Hidden messages in Iron Maiden's music?

Written by Thomas, April 2005

he discussion whether there are hidden messages in metal is perhaps not as intense today as it has been. But that several bands and artists has been on trial for having hidden or backwards messages in their music is a fact. Ozzy for having the words "Shoot, Shoot" and Judas Priest "Do It" hidden in their songs and therefore they must have encouraged to suicide, at least that was what they was on trail for.

nyway, today I felt it would be nice to talk about the hidden messages of Iron Maiden, although those I will mention isn't really that hidden and I haven't bother to try to find out what they mean since they probably doesn't mean anything anyway. Piece Of Mind is a nice little record, that ought to be in every record collection, and have you ever wondered what the hell is being said in the start of the song Still Life? What mystery lies behind this backward message? Let me kill the mystery for you, what you hear is a drunken Nicko McBrain doing an impersonation of Idi Amin. It was put on the album as a joke in response to all religious fanatics burning their albums and accusing Maiden of being Satanists and having hidden messages on their albums and God knows what else.

nd here is something more for the department of stupid Maiden trivia: Look at the center of your vinyl copies of these albums to find little printed "messages". On Piece Of Mind you can find the inscription: "Utopia". Move on to Powerslave and you can find this on the A-side: "Theres only one um". And when you flip the album over you can read this on the B-side: "Thats fuck um". With Somewhere In Time you get a bit of Monty Python humor as the A-side reads: "It were so loud". While on the B-side it reads: "Even quiet bits were loud". Last album I discovered these inscriptions on is Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son and this is what I found on the A-side: "Very direct metal". And on the B-side: "If you dont like it - bollocks". Are these messages compelling you to do evil acts or just a taste of the humor of the Maiden guys?

Thomas - April 2005