Solo projects and other bands

Iron Maiden's members have made music together in other settings, led bands of their own and built careers before joining or after leaving. Bruce Dickinson's solo records bring Janick Gers and Adrian Smith into different groups; British Lion pairs Steve Harris with Simon Dawson; Smith/Kotzen gives Smith equal space as a singer and guitarist.

These guides follow the records and the people who made them. They cover lasting projects and selected collaborations, with listening suggestions and links to our interviews. The member profiles and lineup history explain each musician's place in Maiden.

Three places to start

• British Lion — Harris's work with Richard Taylor, David Hawkins, Grahame Leslie and Dawson, from the 2012 record to The Burning and the club tours.
• Bruce Dickinson's solo career — seven original studio albums, from Tattooed Millionaire to The Mandrake Project, with Gers, Roy Z and Smith among his collaborators.
• Smith/Kotzen — Smith and Richie Kotzen share the writing, singing and guitars. Their records include Smith/Kotzen, the Better Days EP and Black Light / White Noise.

Follow a musician

Adrian Smith's other bands trace his singing and songwriting through Urchin, A.S.A.P., Psycho Motel and Primal Rock Rebellion. His work with Dickinson and Kotzen continues in the guides above.

The other bands and collaborations guide connects Samson, White Spirit, Gillan and Trust to the people who later joined Maiden. It also follows Dennis Stratton into Lionheart and Praying Mantis, Doug Sampson into Airforce, and Nicko McBrain into Titanium Tart. Gogmagog and Hear 'n Aid provide two shorter recording projects.

Dave Murray appears through Urchin and Hear 'n Aid. Dawson's work with Harris belongs in the British Lion guide; his profile explains his appointment as Maiden's touring drummer. McBrain's profile distinguishes his retirement from Maiden touring from his other musical work.

Former singers and Clive Burr

Our existing biographies follow these careers beyond Maiden, with sources and contemporary interviews.

Blaze Bayley

Bayley's profile follows Wolfsbane, the band billed as BLAZE, his later independent albums and his acoustic work with Thomas Zwijsen. Start with Silicon Messiah for his first post-Maiden band, Infinite Entanglement for the beginning of the three-album story, or December Wind for the acoustic partnership. Wolfsbane's Live Faster revisits their debut through new recordings; it is distinct from the original Live Fast, Die Fast.

Paul Di’Anno

Di’Anno's profile covers Di’Anno, Battlezone, Killers and Warhorse alongside his Maiden years. Di’Anno, Battlezone's Fighting Back and Killers' Murder One give three starting points; Paul Di’Anno's Warhorse documents the later collaboration with Croatian musicians Hrvoje Madiraca and Ante Pupačić.

Clive Burr

Burr's profile follows his work in Samson, Trust, Stratus, Gogmagog, Elixir and Desperado. Desperado's Ace appeared after the planned album release fell through, while Elixir's Sovereign Remedy restored recordings previously issued in altered form as Lethal Potion.

Our interview archive preserves musicians' accounts of these projects and their plans.