18 Things Only Iron Maiden Fans Will Understand

TumblrSome people would say that 1968 was the greatest year in Heavy Metal history. That year the founders of the genre, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath, were formed. If it hadn't been for those guys nothing else would have followed and that, as they say, is that. Then there are rest of us who would love to smack those people in the face. The seventies came to a terrible end with the towering giants of Zeppelin and Sabbath crashing hard. The bright star that was Deep Purple had burnt out a long time before. It was a time for a changing of the guard, time for Heavy Metal music to take things up a notch if it was going to stay alive. Iron Maiden was formed five years earlier in 1975 by a very young Steve Harris. After sacking thirteen original members, and hiring Dave Murray back, Harris had discovered the sound he had been seeking. The band would release two studio albums in the early 80s before more troubles would cause Harris to replace three more members in his quest to crank the heat up to level 11. Adrian Smith and Nicko McBrain filled the empty guitar and drummer positions, however, they still needed a singer after losing Paul Di'Anno. That was when Iron Maiden heard of another act called Samson whose singer, Bruce Bruce, was growing very weary of his band not taking the art of rock'n'roll seriously (that and the silly nickname). Steve asked Bruce Dickinson to join and the lot went to form the band we know today, a genre defining power house that is the very essence of heavy metal. Thirty-five years later, Iron Maiden still sounds and plays better than ever. Their live shows and energy bring Troopers together through a love for the music and iconic energy.

18. Being Called To "Up The Irons"

EMIYou won't be a Maiden fan for long without someone calling you to up the irons. The band's infamous slogan for their Troopers was first coined by founder Steve Harris, and is taken from his favorite football team, West Ham United, in London, whose slogan is Up the Hammers (Steve actually quit playing football to pick up the bass guitar). The band has always associated themselves with the sport, taking time between shows on tour to play with fans and footballers alike. On their website, among the tons of black t-shirts featuring Eddie can also be purchased football jerseys, which read Maiden just so the world knows what team you're rooting for at the next World Cup. The phrase was first noticed in the album's shout outs when fans requested across the world were called to up the irons. Since then the slogan has become part of their legacy. When you hear someone cry out that simple motto, you know you've reached the right place.