Interview with Blaze Bayley
SwindonAdvertiser has issued the following report from Flicky Harrison:Christmas time, mistletoe and wine, children singing Christian rhymes - not quite the cool yule of a legendary head banger.
But Blaze Bayley, former lead singer with heavy metal giants Iron Maiden, has mellowed slightly over the years.
He said: "I will have a traditional Christmas with my wife Debbie, visiting family, avoiding salt and looking forward to our gigs in the New Year."
He's mellowed slightly indeed, but not that much as he still carries Eddie, his mascot shaped as a monster with him always.
The singer admits to being both superstitious and spiritual.
"I have experienced the curse of Eddie too many times, not to believe," he said. "Eddie is the undead evil. He is psychotic rather than fluffy and he's been around since the dawn of Iron Maiden," said Blaze.
"I believe if you want to be in the world's greatest metal band you will pay, and horrible things happen," he said.
The musician did have a horrendous accident on his Triumph motorcycle, colliding head on with a car, which he blames on Eddie.
"The bike was mangled but the speedometer said 666 and the mileage I had done was 6,666," said Blaze.
"I nearly lost my leg and it took me 18 months before I could walk without a limp. It was the curse of Eddie."
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