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SHINEDOWN: Touring With IRON MAIDEN Was A 'Life-Changing' Experience

October 10, 2019

SHINEDOWN frontman Brent Smith and guitarist Zach Myers spoke to Music Choice about the experience for opening for IRON MAIDEN in Europe more than two years ago.

"In 2017, we did 44 dates with IRON MAIDEN," Brent said. "They asked us to come and do it. That was life-changing." "Just to tour at that level… You know, we're not a metal band," Zach added. "They're the most famous metal band of all time. So to go out in front of that crowd — I don't know; they almost gave us a lesson about how to earn it when everybody's not already on your side… It was such an amazing thing that they did in bringing us over there to open for a band that owns that country. We've toured with KISS; we did, like, eight shows with METALLICA in Europe one time, at festivals and stuff. The IRON MAIDEN fans, though, they take their holiday, they take a month off and just travel and go to every show. And they aren't getting in for free — they have to buy a train ticket to every show, they have to buy a [concert] ticket and to find a place to sleep. That's thousands and thousands of dollars to spend on a band.

"We met people in line that were, like, 'We've seen everybody open for this band," Myers continued. "We thought you guys were the classiest and the best opener we've ever seen,' which made us feel great. These people [are] two hundred and something shows in with the band. That is commitment. We've had somebody about a hundred and thirty something shows in, which is insane to me. We have a lot of lifers, which we're very blessed with."

SHINEDOWN is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "Attention Attention", which came out last year. The follow-up to 2015's "Threat To Survival" marked SHINEDOWN's first full-length effort to be produced entirely by bassist Eric Bass. The 14-song release tells the story of a character who starts out defeated and slowly overcomes pain and personal struggles and becomes confident at the end.

SHINEDOWN's "Get Up" single went to No. 1 on the mainstream rock chart in December and crossed over to the alternative and adult contemporary charts.

SHINEDOWN has had 14 top singles in its 18-year run. That's second most in the mainstream rock chart's history, breaking a tie with VAN HALEN.

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