Former Iron Maiden lead singer Blaze Bayley recently spoke to SoundMojo’s Innersleeve music podcast and discussed his current relationship with his former bandmates, correcting a common misconception about their friendship.
The frontman initially reflected on how it’s tricky to both celebrate his time with Maiden in his concerts and also share his newer solo music with the audience, saying:
“Well, I’m very lucky in a way. Before I joined Iron Maiden, I was an Iron Maiden fan, and I knew what happens to the singers of Iron Maiden and from KISS, ex-members of KISS, bands like that. You will always be associated with that famous band. If you played with Ozzy Osbourne or whatever, you’ll always be associated with those guys. And so I was ready for that.”
He went on to discuss the bond he still shares with his Iron Maiden members:
“I was friends with the guys in the band. I’m still friends with the guys. I go and see [Maiden bassist] Steve Harris with his British Lion band. Also, I saw Maiden twice on this tour and said hi to the guys. So I’m incredibly lucky that in my chosen profession of being a heavy metal singer, I got what is to me the top job, the number one job in the world of my profession.”
Bayley further shared his feelings about being a part of Maidenin at some point in his career:
“That is being the singer of what I consider to be the most important heavy metal band in the world. I’m very lucky to have had that, to have spent five years with Iron Maiden, two albums, a few B-sides — I’m incredibly lucky.”
In an interview with Metal Pilgrim last year, the vocalist again opened up about his relationship with Maiden and explained whether he had any ill feelings towards them. He noted:
“So we are still friends, and there are no hard feelings. I was treated very well by the guys when I left the band, and I’ve always been friends with Bruce before Iron Maiden. Bruce was a bit of a Wolfsbane fan, and we met up before when I was in Iron Maiden. Bruce Dickinson was very supportive, and after I made him with my solo career with my ‘The Man Who Would Not Die’ album, he had his own radio show and got me on there.”
Bayley is set to make his live stage comeback in October, marking his return just seven months after undergoing a quadruple bypass surgery following a heart attack in the first half of 2023.
You can watch his full chat below.
