Early Days DVD Review in Sweden Rock Magazine
Featured in the latest edition of the Sweden Rock Magazine:Iron Maiden - The Early Days
By Martin Forssman
Rating: 9/10
”It would be easy to see this release as yet another proof of Iron Maiden’s and Sanctuary’s unfamous hunger for profit. Nothing but old material and some of it has been seen before. But these Britts are not just good at making money, they almost every time delivers good value for the money. This is no exception
”The early days” is the first part of a series of DVD’s where concert films are mixed with both classic and more obscure live videos. The first of the two discs begins with ”Live at the Rainbow”, one of the first long concert documentation ever been release on VHS, recorded Dec 1980. These 35 min are probably the closest, for us that had barley begun to learn how to walk, get to experience a young Maiden at its best with Paul Di’Anno on vocals. There is an even more early video of a gig at the Ruskin Arm as an bonus on the DVD, but the ”Live at the Rainbow” recording is superior as its almost perfect in both sound and visually.”
” The slightly primitive framework makes an sharp contrast to the Iron Maiden we know from ’Live After Death’ (which will be included in the next part of the series) and similar recordings. Funny note: three tracks from the then not yet released record ”Killers” are included – among them the title track Killers with different lyrics than the released version.”
”Live At Hammersmith”, of which 45 minutes is recorded on this DVD, was recorded in Feb 1982, about a before the album ”The Number of the Beast” reached the record stores shelf’s. The single ”Run to the Hills” was out a couple of days before the concert, but the audience here hear for the first times ”Children of the Damned, ”22 Acacia Avenue”, ”Hallowed be thy Name” and the title track.
“It remains a mystery how a large part of the fans and media representatives at that time could loath the new vocalist Bruce Dickinson after having witnessed this recording.”
“Di’Anno may have been charming in a way, but when compared neck by neck its obvious that Dickinson is superior in every aspect. Unfortunately the pictures is too dark, which is a pity since everything else is absolute world (top) class. Also fun to see the sadly forgotten gem ”Total Eclipse”.
”The second DVD contain at a larger part of a newly produced documentary about the early days of the band career. Unnecessary one could think – the same line of evens was documented at the 1986 ”12 Wasted Years”. ….
However, the new production is much more professional and thoroughly worked out. No less than 39 persons are interviewed, from early members like Sampson, Burr, Stratton, Dave Sulivan, Di’Anno and Ron Matthews to journalist, managers, record company representatives and technicians.”
“The TV recording of “Live at Rock & Pop Festival” from Dortmund 1983. The sound is somewhat blurry and that makes this as fillers compared to the rest of the material, although that the band is doing a better-than-usual performance and that there is the historical importance in “the killing of Eddie”.
“In one and a half hour the story of Iron Maiden is told by the persons that was a part of it, from the start when Steve Harris decided to start play bass, via industrious “pub-giging” and struggling during the end of the 70-ies to the Dortmund concert before millions of TV-veiwers in 1983.”
“And even though a large part of it has been seen before it is very interesting, much thanks to that we are given some of Steve Harris diary notes and pictures from the band members private photo album. But If you want to get full info of the Iron Maiden history one should read the bio in book form instead, because it contains much more details than what this media allows.”
As extras on disc no 2, there is yet another documentary; the 25 minutes long “20th Century Box – Heavy Metal” plus the bands both “top of the pops”-performances (“Running Free” and “Women in Uniform”), and all promovideos produced during that time, yet another German TV-performance, a discography, a list over the tourdates and an extensive photogallery.”
”Is there anybody who is not convinced that this is an absolute must-have?”
(Many thanks to Cpt Hook of the Maiden BB)
2 Comments
The review was updated to be complete, since it was partial
DVD – Iron Maiden ”The Early Days” review by Sweden Rock Magazine’s Martin Forssman
Rating 9/10
”It would be easy to see this release as yet another proof of Iron Maiden’s and Sanctuary’s unfamous hunger for profit. Nothing but old material and some of it has been seen before. But these Britts are not just good at making money, they almost every time delivers good value for the money. This is no exception.”
”The early days” is the first part of a series of DVD’s where concert films are mixed with both classic and more obscure live videos. The first of the two discs begins with ”Live at the Rainbow”, one of the first long concert documentation ever been release on VHS, recorded Dec 1980. These 35 min are probably the closest, for us that had barley begun to learn how to walk, get to experience a young Maiden at its best with Paul Di’Anno on vocals. There is an even more early video of a gig at the Ruskin Arm as an bonus on the DVD, but the ”Live at the Rainbow” recording is superior as its almost perfect in both sound and visually.”
” The slightly primitive framework makes an sharp contrast to the Iron Maiden we know from ’Live After Death’ (which will be included in the next part of the series) and similar recordings. Funny note: three tracks from the then not yet released record ”Killers” are included – among them the title track Killers with different lyrics than the released version.”
”Live At Hammersmith”, of which 45 minutes is recorded on this DVD, was recorded in Feb 1982, about a before the album ”The Number of the Beast” reached the record stores shelf’s. The single ”Run to the Hills” was out a couple of days before the concert, but the audience here hear for the first times ”Children of the Damned, ”22 Acacia Avenue”, ”Hallowed be thy Name” and the title track.
“It remains a mystery how a large part of the fans and media representatives at that time could loath the new vocalist Bruce Dickinson after having witnessed this recording.”
“Di’Anno may have been charming in a way, but when compared neck by neck its obvious that Dickinson is superior in every aspect. Unfortunately the pictures is too dark, which is a pity since everything else is absolute world (top) class. Also fun to see the sadly forgotten gem ”Total Eclipse”.
”The second DVD contain at a larger part of a newly produced documentary about the early days of the band career. Unnecessary one could think – the same line of evens was documented at the 1986 ”12 Wasted Years”.
“However, the new production is much more professional and thoroughly worked out. No less than 39 persons are interviewed, from early members like Sampson, Burr, Stratton, Dave Sulivan, Di’Anno and Ron Matthews to journalist, managers, record company representatives and technicians.”
“The TV recording of “Live at Rock & Pop Festival” from Dortmund 1983. The sound is somewhat blurry and that makes this as fillers compared to the rest of the material, although that the band is doing a better-than-usual performance and that there is the historical importance in “the killing of Eddie”.
“In one and a half hour the story of Iron Maiden is told by the persons that was a part of it, from the start when Steve Harris decided to start play bass, via industrious “pub-giging” and struggling during the end of the 70-ies to the Dortmund concert before millions of TV-veiwers in 1983.”
“And even though a large part of it has been seen before it is very interesting, much thanks to that we are given some of Steve Harris diary notes and pictures from the band members private photo album. But If you want to get full info of the Iron Maiden history one should read the bio in book form instead, because it contains much more details than what this media allows.”
As extras on disc no 2, there is yet another documentary; the 25 minutes long “20th Century Box – Heavy Metal” plus the bands both “top of the pops”-performances (“Running Free” and “Women in Uniform”), and all promovideos produced during that time, yet another German TV-performance, a discography, a list over the tourdates and an extensive photogallery.”
”Is there anybody who is not convinced that this is an absolute must-have?”
Thanks Bravewords
Cheers