Maiden England

Maiden England (re-released in 2013 as Maiden England '88) is a live video by the band Iron Maiden during their Seventh Son of a Seventh Son world tour, which was dubbed Seventh Tour of a Seventh Tour.

It was recorded at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on 27 and 28 November 1988,<ref name="Wall 272">Template:Cite book</ref> released on VHS in November 1989, followed by a limited VHS/CD edition in 1994. The CD in this package does not include two songs that are in the video ("Can I Play with Madness" and "Hallowed Be Thy Name"), due to space limitations. In 2013, the full concert footage, including encores which were not featured in the original VHS, was reissued on DVD, CD and LP under the new title, Maiden England '88.

The video was directed and edited by Steve Harris, Iron Maiden's founder and bassist.<ref name="Wall 275">Template:Cite book</ref>

Background

After sitting in on the editing process of their music videos, and having been less involved in their previous concert video, Live After Death, the band's bassist, Steve Harris, decided that he would direct and edit their next film.<ref name="metal madness">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="metalhammer">Template:Cite journal</ref> According to Harris, the band decided to document the Birmingham concerts because he "wanted to film with 10 cameras so we needed to do it in a place where that amount of equipment wouldn't get in the way of the paying punters."<ref name="metal madness"/> This narrowed the band's options down to the NEC and Wembley Arena, but eventually chose the former as they were more "amenable about the idea".<ref name="metal madness"/> According to manager Rod Smallwood, Harris' briefing to the camera crew was to try and film "as the fans saw it",<ref name="metalhammer"/> with Harris arguing that this would be a good way to capture the concert's atmosphere.<ref name="metal madness"/>

So that he could edit the video at his own pace, Harris bought all of the necessary equipment himself and installed it at his home in Essex, where he worked on the film for six months.<ref name="metal madness"/> Although they occasionally visited Harris to check on his progress, the rest of the band were largely uninvolved in the project, although, at his insistence, a piece of footage showing guitarist Dave Murray mouthing the lyrics to the opening song was removed.<ref name="metal madness"/>

A DVD re-issue of the concert film was first mentioned by Iron Maiden in September 2007, with a release date set for 2008, but was later delayed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In an interview with German magazine Rock Hard in August 2012, Harris confirmed that Maiden England would be re-released in 2013, with the concert footage expanded to comprise the show's encores which were not included in the original VHS.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> On 12 February 2013, Iron Maiden announced that Maiden England would be re-released on DVD, CD and picture disc on 25 March 2013 under the title Maiden England '88. Along with the aforementioned encores, the new video also includes the third part of the "History of Iron Maiden" documentary series (continuing from 2004's The History of Iron Maiden – Part 1: The Early Days and 2008's Live After Death re-issue) as well as promo videos and the 1987 documentary 12 Wasted Years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

From 2012 to 2014, Iron Maiden undertook the Maiden England World Tour, which is largely based around the original video in setlist and stage design.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Critical reception

Template:Album ratings AllMusic gave the original VHS 4 out of 5, deeming it "a strong effort", but also stating that it is "risky... because it doesn't rely on hits" and that it "doesn't have the seminal power of [their] own extraordinary Live After Death from four years earlier".<ref name="allmusic vhs"/> They also gave four marks to the 2013 reissue, arguing that the additional songs "help to turn the live set into a more well-rounded listening experience", concluding that it is "a solid concert that shows one of the most influential bands in heavy metal getting down to business and bringing some epic metal to an enthralled crowd".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Classic Rock gave the 2013 DVD a score of 8 out of 10, remarking that the concert footage is "a succinct encapsulation of how great Maiden are when all the gears mesh together", concluding that "when it comes to creating a fan-pleasing effort, no one does it with quite the same degree of thought as Maiden."<ref name="CRreview"/>

Track listing

1989 VHS track listing

1. "Moonchild" (Adrian Smith, Bruce Dickinson)
2. "The Evil That Men Do" (Smith, Dickinson, Steve Harris)
3. "The Prisoner" (Harris, Smith)
4. "Still Life" (Dave Murray, Harris)
5. "Die with Your Boots On" (Smith, Dickinson, Harris)
6. "Infinite Dreams" (Harris)
7. "Killers" (Harris, Paul Di'Anno)
8. "Can I Play with Madness" (Smith, Dickinson, Harris)
9. "Heaven Can Wait" (Harris)
10. "Wasted Years" (Smith)
11. "The Clairvoyant" (Harris)
12. "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" (Harris)
13. "The Number of the Beast" (Harris)
14. "Hallowed Be Thy Name" (Harris)
15. "Iron Maiden" (Harris)

2013 DVD track listing

DVD 1

1. "Moonchild" (Adrian Smith, Bruce Dickinson)
2. "The Evil That Men Do" (Smith, Dickinson, Steve Harris)
3. "The Prisoner" (Harris, Smith)
4. "Still Life" (Dave Murray, Harris)
5. "Die with Your Boots On" (Smith, Dickinson, Harris)
6. "Infinite Dreams" (Harris)
7. "Killers" (Harris, Paul Di'Anno)
8. "Can I Play with Madness" (Smith, Dickinson, Harris)
9. "Heaven Can Wait" (Harris)
10. "Wasted Years" (Smith)
11. "The Clairvoyant" (Harris)
12. "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" (Harris)
13. "The Number of the Beast" (Harris)
14. "Hallowed Be Thy Name" (Harris)
15. "Iron Maiden" (Harris)
16. "Run to the Hills" (Harris)
17. "Running Free" (Harris, Di'Anno)
18. "Sanctuary" (Harris, Murray, Di'Anno)

DVD 2

1. "The History of Iron Maiden" – Part 3 (40 minutes approximately)
   • Continuation of "The History of Iron Maiden" documentary series, following 2004's The Early Days and 2008's Live After Death. Band members, crew, friends and associates talk about the period in the band's career which saw the writing, recording and release of the Somewhere in Time (1986) and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) albums, their respective tours (1986-87's Somewhere on Tour and 1988's Seventh Tour of a Seventh Tour), and the recording of the Maiden England live video.
2. 12 Wasted Years (90 minutes approximately)
   • 1987 film documenting the band's first 12 years with interviews and live footage.
3. Promotional clips for "Wasted Years", "Stranger in a Strange Land", "Can I Play with Madness", "The Evil That Men Do" and "The Clairvoyant".

Personnel

Production and performance credits are adapted from the VHS cover,<ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> reissue DVD and CD,<ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref><ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> and AllMusic.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Iron Maiden

• Bruce Dickinson – lead vocals
• Dave Murray – lead & rhythm guitars
• Adrian Smith – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals
• Steve Harris – bass guitar, backing vocals, director, editing
• Nicko McBrain – drums

Additional musicians

• Michael Kenney – keyboards

Production

• Martin Birch – producer, engineer, mixing
• Derek Riggs – cover illustration
• Ross Halfin – photography
• Andy Matthews – remastering, editing (2013 reissue), director and producer ("The History of Iron Maiden" documentary)
• Kevin Shirley – mixing (2013 reissue)
• Ted Jensen – mastering (2013 reissue)
• Leon Zervos – mastering (2013 reissue)
• Hervé Monjeaud – cover illustration (2013 reissue)
• Rod Smallwood – management
• Andy Taylor – management
• John Jackson – booking agent

Charts

VHS

Country	Chart (1990)	Peak position
United States	Billboard charts	6<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

DVD

Country	Chart (2013)	Peak position
Australia	ARIA Charts	3<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Austria	Ö3 Austria Top 10 DVD	2<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Belgium (Flanders)	Ultratop	2<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Belgium (Wallonia)		2<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Finland	The Official Finnish Charts	2<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
France	SNEP	2<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Germany	Media Control Charts	2<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Hungary	MAHASZ	9<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Italy	FIMI	1<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Japan	Oricon	69<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Netherlands	MegaCharts	2<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Portugal	AFP	8<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Spain	PROMUSICAE	1<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref>
Sweden	Sverigetopplistan	1<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Switzerland	Swiss Hitparade	2<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
United Kingdom	UK Music Video Charts	2<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
United States	Billboard charts	1<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Album

Country	Chart (2013)	Peak position
Austria	Ö3 Austria Top 40	23<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Belgium (Flanders)	Ultratop	71<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Belgium (Wallonia)		36<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Czech Republic	IFPI	9<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Finland	The Official Finnish Charts	21<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
France	SNEP	26<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Germany	Media Control Charts	14<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Hungary	Mahasz	12<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Italy	FIMI	26<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Japan	Oricon	108<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Netherlands	MegaCharts	49<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Norway	VG-lista	29<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Scotland	Official Charts Company	24<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Spain	PROMUSICAE	15<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref>
Sweden	Sverigetopplistan	12<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Switzerland	Swiss Hitparade	26<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
United Kingdom	Official Albums Chart	30<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
United States	Billboard 200	148<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

External links

• Maiden England at the Internet Movie Database