Required reading for any metalhead, Iron Maiden is a compendium of in-depth, entertaining, and profusely illustrated conversations about all sixteen of the legendary metal band’s studio albums.
This new book from prolific rock journalist Martin Popoff pays tribute to the Iron Maiden’s studio discography through a series of in-depth, frank, and entertaining conversations about all sixteen of the legendary heavy metal band’s studio albums. Inside, the author gathers together metal journalists, authors, and musicians, who offer insights , opinions , and anecdotes about every release.
Together, the conversations comprise a unique historical overview of the band, covering everything from early albums with original lead singer Paul Di’Anno; the songwriting of founder and bassist Steve Harris; the impeccable talents of drummer Nicko McBrain and guitarists Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, and Janick Gers; mega tours undertaken in support of the LPs; fights within the band ; and much more. Even their iconic mascot Eddie is sure to make an appearance or two!
Popoff also includes loads of sidebars that provide complete track listings, details on album personnel, and information on where and when the albums were recorded. Every page is illustrated with thoughtfully curated performance and offstage photography, as well as rare memorabilia .
At approximately 7900 (with over 7000 appearing in his books), Martin has unofficially written more record reviews than anybody in the history of music writing across all genres. Additionally, Martin has penned approximately 85 books on hard rock, heavy metal, classic rock and record collecting. He was Editor-In-Chief of the now retired Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles, Canada’s foremost metal publication for 14 years, and has also contributed to Revolver, Guitar World, Goldmine, Record Collector, bravewords.com, lollipop.com and hardradio.com, with many record label band bios and liner notes to his credit as well. Additionally, Martin has been a regular contractor to Banger Films, having worked for two years as researcher on the award-winning documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage, on the writing and research team for the 11-episode Metal Evolution and on the ten-episode Rock Icons, both for VH1 Classic. Additionally, Martin is the writer of the original metal genre chart used in Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey and throughout the Metal Evolution episodes. Martin currently resides in Toronto and can be reached through martinp@inforamp.net or www.martinpopoff.com.
Iron Maiden is my all-time favourite band, so I could not miss this opportunity. It is not a biography, but literally an overlook of every song of every album the band ever made, apart from the live ones. Fans, new and old, will love it, although I don’t think it might be of much interest of people who don’t know the band or the songs. But for a fan, it is invaluable!
The presentation is clear, it’s easy to find anything you’re looking for, and there’s an extensive bibliography at the end along with an index. The book is very easy to read, it’s not pompous nor does it talk down to the reader. The editing is flawless, and it is worth it if only for the dozens of glorious pictures – both in colour and black and white. I found the narrative most interesting when it came to lesser known discs, and the albums that were not the biggest crowd pleasers. If you are an Iron Maiden fan, you will definitely want this book!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A book that does exactly what it says on the tin: breaking down all 16 studio albums of the masters of Heavy Metal! It's a great romp through Iron Maiden's career, illustrated by beautiful photographs of the band, and nicely structured - Martin Popoff (a rock journalist and geek album reviewers) introduce a release, and then leaves the floor to fans that he interviews for their own take.
It has its strengths. First of all, the fans are all either music journalists or musicians and, so, the comments they offer when it comes to the musical aspects of each albums are insightful. Also, there is no bashing against Janick Gers or Blaze Bailey, far from that! Both are indeed recognised for their contributions (Blaze's struggle to blossom is actually blamed on Steve Harris...) which is a great welcome for whose who, like me, not only loves the new three guitars era, but, also, have absolutely nothing against Blaze Bailey (I personally think 'The X Factor' to be one of their best release ever).
It has its downfall too. Martin Popoff is not a maniac about Maiden, he actually prefers Judas Priest. Comments like 'Iron Maiden was pretty much a brash version of Judas Priest... nowhere near as good or trailblazing' (WHAAAAAT!??!) will raise a few eyebrows! Is this a tribute or what? The fans chosen are a relevant panel (Marty Friedman, Matt Heafy, Chris Jericho, Jimmy Kay, Brian Slagel, Nita Strauss...) but, as with every panel, it begs the question of why them especially and not others. They are not all discussing all of the albums, but only about a couple of them each; which seems pretty random. Finally, because it's only fans talking, the band members are obviously not involved apart from Blaze Bailey (discussing 'Piece of Mind' and 'Powerslave'). Nothing wrong with that, but here's an insight which is lacking - when it comes to books about Maiden, I therefore prefer Iron Maiden - Updated Edition: The Ultimate Illustrated History of the Beast by Neil Daniels.
It's undeniably entertaining and pleasant to read (a romp as fast and good as Steve Harris' bass gallop) but, right down to it, nothing more than ears dropping on a bunch of friends gathered around a few beers and talking about one your favourite band. Again, I prefer Neil Daniels' approach.
Iron Maiden: Album by Album from Martin Popoff consists of 16 chapters, one for each studio album, of several Maiden fans (and peers) discussing each album. I was torn between 4 and 5 stars but went with 5 for the simple reason the book was exactly what it set out to be. I refuse to mark down because the book wasn't what it never set out to be.
The book as a whole has a strict structure with each chapter being a discussion about one album. Within each chapter there is a loose structure where Popoff makes sure certain aspects are always covered, such as production values and such. But most of the conversation, while prompted by Popoff's questions, go off in whatever direction each speaker wants to go. Kinda like when you and your friends are talking about something. A question sets you off but you make whatever connections matter to you.
The conversations range from close analysis of some songs to placing the songs/albums in the larger context of the music business and even to some extent world politics. We also have talk about what the band meant to some of these people when they were young and first discovered them. There is a lot of information to glean from these conversations but just be aware this is not a track-by-track technical overview of production, engineering, or the music performance itself. This is a bunch of knowledgeable people sitting around and having fun talking about one of their favorite bands. There is talk about how some things were done but that is few and far between since that wasn't the purpose of the book. This is less for the "fan" who thinks fandom is pretending not to be a fan but rather a (usually semi-literate in music) technician and more for the fan who may or may not be musically inclined but likes to hear about the history of a band. This is an oral history ABOUT the band rather than OF the band.
I recommend this to any Maiden fan (of course) as well as those interested in the history of how a band evolves over time and how a band can influence their fans and peers. The participants include musicians, rock critics/historians, even a wrestler/rock musician. We have a former (short term) Maiden member as well as a former Megadeth member as well, so this isn't just a group of everyday fans. If you're a fan of Maiden yourself, you'll have plenty to both agree and disagree with in the book, just like in any good conversation among friends.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
If you’ve never read one of these “Album by Album” books by Martin Popoff, do your self a favor and give one a go. Popoff is a long tenured rock journalist with a solid background in metal. With almost 8,000 interviews of rock cognoscenti, he knows a thing or two about the subject matter.
“Iron Maiden:Album By Album” is an insightful treatise on all 16 Maiden albums and with commentary by other insiders and peers. Blaze Bayley, Maiden lead singer for a couple efforts, puts in his two cents. As do Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, Adrenalin Mob), Matt Heafy (Trivium), and Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth (Overkill). Chris Jericho, WWE wrestler and metal enthusiast, is along for the ride as well among other industry names.
I first read Popoff’s “Queen: Album by Album”, and as I am a huge Queen fan, found myself agreeing with the commentary in some places, disagreeing on others but as I’m pretty comfortable discussing deep tracks, I related to all of it. I can have the discussion with just about anyone as to why “March of the Black Queen” is an integral part of the Queen II album.
Here, with Maiden, I get out of my comfort zone after the Powerslave album and rely on the commentary to understand some of each album’s dynamics. The resulting discourse is truly enlightening and enjoyable. I found myself scouring eBay looking for bargains on those later CDs, or at least a cheap greatest hits package from those later years.
If you are an Iron Maiden hardcore fan or even a casual fan, this book really brings you back into the now for all things Maiden. The roundtable, track by track discussion for all 16 records is both passionate and intelligent. The photos Popoff uses throughout the book are also great to look at and appreciate.
In summary, a wonderful book about a metal legend.
I was recently given the opportunity to read and review these three music books. The books are essentially the same, with different artists as the topics. The books cover three bands, album by album. But when I say bands, I’m talking of the some of the biggest bands the music industry has known – Queen, Led Zeppelin and Iron Maiden. As I’ve read all three books, I’ll review them on one review post, as what I’ve got to say applies really to all of them!
I asked to request these books as I love music, and Queen is one of my favourite all time bands! I thought the idea of going through these artists discography track by track, album by album was really original and it really appealed to me. The author has also drafted in some more rock gods and influences to talk about their memories of each band - I particularly liked Dee Snider’s memories of the early Queen concerts! – so you weren’t just getting the author’s viewpoint but the opinions of people who knew them and played with them!
The covers of each book are fabulously eye-catching and really draw you to the books. The books are also packed full of band photos and visual memorabilia, which is enough to keep any die-hard fan happy for hours! I thoroughly enjoyed each and every book, and whilst I didn’t really know any of the Iron Maiden tracks and only some of the Led Zeppelin ones, I loved reading all about them! After I finished each book, I wanted to go and raid my husband’s CD collection just to hear what I’d been reading about!
These books would definitely make a worthy addition to any Queen, Led Zeppelin or Iron Maiden fan’s bookcase! Would highly recommend!
I got the revised edition from Amazon Vine so I could read and review it.
I'm a musician, a musicologist, and an '80's kid who was forbidden to listen to metal because it was Satanic.Naturally, I did so at every opportunity.
Iron Maiden was one of the bands that I got tapes slipped to me from friends. I admit they weren't my favorite-they were old school in some ways.
Still, I cracked open this book with delight. And found an amazing, detailed analysis, album by album, of almost 50 years of amazing music, and of each song's place in music history, via a series of dialogues and discussions by a range of people. From those who performed with Iron Maiden, to industry leaders from other bands, to long time fans who grew up with the book, to music journalists to tribute artists, it's all there. There is no shortage of criticism. No shortage of "this wasn't their best", or discussion of how their tour schedule led to burnout or how changes in the membership changed the group's sound and impact for better or worse. The book is filled with many, many pictures and artifacts of the band's long history. Just the tour posters alone, showing the evolution of the music industry (and seeing names like Guns and Roses as little opening acts) is pretty amazing.
All told, if you have an Iron Maiden, or classic Metal fan in your life, consider getting them this book. I think it will be appreciated. I know I've appreciated it.
This book, authored by music's best Martin Popoff, is about the albums by the one and only Iron Maiden. There is only one band like Iron Maiden, and none compare to them. They have been around since 1975 and have millions of fans, fans that are very true to them. Now, this book discusses each of their 16 studio albums, which was very interesting. I have never listened to each of these albums, but now that I have read this, I probably will. I like them, and have listened to some of their music and really do like what I have listened to up to now. If you like Iron Maiden, then this book is for you.
This was such an interesting exploration of Maiden as a band and as a individuals. Im a casual fan and generally know the earlier albums and songs but this taught me so much about the band that i never knew before. I finished this and just wanted to start listening to the albums in order from earliest to most recent. I feel like each time i listen to a Maiden album now, it will be with a new understanding.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was entertaining as a fan of Iron Maiden and knowing the albums. However, Martin Popoff absolutely cannot write. Terrible clunky dialogue that’s so bad in places, you actually have to re-read sentences just to ensure you’re not stupid. How this man got a publishing deal and made a career as a rock writer, I’ll never know. I could craft a better book with friends/fans in my sleep....really.
The format of the "Album by Album" series is fun. This is the second book I've read in the series, and knowing better what to expect, enjoyed it more. I can imagine sitting down with some buddies chatting about Iron Maiden. It's fun. There are also plenty of interesting tid-bits on the production, and of course lots of great pictures. I particular enjoy seeing ticket stubs and advertisements of shows, things that aren't as commonly seen.
A good examination of metal band Iron Maiden’s discography from the self-titled debut to 2015’s The Book Of Souls (was written in 2018, so no Senjutsu here). Author Martin Popoff gives a history of each record along with conversations with musicians about why they love the album discussed in that chapter. Everyone is very passionate in their love of Iron Maiden, making every page filled with passionate takes.
I love this format...just Martin Popoff sitting around talking about Iron Maiden with a bunch of people that love the band. Discussing and dissecting every album from the 1980 debut, through Book Of Souls from 2015. I love every single record, and this deep dive is perfect for Maiden fans like myself.
Feel this is a must for every Maiden fan, new and old. Hats off to Popoff for taking a fresh approach to a well trodden path. Thought some of the insights were interesting and overall thoroughly enjoyed it.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC for a honest review.
I started listening to them as a teen, and continue listening to them today! It was great to learn the story behind each album. This was a well laid out book that was informative without getting bogged down. A must read for all fans of Iron Maiden!
Iron Maiden was my favourite band when I was 17. I loved them. They released Somewhere in Time in 1986. I tried and tried but I couldn't get into it. Then I saw them on the subsequent tour in 1987 and they weren't very good. I still bought their tour program and all four of the concert shirts, but that was kind of the end of my love for Iron Maiden. I skipped the next album, picked up No Prayer for the Dying and thought it was just OK, and never listened to them again. I have seen them twice since in concert, both times better than the first time, but still never been inspired to get back into their music.
All that to say that I still found this book very interesting. I though Popoff gathered a good group of commentators who seem to be lifelong Maiden fans, and who also seem to know Bruce Dickinson's solo work. It makes for very informed commentary. It's interesting how they compare them to past works, and also to Dickinson's solo work, how they comment on the various guitarists' styles and the different writing styles. I have listened to a couple of their more recent songs since I've read the book without it inspiring a desire to start get back into them, but did enjoy the commentary. A good retrospective for the Maiden fan.
I had the great pleasure of recieving a review copy of an amazing Iron Maiden discog table book. 245 pages, 16 albums spanning 1980-2015
The goal is simple, sixteen albums reviewed and deconstructed in order of release with straight conversation by fans and peers on both epic and bombed albums.
Martin Popoff collected his personal musings regarding one of the die hard New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) plus 15 esteemed guests from Maiden Coverbands to Maiden Band members.
Released in October 2018, this book was PACKED with photography, singles cover art, ticket stubs and back story that I have not seen elsewhere.
Participants included (among others): Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth (Overkill) Marty Friedman (at minimum, Megadeth) Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater) Blaze Bayley (Iron Maiden) Nita Strauss (musician) Chris Jericho (wrestler) Matt Heafy (Trivium) Kirsten Rosenberg (musician) Ahmet Zappa (musician)
Let's begin with that I grew up with Maiden. The band is older than me, obviously as I was born back in 96 and the band already had a album by 82. But it doesn't take that while I wasn't born, my dad and godfather were, and they were the biggest inspiration on the musical side, and still are.
I travelled while listening to Metallica, Maiden. Roots Bloody Roots was a constant that I loved even when I wasn't understanding anything.
So I can say with all gusto, this book rules. I love reading this kind of book where I get to learn about bands even more. I grew up listening, cried when my dad and godfather went to watch a show in another city and didn't take me, watched Rock in Rio live on television because seriously, it's expensive and I don't have the money. But even so, I don't know much about the past of it all. I listen to them, know the newish news, but the past? Not much. So a book like "Iron Maiden - album by Album" instantly called my attention, and when I read it, stuck to me until I was on the end of it. And of course, while the on going Maiden playing on the background, following the album and music list the books was talking about.
It's totally a book for those who like to learn a bit more about the band, that like Iron Maiden or is just curious about them and their discography! Well written, easy to follow. I really loved it and recommend!
Thanks Martin Popoff, Quarto Publishing Group – Voyageur Press,Voyageur Press and Netgalley for this chance of reading the book in exchange of a honest review!