This week on the singles series is a big one. This is the first and only in my collection to feature Maiden’s singer from 1995 to 1999, Blaze Bayley. This one goes all sorts of different directions, in terms of triva and lore, as well as different versions and things like that.

Before I go into the single itself, I want to say that not having a lot of Blaze era stuff in my singles collection was not an outright conscious decision. No, I’m not a huge fan of the stuff Maiden did while Blaze was in the band, but there are songs I like, including others that were released as singles. In truth, these singles have always been a bit tough to come by, or at least have been since I’ve been collecting the singles in earnest. These aren’t usually the cheapest things around and that has been the biggest limiting factor on getting these into my collection. I do want all of the (obtainable) Maiden singles so the Blaze stuff will be a point of emphasis for me going forward.

On today’s single – this thing was released in a handful of formats with sometimes odd choices. My version is part one of a two CD set. I only have the first disc of the set, which I’ll detail when I get to the specific songs below. To be totally honest I find the two-part single thing kind of lame and I’m not in a hurry to pick up the second disc to this, which has (almost) the same title song and then two other B-sides also available elsewhere. But, this disc has that one (almost) same title song and two B-sides also available elsewhere, so whatever. The not cheap or easy to get vinyl version has two radically different B-sides, two tracks from the infamous Soundhouse Tapes EP, while another CD version collects a handful of other songs. I need a degree in Cdology to keep up with this crap.

Now into the real heart of the matter – this is, for purposes of my series, the introduction of Blaze Bayley. Blaze was the singer of British act Wolfsbane from 1984 until 1994, when he was essentially hand-chosen by Steve Harris to replace Bruce Dickinson in Iron Maiden. It was a strange and curious choice, one that many fans still question to this day. Again, I’m not the biggest fan of this period of Maiden but I’m also not out to shit on Blaze or just talk smack for cheap Internet points so I’ll keep to a somewhat more objective view of things here.

Virus

We have a very interesting case for a single release here, as this is the one and only Iron Maiden song that has truly never appeared on an album. While Sanctuary and Women In Uniform were non-album tracks, those two songs did appear on albums for certain territories. Virus is, in the truest sense of the word, a non-album track.

Virus was a new song recorded for the band’s first greatest hits set, 1996’s The Best Of The Beast. Maiden were probably overdue for a compilation by this point and the set was pretty well received. There are a few different versions of the comp, though all do feature Virus.

CD 1 of the single features an edit of Virus, which cuts out the 2 minute or so intro. I’d personally prefer to have the unedited track but I wanted these B-sides so I went with this. The intro is very long and weird and I know a lot of people don’t like it but I honestly kind of dig it. You’ll find that the posted video has the song in full.

When the song proper kicks in it actually starts sounding like Iron Maiden. Even then it goes into a bit of a different roll in the end, but it fits what’s going on. One of my criticisms of The X-Factor album is that it sounds very same-y in parts, here on Virus the band truly establish something that stands on its own.

Lyrically the subject could be taken a few different ways, all of which are relevant. There seems to be an admonition about the Internet, which was on a fast rise at the time of the single’s release. This is a warning that grift and corruption could increase as the landscape of information gathering and dissemination changes. Yep, nailed that one.

This could also be seen as a shot at the band’s critics and detractors. The song addresses the apathy and the need to lash out at anything, something which the band dealt with a lot of during this time period. Sure, the Internet in 1996 was absolutely nothing like today, but the same general kind of “hide behind a screen name and let loose cheap shots” thing was still in full effect. I also don’t know what parts the band members were taking as valid criticism or as shit-talking, I heard plenty of both during this time.

This honestly is one of my favorite tracks of the Blaze period. Each album offered up a few gems, but this song really stands out. It’s different enough to stand on its own but also still sounds a fair bit like my favorite band. It is odd and it does generate wildly different reactions, but I’m in Camp Virus on this one.

Doctor Doctor

Both B-sides on this single were already available as B-sides to the Lord Of The Flies single. Why the repackage them here is beyond me, though apparently the first run did not make the UK so maybe that’s why.

Doctor Doctor is a famous track from the fantastic rock act UFO. If for whatever reason you haven’t heard the original, you should probably pause reading, go rectify that, then come back. Make sure to come back. Anyway, Iron Maiden give a song they probably jammed out to a million times a run through here and they do a pretty good job of it. I’d say this is one of the better Maiden cover song performances across their catalog.

And for a bit more Maiden/Doctor Doctor trivia – Maiden plays the UFO song over the PA at live gigs just before they take the stage. If you’re out in the arena grabbing a beer or a shirt and hear Doctor Doctor hit the speakers, better get back in to your spot quick.

My Generation

The other B-side is also a cover, that’s probably obvious to most. This is one of The Who’s immortal hits and here Maiden have a crack at it. The cover is fine but it lacks that special something to put it over top. Not a bad performance but nothing here with any real urgency, this is a curiosity more than anything. Also it feels too long, they could have cut this off a bit earlier.

That wraps up the Virus single. The other CD has two B-sides that are very early cuts of Sanctuary and Wrathchild released on a compilation before the debut album was out. To be honest it’s more economical to get the full original compilation than to get the second CD of this single, though if I happen on a deal one day I might pull the trigger.

Since my collection is severely lacking in Blaze stuff, this will also be the point where we bid him farewell. Blaze’s Maiden run did not win over a lot of people, though this era does have its fans. Blaze has gone on to a very nice solo career and has just recently recovered from a very serious heart operation, so best wishes to him going forward. He has always seemed on good terms with his time in Iron Maiden and the band have respected his two albums probably more so than the two ’90’s albums preceding those.

But, with this time of the band now filed away, the next, longest and seemingly final form of Iron Maiden is to come, starting next week in the singles series.

The Iron Maiden Singles Series

Live! + One

Running Free

Sanctuary

Women In Uniform

Maiden Japan

Purgatory

Twilight Zone/Wrathchild

Run To The Hills

The Number Of The Beast

Flight Of Icarus

The Trooper

2 Minutes To Midnight

Aces High

Run To The Hills (live)

Running Free (live)

Stranger In A Strange Land

Wasted Years

The Clairvoyant

Infinite Dreams

Bring Your Daughter … To The Slaughter

Holy Smoke

Be Quick Or Be Dead

From Here To Eternity

Virus (you are here)

Out Of The Silent Planet

Rainmaker

Different World

The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg

Empire Of The Clouds