Why You Should Never Ask Iron Maiden to Lip-Sync on TV
What happens when you ask one of the world's biggest metal bands to lip-sync on TV?
What happens when you ask one of the world's biggest metal bands to lip-sync on TV? Look no further (or is it farther?) than this vintage—and hilarious—Iron Maiden clip from 1986.
That August, a German TV show, P.I.T., asked the hard-rocking U.K. band to lip-sync along to “Wasted Years”—which, we remind you, was not all that unusual in the mid-Eighties (and long before and long after).
Things start off pretty normal—except that Steve Harris and Dave Murray have switched instruments. Then, at the 40-second mark, Bruce Dickinson grabs Harris' guitar while Harris grabs the mic. Then Dickinson pretends to play a guitar solo during the verse. Suddenly drummer Nicko McBrain leaves his kit ... he’s then handed a bass ... then Harris gets behind the drums.
There's really no point explaining the rest; you'll just have to watch. Let's just say things "sink" into madness. The motto here? Do NOT ask Iron Maiden to lip-sync.
"Wasted Years" is from the band's 1986 album, Somewhere in Time. Carry on!
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
“Maybe Aerosmith will do something in the future, but it’s a big ‘if’ – the last thing I want to be doing is to try and push Steven in that direction”: Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton gives update on frontman Steven Tyler’s health
“This epic is Page’s crowning achievement in guitar orchestration”: Led Zeppelin's 50 greatest songs