Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson, never one to censor himself, has reportedly taken a couple of potshots at Metallica and Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford.
According to Loudwire, the singer recently chastised Halford for apparently using a teleprompter to help him remember lyrics during live shows. “People pay good money and you can’t even remember the sodding words,” exclaims Dickinson. “The daftest one I ever saw was Breaking the Law.”
Also, back in 2011 Dickinson told Metal Hammer that Iron Maiden were a much better band than Metallica.
“I got into trouble for saying that we’re better than Metallica … and, it’s true!” Dickinson added, “They might be bigger than us and they might sell more tickets than us and they might get more gold-plated middle-class bourgeoisie turning up to their shows but they’re not Maiden. I did say it’s a bit of a wind-up. I thought, if I’m going to turn into an a–hole, I might as well, you know, go for it!”
In a new interview with the Guardian, Dickinson’s comments were brought up to Metallica’s Lars Ulrich, who offered a humble response. “I will never argue with that,” says Ulrich. “I will always support Bruce Dickinson in whatever nonsense he says. That’s part of the fun. So go Iron Maiden! It’s fine.”
additional source: loudwire.com
153 Responses
Bruce was on a roll!
As reported, Dickinson called punk music rubbish and the genre’s musicians wannabe metallers.
“The closest the ‘art establishment’ ever came to embracing metal was punk,” the vocalist told the Guardian. “The reason they embraced punk was because it was rubbish and the reason they embraced rubbish was because they could control it.
“They could say: ‘Oh yeah, we’re punk so we can sneer at everybody. We can’t play our f–king instruments, but that means we can make out that this whole thing is some enormous performance art.’
“Half the kids that were in punk bands were laughing at the art establishment, going: ‘What a f–king bunch of tosspots. Thanks very much, give us the money and we’ll f–k off and stick it up our nose and shag birds.’ But what they’d really love to be doing is being in a heavy metal band surrounded by porn stars,” he concluded.
During the rest of the interview, Bruce was in quite a slamming mood, continuing to rip Glastonbury festival for being snobbish and fellow metal legends Judas Priest for using autocue.
I’m a fan of all three bands but JP has the most impressive catalog–every album from Rocka Rolla to the latest is excellent, although I am still not a big fan of Turbo. I love Maiden, but the last album to blow me away was Brave New World–sorry Bruce. I love Lars response to this, LOL!
did I write this comment without knowing it? Couldn’t agree more!
What he said. ^
I respectfully disagree, in a way. The Black album, but especially Load and Reload are just exceptional. And they sold. A lot. I like JP. They are consistent. With RH with them their gonna produce a solid album. The did with R and Rolla and their last is solid. Metallica has at times issues amazing albums, not solid ones. Maiden’s are below average. And the last two have gotten even worse. I won’t be seeing Maiden again until they have something new that is good, I’m sick of The Trooper, the laughable The Iron Maiden, and those songs so old my grandfather probably heard them. No one plays any harder than Maiden, but some play just as hard. Maiden needs new material. Badly. JP’s last was outstanding, Maiden’s last two are terrible. Death Magnetic was average. Metallica needs to produce something special. But even DM was better than the last 2 Maiden flops. JMHO.
I agree that Bruce should ramp it down a bit. Theres being blunt but he is being brutal. I still think Maiden can do no wrong and Dana, I have to respectfully disagree about Maiden sounding the same. I think the albums since the six man incarnation formed have been some of their best especially matter of life and death. I do think they are way better than Metallica though I thinks Lars response had a lot of class. Metallica lost me after load but they seem to be finding their way back. I love Judas Priest too but think they do sound tired. To last you have to take care of yourself. He may run his mouth but Bruce still delivers powerful vocals which was evident when I caught the Maiden England tour in San Francisco in 2012. Still blew me away!!
A little? Say a Metallica fan is on the fence about Maiden. Dumb Bruce just gave him–maybe thousands–of Metallica fans a reason to blow Maiden off. Fine if Bruce thinks Maiden is THE best band ever. But his narcissism is even slowly turning me off, and I’ve been a Maiden fan forever.
Bruce? Sell some albums. The Final Frontier didn’t sell one million world wide. It only sold 100,000 in the U. K. Brave New World didn’t hit one million. It has been several albums ago since they broke one million. They’ve made their money touring, which is fine. Good for them. But I find it hard to see them as a heavy hitting band when they can’t break a million world wide with a new album. It’s laughable.
Dickinson cannot seem to stop running people down–just keep his mouth shut so we won’t know how arrogant he is. Halford, Metallica, Axl Rose, Ozzy. Who is next? He acts like a child and if isn’t embarrassing his bandmates, they are as ignorant as he is.
Any intelligent band member would want the so-called “middle-class bourgeoisie” buying their albums and going to their concerts. He seems to think that’s a bad thing. Who cares what class a person is in that buys a band’s albums?
Joe, I’ve seen them several times to. Question: Why can’t many bands be great bands instead of just one? Why can’t I like Maiden and AC/DC and Metallica and The Darkness? People want “their” band to be better thus other bands are crap. That’s simply not reality.
And Bruce? Book of Souls is one of the worst albums in Maiden’s career. It ain’t selling. The chart rankings mean nothing, sales mean something. Write a good album, or a great one. Then proclaim your greatness.
I saw Maiden England and hated it. God, the same old, worn-out songs. A Matter of Life and Death is a brilliant album. That’s it. Some others are decent. Some are terrible. Be glad, Bruce, you can tour for your band sure doesn’t sell. So shut up and produce a great album.
BTW, I am a Maiden fan. I’m slowly started to dislike BD. Man, that arrogance turns me off of anyone.
Bruce? Produce a commercially successful album and shut up about other bands.
UFO. Phil Moog, Michael Schenker & Pete way! This is where the conversation should start & end! Those three other bands your talking about couldn’t even hold a candle to Moogs voice, Schenkers guitar & Ways bass. Your wasting my time.
Goodbye
lol – You’re severely outnumbered.
Bruce shouldn’t be criticising of all people Rob Halford…..IMO he is wrong there. But he maybe have a legit point with Metallica. Seen both bands several several times….I just thank the good Lord that they are all still around. Joe in The Cuse