Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson has played one of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal icons’ songs with his solo band for the first time in 22 years.
The 65-year-old, who’s currently touring to promote his 2024 solo album The Mandrake Project, performed Alexander The Great at a concert in Athens, Greece, on Sunday (July 21).
Watch a clip of the abridged airing via the video player below.
Alexander The Great was written by Iron Maiden’s bassist and principal composer/lyricist Steve Harris and originally appeared on Iron Maiden’s 1986 album Somewhere In Time.
In a November 1986 interview with France’s Enfer Magazine, Harris said of the song: “My most ambitious composition [on Somewhere In Time] is certainly Alexander The Great, a story based on true facts.
“When we started working on the LP, I was immersed in the story of Alexander The Great, a man who had a fantastic and incredible life.
“I fell in love with him and, quite naturally, I wrote the song and the lyrics, all this within two weeks.
“I must say that I’m very proud of this track.”
Despite Alexander The Great being a fan favourite, the song wasn’t debuted live until May 2023, when Iron Maiden started their ongoing The Future Past tour.
The tour celebrates both Somewhere In Time and Iron Maiden’s most recent record, 2021’s Senjutsu.
Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain recently revealed that he had to alter how he plays another Somewhere In Time track, opener Caught Somewhere In Time, for the tour.
The change was a result of the drummer’s January 2023 mini-stroke.
“Now there’s a middle section, it’s all snare drum on the record. I can’t play it,” said McBrain.
“As you probably noticed, those of you nerds that are in the audience that go, ‘He didn’t do the drum fill.’ Well, that’s why, ’cause I fucking can’t do it.”
Iron Maiden will continue their Future Past run in September with shows in Oceania and Asia.
The band will then play a leg through North, Central and South America from October to December.
See the full list of upcoming Iron Maiden concerts and get tickets via their website.
