A band that has changed the music industry more than many is Iron Maiden. A personal favourite of mine and a band who have such an understanding of the music industry they were years ahead of the record companies.
Everyone has seen the band on telly and heard the music but what you hear has nothing to do with the record industry. This isn't AOR made up by an executive in a suite at EMI or Capitol. Steve Harris the band leader and the mind behind the band made so many decisions before the band were signed in 1979 that it took four years for a record label to in fact sign them.
For a start the band were about during the punk era and many labels were signing anything that looked different. Iron Maiden was very different in looks but in music what they played was truly metal. Steve Harris turned down contract after contract to maintain the band's sound and distinct musical identity. Even now in 2010 I have yet to hear a band that sounds like them so he must have been right to do so. Many punk bands were taking the big money and making the chart friendly music that at times was very good, but where are they now?
One big change in the industry that Iron Maiden and also EMI done was to bring a picture cover to the 7" market. Many bands and artists did not release a single with a picture cover to help save money. But also the bands did not have an identity, when you see an Iron Maiden album you say to yourself "now that is an Iron Maiden Album". Instantly recognisable as a metal album/single and as an Iron Maiden release. This was a very good promotional tool and one that costs very little in comparison to paying for advertising that may not really work or show the band the way they want.
The big thing they have is the 'Eddie' character. He is on much of the bands covers and is more a comic book character than anything else. He has been painted by Derek Riggs from 1979 and was an idea he took from a hanging on the side of a burned out Japanese tank at the Matanikau River during the Battle for Henderson Field.
Derek Riggs made a portfolio of work and showed it to the bands manager, in the middle of all his work was the band's first album cover. It was not quite like what the band wanted but a few changes and the painting was done. This idea was then used for the band's first album; the album was a critical and commercial success. The artwork on two singles leading up to the album was very well thought out. The first single has someone running into an ally with Eddie waiting and the second was the banned single sleeve that showed Eddie standing over Lady Thatcher holding a knife. Due to the graphic nature of the sleeve many shops would not sell it with the sleeve but it was still a chart hit and helped to give the album some publicity. Again this was all planned for the first album release where Eddie would be seen properly for the first time.
No other band at the time had a 'mascot' like what Iron Maiden had. It was used to promote the band but mostly to give the band an identity on the shelf of the music store. More singles and albums followed with the Eddie character and the band went on to have huge success not only here but in America as well. Again with the band having a very distinctive look they seem to get over around the world with very little air play and practically no promotion.
Just about every metal band for ten years has copied Iron Maiden artwork but not one has captured the originality of the bands identity.
The band knows without airplay they would be missing vital money to play live gigs. This is where the band set up a fan club and also made a very good decision to sell their own merchandising. This has been done by many bands but they kept control of the entire Iron Maiden concept. Only products the band liked were sold, this helped to make sure the fans were not buying cheap crappy products. Also it stops the management getting money so that more money was available to tour on the next album. Iron Maiden merchandising is so unique that it still sells tons today. Everything from T Shirts to coffee mugs can be bought direct from the band.
Musically the band is as individual as you can get but another factor the band hated was the idea of a single being 3 minutes long. Most metal bands were not releasing singles at all. They again went out to release singles from every album and the hard work paid off in 1990 with a number one single. Another thing was they would fill each album as much as they can with new material. A 12" LP can hold about 45 minutes and they engineered the music and the songs to make the most of the record. So you pay the same money and get more than most other bands. This was a trend that still exists in metal to this day and they were the first to start doing it back in 1982. Number of the Beast 44:46, Piece of Mind 45:50, Powerslave 50:57, Somewhere Back in Time 51:24 and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 43:50. Even when CD was outselling the 12" they would fill the CD up as much as they could (Around 70minutes in 1992).
The band were invited on Top of the Pops in 1980 and refused to play due to the TV show wanting them to mime. This was a big thing as no one would play live on the show back then. The band refused to lip-synch and got their way to be the first band to play live since the Who in 1972. Many bands followed to the point that bands were asked if they would like to play live. I remember Top of the Pops showing some great rock and metal bands and they always stood out due to the live sound they would get on the show. It makes you want to see em live if you know what I mean.
The record industry was changing at the time Maiden started due to MTV, ok the band never invented the music video but did in a sales kind of way. The first concert to be filmed for a video release as Iron Maiden at the Rainbow. Again in 1980 when video recorders were still very expensive and so few could buy them. But the band knows what the industry would become and were years ahead of the rest.
Iron Maiden was the first to play behind the Iron Curtain, (and did it while running about the stage with a union jack). They showed the rest of the world that you can play anywhere, playing in Poland was a real big thing back in the 80's as no band would go near. Much of the reason was due to cost as paying off the officials and the gangs were risky. And to this day they still play new places that other bands will not play. Take a look at the documentary Flight 666 where the band with the singer Bruce Dickinson as the pilot go around the globe and play to the countries that they are told they can't play due to money.
The band had a four album firm commitment deal from EMI. This is unheard of in the music industry and I have never heard of it myself. Even Oasis and all the huge bands would never have been given this deal. Most are three albums no matter what and you will get paid if it goes well. Once again the band could show that they can deliver on the deal. They had the first two albums ready to record and present the artwork to the record company for future releases. Full creative control over music, artwork and touring was handed to the band. All this and a four album fixed deal. EMI are a conglomerate company and for this to be offered to a metal band… Wow. Just as well the band was successful.
In a poll done in the 90s people were asked to name the most British thing they know. This was a question asked to people out with the UK to see what people recognise first of all to be British and to utter surprise the result was Eddie and Iron Maiden.
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