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
Rob wouldn’t need a prompter to sing Maiden songs, all you have to do is sing the fucking chorus about 40 times in a row.
I mean no disrespect to Maiden and Steve Harris, but practically EVERY song has the same exact bass line. I always know when it’s them without even having to hear the singer.
Dana from ET.com 🙂
True…love them, but true…
Absolutely Dana, Harris has uses the same progressions: they are very easy to spot. But now Priest is doing it too! Your post just illuminates the high standards Priest, at one time, adhered to. Hence, my speaking out. But again, very astute metal theory on your part.
Any professional singer, should, flat out, never have to rely on a teleprompter. If they have to because of their declining mental ability, or, more to the point, because they don’t give a shit, they should stop. They don’t, because the people hold on to this idea of their heroes and let it slide. It’s outrageous, and forums like these are crucial…freaking wake up, and vote with you money on who is the most deserving. Bruce doesn’t use one, and those lyrics are ridiculous.
Shannon,
I could be wrong because I don’t know Mr. Halford personally, although I have been fortunate enough to have met him on several occasions, I just don’t think he is the type to use it out of laziness.
D 🙂
Dana, if the ‘metal god’ needs a teleprompter, something is wrong. You could wake me out of a deep sleep and I could recite virtually any Priest lyric. There is no excuse. Who came first, this is a red herring, it is not what the matter at hand is about. Rob can’t sing his older material. For example, he sings the intro to “Blood Red Skies” in this low register the whole time! That is like playing the chords to a song different than what the song calls for, it is not the same song. He paces around the stage like he’s on auto-pilot, like he just doesn’t give a shit. I have seen him many times in the past, so I have a gauge to judge this by. So, he should adjust, sing material that is still in his range (when he does this, he still has so much nuance and soul, he outclasses most singers), or stop. That’s all I’m saying, he needs to re-evaluate where his strengths are and stop listening to these people that just flat out lie to him and tell him he’s the ‘metal god’ and he can do no wrong.
Fair enough, but, I will still take him over many young artists today.
D 🙂
That’s true. There is no one that has emerged that is even in his league. I am so lucky to come up when these performers were in their prime. I remember when Maiden opened for Priest in ’82; I was friends with a girl who was traveling with Priest, Angel is her name, and she told me they HATED each other.
Priest, Maiden and Metallica: three of the last few great giants of metal. Bruce has always been arrogant and that’s part of what makes me a fan. But there wouldn’t be an Iron Maiden if there had never been a Judas Priest. Everyone knows that. Sure, I’d rather singers not use teleprompters, especially if they never did in the past, because it gives the appearance that they are un-rehearsed. But we don’t know the full reason why Rob uses one and Bruce probably doesn’t either. But that is irrelevant. Rob and Priest still deliver the goods and so does Metallica and Maiden. I love Lar’s response. And Rob’s such a great guy, I’m sure he’ll take the high road to and just realize, as most of us do, that this is just Bruce being Bruce.
Excellent post James!
Dana from ET.com 🙂
Bruce doesn’t have half the class Rob has. Running his mouth, stirring the shit, and who the hell is he to chastise anybody? Less talking, more rocking, life’s too short for mudslinging bullshit! All these bands are still good at what they do, NO MATTER HOW THEY DO IT!
No more drama, we’re getting too old for this shit! Music talks, bullshit walks, so shut up & ROCK!
Both bands mean so much to me musically ,hate to see trivial crap like this
Between these two they are both relivent in metal in my mind no bands are better than others it’s rock and roll, not as the world turns