The drummer here in Nicko McBrain - and the most fascinating bit of his drumming for me is that he doesn't use a double-kick pedal for his bass drum! He does some double-kick fills, but does them all on one foot!

The band was formed in 1975 but their first album came out in 1980. The period of Metal before Thrash that Smokey was referring to is called the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, or NWOBHM. It was the New Wave because the original wave, consisting of bands like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Budgie, et cetera, had been relatively left behind in favour of the Punk Rock scene of the late 1970s. In reaction, bands like Motorhead, Judas Priest, Diamond Head, Saxon, Venom, and of course Iron Maiden both took the original sound of Metal and mixed it with a bit of Punk but maintained the professional musicianship of Metal, even infusing elements of Classical music in some cases, to renew the genre and expand into the 1980s. Thrash took such a big influence from NWOBHM bands including the speed, intensity, and grit that became the driving factors of the genre.

Maiden started back in the 1970s……and they’ve always been Heavy Metal! They were part of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal in the late 70s/early 80s. It’s still called Heavy Metal. Thrash is a sub genre of Heavy Metal. Up The Irons! Been a fan since about 1980

Maiden was New Wave of British Heavy Metal, which was mid to late 70s. Thing to keep in mind this is probably like 45 minutes or longer into their show, and Bruce is running around belting the lyrics out wearing a wool coat and waving a got damn flag around, he's a beast.

I feel like with Maiden the live performances are perfect to react to because of how fun they are!

There were about 120000 of us there that weekend. it was a hell of a weekend! Slipknot headlined on the Friday, Maiden on the Saturday, and Rammstein on the Sunday.

It’s been a while since we got some Iron Maiden! Still waiting on Rime of the Ancient Mariner. 😉

Nicko Mcbrain - definitely one hell of a drummer! One of my favorite songs from my favorite Maiden album to this day…1983 Piece of Mind! 😎🤘🏻🤘🏻❤️

The singer Bruce Dickinson is also the pilot for the bands jet

Iron maiden band members never get the respect they deserve. They Definitely have skills.

Im an old guy, saw them back in the early 80's, and 31 times since. They are the only band I will fly to see a show.... their live shows are intense and still amazing all these years later. Glad you like them!

3:07 Iron Maiden has never been pychedelic, and has never been thrash! They are part of the so called "New Wave of British heavy Metal" that peaked between 1979 and 1982. The first Iron Maiden release came out 1980. The thrash Wave was not in the UK but in the US and Germany, and started around 1983, so a lttle later. You might have confused Iron Maiden with Judas Priest, who came out in the mid-70s and their 70s stuff was quite psychedelic.

I was actually there for this festival as Donington is about 20 minutes away from where I lived. Absolutely amazing festival. The other headliners over the weekend were Rammstein and Slipknot if you can believe that. If I remember right anyway. If you ever have a couple hundred dollars spare you need to come to the UK and experience download fest it's incredible

One of my two favorite live performances by Maiden is Hallowed Be Thy Name and Fear Of The Dark LIVE from their flight 666 DVD If you have not seen them you should, crowd and energy and insane vocals by the legends

Such a good song! I love "fear of the dark too". I remember this was one of the other first albums I had heard of metal and was hooked! Love it! Crazy amount of people there!!! Thanks guys!❤️🤓

Awesome band and song. I saw them live on their last tour :) This song is based on the Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava 1854. If you have not heard it yet check out Aces High which is to do with the Battle of Britain in WW2.

Always feeling some Maiden. Heard their "Hallowed Be Thy Name" yet?

This is, in my opinion, the greatest gutar riff EVER.

Great reaction thank you. Been a Maiden fan since '83 and seen em live 6-7 times. They never disappoint, ever. Coincidentally, I just saw singer Bruce Dickinson do a spoken word show here in Vancouver, Canada a few days ago. Paid $80 to sit 4 rows from one of my fave singers of all time as he talked for 3 hours. He's such a smart guy and the consummate entertainer.

Hey guys, Mick from Sydney, Australia. Great to to see you do Maiden. I became a fan when I was 17 yrs old. I'm now 55. I was also lucky to see Maiden live in Sydney in 1995. I still love these guys. They are ageless.

No, Iron Maiden were not psychedelic and were never thrash. They are New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, (NWOBHM)which when combined with punk is what created thrash a few years later.

Hey guys, great reaction. There were 111,000 fans for Iron Maiden that day. The Rock in Rio concert in 2001 had 250,000 fans. Great song list, check out The Clansman, Wrathchild, Sign of the Cross, and more. Iron Maiden and Judas Priest were considered Heavy Metal within the heading of New Wave of British Heavy metal. Before Thrash Metal. Enjoy and Up the Irons!!

I was there.... one of the best weekends of my life!

Fantastic reaction, as always👍 With many Iron Maiden songs, you get an accurate history lesson. The Trooper tells the account of a British soldier in the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War. Lord Cardigan led the British cavalry against Russian forces during this battle on 25 October 1854. Lord Raglan had intended to send the Light Brigade to prevent the Russians from removing captured guns from overrun Turkish positions. However, there was miscommunication in the chain of command and the Light Brigade was instead sent on a suicide mission charging straight at heavy Russian artillery which cost the lives of hundreds of British soldiers. Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote a poem to commemorate this disaster and he called it The Charge of the Light Brigade. Other great Iron Maiden history lessons you could check out.... Run to the Hills, Alexander the Great, Paschendale and Empire of the Clouds. I've been a Maiden fan since hearing their debut album on cassette in 1980 when I was 10. I've seen them live every time they've played in London ever since, their home ground, and they never disappoint. The greatest metal band ever and the best fans on the planet. Up the Irons!!!

Always worth listening to their first albums with singer Paul Dianno. Killers is one of my favorites

The Iron Maiden guys are the most humble dudes you could meet.....I used to play football (soccer) with Steve Harris way before Iron Maiden took off.... then started watching them at the "Ruskins" when they started to get famous. Steve Harris never changed a bit.....he is a top bloke......."Up the 'Ammers".

The song is based on the charge of the Light Brigade. A battle that took place during the Crimea War. Interesting fact. The metal captured from the cannons at Sebastopol are used to make the Victoria Cross medal, the highest award for valour in the British Commonwealth. There is only a finite number of these available and with each conflict gets increasingly hard to earn one.

Iron maiden was one of my first loves. 86 Seventh son of the Seventh son , 22 acaia Avenue, I could go on. UP THE IRONS!

Maiden started in the late 70's and were always a metal band but they had a punk vibe to them as well with their first vocalist Paul Di'Anno

Maiden is unique. Just as influential and iconic as Black Sabbath and Judas Priest it's almost impossible to imagine the scene without them but Maiden still destroy crowds worldwide live. An absolute must see but their music transcends race, language or religion- it is Maiden. Gonna be sad when all three bands leave us forever.

" UP THE IRONS! " 🤘🏻🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧🎸 Eddie... 👋🏻😸✌🏻

Maiden are incredible live, the videos will never do it justice. People probably already mentioned this but this but Bruce dickinson the singer is a fully trained pilot and has on multiple world tours flown the band around the world. He also had throat cancer and recovered and still tour's like a boss.

They were created in the mid 70's, established in the late 70's, and perfected in the 80's - Present...

Still fans of all genders, ages, skin tones, all united with the Maiden family. Singer is a their tour jet pilot, champion fencer, author, brewmaster, and more. On tour starting May 2022. Got my tix! Up the Irons!

Not sure how I missed this one guys. Freaking Bruce Dickenson is the the SHIT! One of my fave Iron Maiden songs of all time! Just saw Maiden for the first time in 2019. Just before Covid shut the world down. I had waited 30 plus years and it was SO worth the wait!

Hallowed Be Thy Name is a great Iron Maiden song. They tell stories with their music

I have the benefit of being an 80s and an MTV kid growing up. I distinctly remember Iron Maiden and that MTV constantly playing Run to the Hills and Number of the Beast.

Iron Maiden - Nomad. One of their best songs ever.!!

The greatest heavy metal rhythm section of all time!

I think Iron Maiden has always done Heavy Metal music, since the beginning, with the same style. Unlike Pantera, who really started as a glam rock band, to finally switch, to something way more powerful, and be successful

If you loved Iron Maiden’s ‘The Trooper’, you’ll absolutely love the Rock group Liliac. They are three brothers and two sisters. They’ve performed on TV on World’s Best and AGT. Their music producer father saw that they were also musical and gave them each an instrument and encouraged them. Their names, current ages and instruments are as follows. Samuel - 22 - Lead Guitar Abigail - 21 - Drummer Melody - 20 - Front Woman Vocalist and Bass Guitar Ethan - 15 - Rhythm Guitar Justin - 14 - Keyboards This performance of ‘The Trooper’ was from THREE YEARS AGO! They are BEYOND FANTASTIC! I would especially love to see your reactions to The Trooper. Here’s the link to their official release. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/heCpe7eAmq3Sh4E.html

Iron Maiden is one of those bands that plays what you hear on their albums a billion times better LIVE! You heard them and saw them and they play to huge crowds every tour. This is what makes them one of the greatest British Heavy Metal bands. G.O.A.T.!! A bit of history of Iron Maiden. They started in England by founders Steve Harris, the bass player and Dave Murray, on of the three guitarists. Around 1975/1976 they formed and up until they got their first recording contract, there have been different members that came and went until the classic line-up included the two founders along with late Clive Burr on drums, Dennis Stratton on guitar and Paul DiAnno on vocals. They were known to be a punk band because of the vocalist at this time and recorded the first two albums self titled, Iron Maiden in 1980 and followed up with Killer in 1981. By the second album, guitarist Dennis Stratton left the band and Adrian Smith took over. In 1982 they released a limited LIVE EP of 6 songs, Maiden Japan. This would be the last recording with Paul DiAnno on vocals and hired Bruce Dickinson which changed the bands sound to heavy metal. The third album introduced Bruce in vocals, The Number of the Beast and would be the late Clive Burr’s last album with the band and Clive’s drum tech, Nicko McBrain took over drums and is still the. Ands drummer today. This line-up stayed together until Adrian Smith left before the band recorded No Prayer for the Dying and Jannick(Yannick) Gers took over in guitar. Then, in the early ‘90’s after studio album, Fear of the Dark and two LIVE albums were released, Bruce left the band to Purdue a solo career and taken over on vocals was former Wolfsbane singer, Blaze Bayley who didn’t have the strong high vocals Bruce had which, again, changed the bands sound in terms of the voice. Blaze recorded two studio albums with the band in the mid to late ‘90’s and the band could only play clubs or smaller venues and not playing the huge crowds, stadiums or coliseums. The 2000’s saw a reunited with a three guitar maestros making this a new and improved Iron Maiden! Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith came back for the biggest reunion the Heavy Metal community has been waiting for. Their first studio album as a six piece band, Brave New World put Iron Maiden back on top and selling out huge crowds again and has been together to this day. Any song by Iron Maiden is a banger! Hope this helped you guys. See ya next time! - Gene A.

Saw them in Denver 2010 when I was 8. Good times

I saw Iron Maiden during that same tour and still have the shirt I bought at the show.

Maiden are in the Original big 4. Maiden, Sabbath, Priest and Cooper. The real OGs!

Few hundred thousand. Was there I’ve been friends with them since 80. They took me to my first concert in America which was a scorpions show with Bon Jovi opening. Got to tour with them a few times in mid 80s.

They have so much fun performing for all of us! Their shows are amazing every single time! They never disappoint. Up The Irons🤘💯 Check out their Live After Death concert from the 80's when they were in their prime(of course they have never out of their prime) younger days, amazing. Check it out.

80,000 people back then I was one of them and I’ll be there again this year 🤘🏻

AHHHH I got to see them in 1984 the Piece of Mind tour. was so amazing! awesome band! 🤘🤘🤘🤘

Steve Harris, the bass player, chief songwriter, and, defacto band leader, formed Maiden in 1975.

I been sitting here watching reaction videos for an hour, all with music I grew up listening to. It blows my mind how many people have never heard this stuff. I went through my dad’s record collection when I was around 13-14 and found some AMAZING things. 🤯

I love iron maiden, they were releasing music when my dad was my age, and he's 60 now. Its great being able to listen to the same music as him. The Trooper is somewhat relevant to the current world situation, as its about the Charge of the Light Brigade, during the Crimean war. Personally, my favourite Iron Maiden song is Paschendale.

You guys HAVE to watch the Flight 666 documentary. Not necessarily for a reaction, but just to get a whole new appreciation for the band and their fans world-wide. It turned me from a casual fan to a UP THE IRONS fanatic!

My favorite band of all time. I'm so thrilled that they are still putting out new music and touring. I'll be quite sad the day they finally call it quits... it will be the day my childhood truly dies.

HUGE THANKS for recognizing Nicko McBrain who is sooooo overlooked and under-rated. Trying to remember if you have done Ryme of the Ancient Mariner but if not he really throws on an exhibition doing that song…

The clansman live (Bruce singing) is brilliant. Def worth a watch.

Love your channel - great tunes - respect from the UK.

It is so crazy to think that Maiden is playing in front of some of the largest audiences of their careers almost four decades into their career. But their music is just Timeless and Universal. Plus they put on a fantastic show. They are on tour North America this summer for the legacy of the Beast tour and I highly highly recommend you go see them. It is really an experienced best done with a group of friends a few beers and you're going to have Memories Forever.

Im a bus driver here in southwest Florida, and there is a guy who rides on one of my routes and I swear he could pass for a twin to Hollywood. Looks like a younger version of Hollywood with an afro 🤣🤣🤣

The lead singer is also a commercial airline pilot.

The artwork was firedThe artwork was fired And the music is awesome

Bruce's book, What Does This Button Do?, is a really good read!

As a teen in the mid 80s on my wall was black sabbath, ozzy with randy, iron maiden, surfing, famous ladies and military equipment posters. On my ceiling I had 2 concert banners I bought from my friends brother he got when iron maiden was in town. My room was long and sorta thin so the 2, 6 foot by 6foot banners fit easily. On my door was a life size poster of cyborg Eddie from somewhere in time. The banners were the number of the beast cover and the killers album cover. I am am a huge old school maiden fan.

Singer flies the jumbo jet too !!!!

I was there, and try closer to 100,000 people. Maiden were formed in London in 1975 and have never been Psychedelic in any way whatsoever 🤣

thanks for this video {reaction} the Maidens are legendary! ⸸

You need to check out The Count of Tuscany by Dream Theater when you get the chance. A 20 minute musical journey that you won't regret embarking on.

1975 they where formed by Steve Harris bass player still there today. By the way dates for 2022 World tour announced " Legacy of the Beast" it's called.

The drummers name is Niko McBrain

at 5:12 when you're trying to figure out what this song is about, Iron Maiden always tells a story in their songs! The one thing they're really famous for in the metal world and yes they were thrash before it was considered thrash just like Lemmy and Motorhead! It's about an actual battle called the battle of Balacava. They wrote the song as if they were the soldier who died during that battle but fought until the end.

I got to see them live and it will go down in my history of favorite things I have ever witnessed.

The song was about to charge the Light Brigade written by Alfred Lord Tennyson! It's to commemorate the battle that happened in that poem!

This is Iron Maiden's most straight ahead rocker. This is very much tied into the subject matter, which is a military charge, in particular the debacle that became known as the charge of the light brigade. British officers sent their troops up what was thought to be a lightly protected hill, but instead sent them straight into the teeth of Russia's forces. It was a slaughter. When word got back to Britain, Alfred, Lord Tenneson immortalized it in a poem. "Theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do and die". That is what Iron Maiden is capturing in this song, both with the lyrics and the music.

One of the reasons why Maiden are so consistently amazing is that no one works as hard as they do. For years, the routine hardly varied -- rehearse for a tour, then go out on tour. Write the next album while on tour. Get back home, rehearse, go into the studio, record the next album. Rehearse for next tour in support of album. That kind of rigorous schedule was far more common back then than it is NOW, but few bands were able to match their drive & dedication, year after year after year. Iron Maiden are just in another class.

Nico McBrain is Maiden's drummer and a real nice guy. He once posed for a picture with me after my wife spotted him and chased after him, to bring him back over to where I was waiting in the shopping mall. The whole band have respect for their fans and the fans are loyal to Iron Maiden. Up the Irons!!!

Ok 2 suggestions. 1 sticking with Maiden- Hallowed Be Thy Name 2 I just noticed a Zelda rap reaction from a couple days ago, August Burns Red does an amazing instrumental of the Zelda theme

Up the Irons 🤘 Iron Madien has a style all their own. Galloping Guitars, booming vocals and a surprising history lesson to boot.

I got to see them at the Omni in Atlanta on the Somewhere In Time tour

Maiden, Judas, Motorhead and Sabbath. The big four of Early British Metal Wave 🙏

Bruce (the lead singer) is actually an aire to the throne on England. He wrote a scathing book about parliament.

There was probably at least 100,000 people there. Maiden is one of the best! 🔥🔥🔥🍻🍻

Lead singer and Captain Bruce Dickinson, drummer and copilot Nicko Mc Brain. In addition to driving around his own tanks Bruce Dickinson also is a pilot of an enormous 747 that flies he in bandmates around on world tours

Love your reaction videos, but the little clip you showed in the beginning brought back memories. My daughter was 5. She wanted to learn how to golf. I was holding the ball about waist high, and told her to take a practice swing before I put it down. She thought I meant at the ball. I took a 5 iron straight to the nuts😵😩😫

Great music 🎶. Like your enthusiasm brilliant 🤩 👍👍👍🎶🎶🎶

Have you guys checked out any Latin music? There is a lot of great Rock bands from many parts of the world and the diversity of sound in many of the songs is actually pretty cool, most of the ones I have heard are from México since that is were I am from but there are also from Argentina, Spain and other spanish speaking places, some groups I could recommend is for instance Caifanes(Afuera, Celula que explota), Maldita Vecindad(Kumbala, Pachuco), Tijuana No(Pobre de ti), Soda Estereo, La Ley, Fobia... there are many others that I think you might enjoy discovering if you have not heard them yet ✌🙂

Their singer flys the plane on their world tours. There is a really cool video about it. It's a giant plane.

I remember a interview with Bruce Dickinson where he said the first time they played Download known then as Donnington Monsters of Rock that he didnt open his eyes until about half way through the set as he was bricking it. As for the drummer, thats Nico Mcbrain.

They are so good, man. All in!!

Bros...one of the official times my mind was blown, I went to 37 concert in the 70s. One was iron maiden, Judas priest together. Unbelievable

Nico is one of the most respected drummers in the world. Plays barefoot single peddle too. "No tricky bollocks".

Fear of the dark... Rock in Rio 🤘

You guys should do the live Fear of the dark!! It is amazing!!

The video you guys really need to check out is The Final Frontier- Live in Chile 2010

Bruce was Maiden’s 2nd singer. The Trooper is from a classic novel if I remember correctly

if you havnt seen maiden live you havnt lived.incredible

I don't know what that comment was talking about Maiden being psychedelic lol in their early days 1975/79 they were one of the bands started the new wave of British Heavy Metal and they had a more punk kind of sound but still heavy.

Bruce Dickenson is when Maiden really started...

My friend KARNIVOOL - SIMPLE BOY - is new to school and is feeling kind of lonely. None of the other youtube reactors will play with him. You two lads seem like nice people & you really seemed to like his brothers THEMATA & GOLIATH from over a year ago... can you please give SIMPLE BOY a chance?

Legends, and the nicest blokes!

Hollywood! Smoke-diggedy! Remember one thing: the big four...trash metal...even bands like Tool would have not been possible without Maiden. To give you just one example: during a Sepultura/Kreator gig, they played some music over the sound system while rearanging the stage. On came "Run to the Hills" by Maiden. Everybody - and I mean EVERYBODY - was singing along. With a smile on their face. From the very first to the very last fucking word. That, ladies and gentlemen, is Iron Maiden.