Happy Halloween! What better way to celebrate than with Bruce Dickinsons first album as vocalist for Iron Maiden, “Number of the Beast”!! It’s playing right now, and I must say, this really is one of my absolute favorite records. I’ve been looking forward to it all week!
So, yesterday we waved bye bye to Paul Di’Anno, thank goodness. I don’t know if I could have taken another album with him.

Where do I start? “Number of the Beast” was a huge deal for the band. The songs are way more complex. I’ve read that Steve Harris had an opportunity to expand and try a different approach to writing the songs due to the inclusion of Dickinson. Producer Martin Birch said he didn’t think Di’Anno could swing with some of the newer things Harris wanted to try. I am inclined to agree with him.
It’s been said Bruce Dickinson had a hand in writing on some of the songs but because of contract issues with his previous band, Samson, he couldn’t take a song writing credit.

There was lot’s of talk of weird shit happening during the recording too I guess. Lights turning on and off and blah to the blah. The best in my opinion though is the story about (producer) Martin Birch getting in a car accident with a bus full of nuns and ending up with a repair bill for 666 pounds. Classic.
This kinda of thing only helped make religious groups (mainly in America, figures.) even more sure that Iron Maiden, were in FACT, dirty heathen satanists who wanted to eat babies while riding naked on goats down streets filled with virgin blood. Really. I am going to say that’s exactly what they said.

The art didn’t help these would be satanists either. Depicting Eddie controlling the devil on strings, who in turn also had another smaller Eddie on strings. Another absolute favorite thing about this album for me. I even had a cheap skateboard with the image of half Satan half Eddie. Fuck… I’m starting to weird myself out now.

When it comes to songs, man, it’s hard. There are plenty of great ones on this record. Obviously, the title track a must! NUMBER OF THE BEAST
“Run to the Hills” as well. It was a hit single for them after all. This song is fucking amazing still! Best experienced with the video… RUN TO THE HILLS VIDEO (it’s especially awesome around the 3:66 mark)

Honestly though, you just can’t go wrong with this album. I could keep talking about it but I have other things to do. Drats.

Track Listing:
1.”Invaders”
2.”Children of the Damned”
3.”The Prisoner”
4.”22 Acacia Avenue”
5.”The Number of the Beast”
6.”Run to the Hills”
7.”Gangland”
8.”Hallowed Be Thy Name”

In todays Eddie sketch he is enjoying trick or treating with some friends: