Rock of Nations with Dave Kinchen & Shane McEachern · Rock of Nations with Dave Kinc

#354 #IronMaiden’s #BruceDickinson Talks New Solo Works, Tour & Comics!

·29 min·2 clips

Bruce Dickinson announces he'll play an Iron Maiden song live for the first time ever on his solo tour.

This episode features Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson discussing his current solo projects with hosts Dave Kinchen and Shane McEachern. Dickinson details the recent reimagining of his 1994 solo album "Balls to Picasso," which involved new production, added orchestration, and heavier guitar work. He explains his selective approach to revisiting past albums, noting the orchestral ambition realized for "Tears of the Dragon." Dickinson reveals his upcoming U.S. solo tour will feature the live debut of "Shadow of the Gods" and a unique Iron Maiden song never before performed by the band. He describes assembling his current solo band through personal connections, including drummer Dave Moreno, bassist Tanya O’Callaghan, and guitarist Chris Declercq, who unknowingly played a solo on "Rain on the Graves." The conversation covers "The Mandrake Project," a comic book series Dickinson conceived as a three-and-a-half-year narrative spanning twelve issues. A surprising moment comes when Dickinson shares that Iron Maiden founder Steve Harris heard 18 new solo demos and called them the best material he'd ever heard from him. Dickinson emphasizes an "old school organic" recording philosophy, criticizing the overuse of digital editing like copy-pasting vocals. He discusses maintaining physical fitness through fencing, which he practices competitively, and mentions having two metal hip replacements. The singer reflects on the conscious aging process within Iron Maiden and the different sonic feel brought by new drummer Simon Rackham following Nicko McBrain's retirement. Dickinson dismisses the long-rumored "Three Tremors" project with Rob Halford and Ronnie James Dio, revealing two songs from that concept later became "Tyranny of Souls" and "Shadow of the Gods." The tone is casual, informative, and filled with humorous anecdotes, mirroring a friendly backstage conversation. Fans of Bruce Dickinson's solo work and those interested in the creative processes behind music and comics will find this episode engaging. Listeners seeking a focused discussion on Iron Maiden's current activities might find the solo-centric content less pertinent.

As heard by us

A direct look at reinvention, endurance, and Bruce Dickinson still moving forward.

Bruce Dickinson spends most of the conversation on Balls to Picasso, treating it as a reimagining rather than a brighter remaster. He talks through the new production and engineering, then the added guitars, orchestras, horn sections, and strings that make the record feel alive…

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Why you'd press play

You want Bruce Dickinson on reimagining Balls to Picasso, staying active, and why he keeps moving.

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