I was fortunate indeed to inherit my musical appreciation gene from my Dad whose favourite bands were (and still are) Mott The Hoople and Queen, as opposed to my Mum who likes a diverse selection of music, but not with the passion and intensity that I was to develop.  

It meant that from my very earliest memories, the soundtrack to my childhood was filled with the awesome guitar work of Brian May, the most anthemic songs imaginable and the belief that a frontman should be more than just a singer of songs…Ian Hunter and of course Freddie were indeed frontmen in the “showman” mould and to this day, I still love to see a frontman who commands the stage, rather than almost hiding behind the mic. 

As with most kids moving into their early teens, I was still developing my musical taste and looking for that something special. I absolutely loved Queen, but that was my Dad’s music and like a typical teenager, I wanted something that was “mine”. 

It must have therefore been fate that it was at that exact time that I first heard the opening drum intro to “Run To The Hills”, followed by that instant recognisable guitar riff and I can honestly say that I was completely hooked before the song had got anywhere near finishing. The next day I went out and bought the album, The Number Of The Beast, my first rock album and the one that changed my life, quite literally, forever. 

I totally fell in love with the passion, the power, the awesome anthemic nature of not only “Run To The Hills”, but also “The Prisoner”, “The Number Of The Beast” and of course the mighty “Hallowed Be Thy Name” which 25 years later is still one of my very favourite tracks, along with every other Maiden fan. Even now, it is an album that can easily stand proud not only for what it did at the time, but also for how time has not diminished its total brilliance. Listening to it again whilst writing this review has me alternately smiling, singing, screaming and nodding along like that highly impressionable youth all those years ago. 

Add that to the fact that the album artwork was absolutely stunning and helped to define an “image” that I fell for hook, line and sinker. I have never regretted that for one single moment, for whilst life has thrown ups and downs my way since then, my love for music has never faltered and indeed is probably stronger now than ever. I think only rock music seems able to engender such passionate commitment. 

That single purchase led to me not cutting my hair for the next 15 years, wearing typically stereotyped rock garb with any number of different rock t-shirts every day to school (in our 6^th form, you could wear what you liked). I didn’t care that I was the only male in the whole school with long hair and cared even less for the views of schoolmates telling me that metal was crap etc. 

Maiden went on to become the first band I ever saw in concert and whilst I have been to over 600 gigs since then, I can still vividly remember everything about that occasion at the legendary Hammersmith Odeon, from the anticipation on the Tube on the way to the gig, through singing and headbanging all the way through it, to the excited chatter about what I had just witnessed all the way home. 

Whilst The Number Of The Beast is no longer my all-time favourite album (although it’s still right up there amongst the very best), it is easily the most influential of my life and I will forever be thankful for having heard it, as my life has been infinitely more rich and rewarding for having rock music play such an important part.

Let us know your views on Number Of The Beast

Track Listing

Invaders
Children Of The Damned
Prisoner
22 Acacia Avenue
The Number Of The Beast
Run To The Hills
Gangland
Hallowed Be Thy Name

Line Up

Bruce Dickinson - Vocals
Dave Murray - Guitars
Adrian Smith - Guitars
Steve Harris - Bass
Clive Burr - Drums

Related Links

Steve Harris - Interview

Iron Maiden - Birmingham NEC Live Review

Iron Maiden - Hammersmith Apollo Gig Review

Iron Maiden - Death On The Road DVD Review