I always remember when I was very young, my parents occasionally would put on Top Of The Pops 2. That music program which showcases performances of bands from yesteryear and always provokes my parents into telling me how they used to go “clubbing” to this and how this was their “era”. But, I didn’t take an awful lot of interest. That was until one episode, they showed this –

This video made a big impression on a young impressionable mind. The galloping rhythms, the wailing vocals, the ridiculous long hair and the old/mock history footage. Did I quake in fear?! Course I didn’t, I bloody loved it! But it wouldn’t be till a bit later that mine and Maiden’s paths would cross again.

A good few years later in my early years of secondary school, I had a history lesson. This history lesson was one of the first of a new school year and we found out our topic for the year was going to be Native America. I was actually fairly interested in this topic already, but just to demonstrate the different viewpoints, my history teacher (who I’m sure was a secret metalhead!) played Run To The Hills. She explained about how the song was written from both the perspectives of the incoming white explorers and the native americans who were wanted to keep the land they considered belonged to them. The memories came flooding back, and the historical commentary of the song only added to the songs mystique for me.

It all started here.

This history lesson basically helped me decide I was going to pursue an interest in a lot of classic rock, Iron Maiden been in that category at the time. I loved the popular songs of Maiden, Beastie Boys, Europe and Alice Cooper. I rejected anything new in favour of these bands and I think I believed that all new music was crap. I was so dedicated to these rock bands of yesteryear I made a CD with all my favourites on it. I remember having relatives round our house for my birthday and blasting out this CD as loud as I felt possible. But, alas nobody paid attention cause they were all too busy talking to each other. I was so disappointed. I wanted to make a stand!

Found out what happens next in Part Deux!