith too.

"Blaze Bayley should be back on the top again. Of course, every member of the band from the last lineup was offered the chance to be a part of his project. But every member from the old lineup saw things differently to the management.

"Blaze asked Christian [Ammann, bass, member of BLAZE's most recent touring lineup] in November if he is available for the recording of the new BLAZE album in 2007. He said he did not have time and also neither could he commit to possible concerts for 2007. Blaze and his new management were certain that with this attitude, you can't make this kind of project a success. The next knock for Blaze and real disappointment was the announcement from Oliver Palotai [guitar, member of BLAZE's most recent touring lineup].

"Mr. Palotai said words to the effect they should make an album and play some gigs and stay with the original plan they had before the new management.

"Is this fair for all the Blaze fans? Surely not!

"What did this musician mean? Play some village festivals in the summer?

"Also he said that we should cancel the festival in Poland because he does agree with it.

"Now our question!

"Did he play for Blaze or did Blaze play for him?

"Blaze makes music for his fans worldwide, he lives for his fans and for the metal music and just for one band member he does not want to disappoint any fans in any place where they are waiting for him.

"Blaze made contact personally with all the members of the band to inform them about the new project and of course he counted on them being involved.

"The complete ex-lineup informed Blaze Bayley in writing that they are not able or willing to play in his band exclusively for the next five years. But it is very important that everyone is exclusive to the BLAZE project to make it successful. Also they told Blaze that no one will stand behind him because they do not believe in this project. Also the statement from Oliver Palotai said that most of the songs for the new album are written and ready.

"That was definitely wrong.

"The naked truth is that the most important parts of the songs were basically written by Blaze Bayley. Oliver Palotai has protected the rights of these songs in the name of Oliver and Luca without including Blaze Bayley and after the band had split, they offered Blaze the ridiculous opportunity to buy his own songs. FUCK YOU!!!

"In an open letterOliver Palotai criticized the way the new management worked. We as the new management are working to make sure the Blaze Bayley has at least one new release each year, a new DVD every two years, hundreds of live concerts. This seemed to be the criticism of how we the new management work, it made us laugh. We have a full new band lineup. Now we have a band which looks like a metal band, not a school band. We work so that the fans get one of the best metal bands on earth."

BLAZE will debut its brand new lineup at the 21st edition of Metalmania festival — "the biggest metal fest in Central-Eastern Europe" — set to take place on March 24, 2007 at Spodek Hall in Katowice, Poland. According to Blaze, "the set we play probably will be a mix of some of my songs from 'X Factor' and 'Virtual XI' with IRON MAIDEN and a few songs from my own BLAZE albums."

BLAZE's most recent release, "Blood & Belief", was issued in Europe in April 2004. The follow-up to 2002's "Tenth Dimension" was recorded at Backstage Studios in Derbyshire, England with producer Andy Sneap (NEVERMORE, EXODUS, ARCH ENEMY).