Maiden Tales: New Unauthorized Book From Neil Daniels

We are of the opinion that Iron Maiden exists today not so much to make music, but to provide a steady source of work for people around the world. Maiden has, in its own way, become an economic heavy metal juggernaut spreading dineros far and wide via merchandising, albums, tours and all the residual backdraft from their enormous fame, such as books like author Neil Daniels’ upcoming Iron Maiden: The Ultimate Unauthorized History of the Beast, which will be published June 26 by Voyageur Press.
Other bands have certainly sold more records, but Maiden’s fame and power within their genre is unmatched. Probably because, unlike, say, Metallica, they actually manage to put out good albums with some regularity and still have a fairly decent grasp on reality. (Other than that whole “our singer flies us to our gigs in our private plane” thing…) And as they roll on into their fourth decade as a band, the magnitude of their influence continues to spread. Not many other metal artists beyond Black Sabbath have had decade after decade of influence on the genre. Thus, books like this (and others sure to come in the future) will continue to mine “the Beast” for its riches.

Daniels’ Iron Maiden band bio is a 200-page hardcover packed with more than 400 images, including live performance and candid off-stage photographs, as well as memorabilia, gig posters, T-shirts, backstage passes, buttons, and tickets. Maiden artist Derek Riggs, who is responsible for the incredible imagery that is a staple of the band’s massive merchandising empire, even created the book’s exclusive cover art.

Yep, the Beast will flexing its economic might (and, of course, excellent musical chops) this summer, in fact, on a two-month U.S. tour, with Alice Cooper and Coheed & Cambria in tow. And Daniels’ book is perfectly timed to, well, make some hay from that high-profile jaunt and the interest in the band it will bring.

Iron Maiden on tour:
6/21 Charlotte, NC, USA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
6/23 Atlanta, GA, USA Aarons Amphitheatre at Lakewood
6/26 Boston, MA, USA Comcast Center
6/27 Wantagh, NY, USA Jones Beach
6/29 Philadelphia, PA, USA Susquehanna Bank Center
6/30 Washington, DC, USA Jiffy Lube Live
7/2 Newark, NJ, USA Prudential Center
7/4 Milwaukee, WI, USA Marcus Amphitheater – Summerfest
7/5 Chicago, IL, USA First Midwest Bank Amphitheater
7/7 Ottawa, CANADA Bluesfest
7/8 Quebec City, QC, CANADA Colisee Pepsi Arena
7/11 Montreal, QC, CANADA Bell Centre
7/13 Toronto, ON, CANADA Molson Amphitheater
7/14 Sarnia, ON, CANADA Bayfest
7/16 Buffalo, NY, USA Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
7/18 Detroit, MI, USA DTE Music Theatre
7/19 Indianapolis, IN, USA Klipsch Music Center
7/21 Cadott, WI, USA Rock Fest
7/24 Winnipeg, MB, CANADA MTS Center
7/26 Calgary, AB, CANADA Scotiabank Saddledome
7/27 Edmonton, AB, CANADA Rexall Place
7/29 Vancouver, BC, CANADA Pacific Coliseum
7/30 Seattle, WA, USA White River Amphitheatre
8/1 Salt Lake City, UT, USA USANA Amphitheatre
8/3 San Francisco, CA, USA Shoreline Amphitheatre
8/4 Sacramento, CA, USA Sleep Train Amphitheater
8/6 Phoenix, AZ, USA Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion
8/9 Irvine, CA, USA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
8/10 Irvine, CA, USA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
8/12 Albuquerque, NM, USA Hard Rock Pavilion
8/13 Denver, CO, USA Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
8/15 San Antonio, TX, USA AT&T Center
8/17 Dallas, TX, USA Gexa Energy Pavilion
8/18 Houston, TX, USA The Woodlands