Now Very Beast - Iron Maiden: The Next Ten Years

On September 6, 2021, Labor Day here in the States, just a few days after the long-awaited release of Iron Maiden's 17th studio album, Senjutsu, my great friend Paul Lembo and I met to do a deep dive on our thoughts on the album. We set up a mic, hit record, and had an absolute blast engaging in a favorite activity - talking all things Maiden. Two hours later, I had a very unstructured discussion that I had no idea how to edit into a show. I knew it was too long, I knew the discussion was scattered, I knew that the volume between the two of us wasn't well-engineered. I didn't care. I love talking music with my friends, and I had so much fun with my buddy opining about Senjutsu that I didn't really have the heart to start trimming.

So now, almost 3 weeks later, I'm doing what I should have done in the first place - just put it out there without changing a damn thing. Well, I did cut it up into 3 overly long episodes, but what follows is our version of a conversation taking place all over the world, as millions of rabid metal fans dig into this new record from their favorite band, and proceed to analyze, criticize, and praise every tiny detail of this new release. Enjoy...

NVB10.8 Part 3 of 3

Our deep dive into Senjutsu continues, with discussion on specific tracks, the mix, Bruce’s voice, the different styles on the album, Paul’s alternate title for the record, lyrical content, which song(s) would improve the album by staying home, colonialism, Dave Murray’s excellence as a guitarist, the overwhelming gratitude for having a 17th studio album and the odds on studio album 18, what Senjutsu songs will likely be featured live, and of course, why these songs are too long.

On September 6, 2021, Labor Day here in the States, just a few days after the long-awaited release of Iron Maiden's 17th studio album, Senjutsu, my great friend Paul Lembo and I met to do a deep dive on our thoughts on the album. We set up a mic, hit record, and had an absolute blast engaging in a favorite activity - talking all things Maiden. Two hours later, I had a very unstructured discussion that I had no idea how to edit into a show. I knew it was too long, I knew the discussion was scattered, I knew that the volume between the two of us wasn't well-engineered. I didn't care. I love talking music with my friends, and I had so much fun with my buddy opining about Senjutsu that I didn't really have the heart to start trimming.

So now, almost 3 weeks later, I'm doing what I should have done in the first place - just put it out there without changing a damn thing. Well, I did cut it up into 3 overly long episodes, but what follows is our version of a conversation taking place all over the world, as millions of rabid metal fans dig into this new record from their favorite band, and proceed to analyze, criticize, and praise every tiny detail of this new release. Enjoy...

NVB10.7 Part 2 of 3

We finally properly start tackling the songs in sequence. For a while anyway. Topics include the strength of Nicko’s drumming on this record, the sound of the synth samples, why Adrian doesn’t still use guitar synth, why the guitar is always doubling the vocal melody, Janick’s strengths and weaknesses, the middle channel traffic of the mix, and of course, why these songs are too long.

On September 6, 2021, Labor Day here in the States, just a few days after the long-awaited release of Iron Maiden's 17th studio album, Senjutsu, my great friend Paul Lembo and I met to do a deep dive on our thoughts on the album. We set up a mic, hit record, and had an absolute blast engaging in a favorite activity - talking all things Maiden. Two hours later, I had a very unstructured discussion that I had no idea how to edit into a show. I knew it was too long, I knew the discussion was scattered, I knew that the volume between the two of us wasn't well-engineered. I didn't care. I love talking music with my friends, and I had so much fun with my buddy opining about Senjutsu that I didn't really have the heart to start trimming.

So now, almost 3 weeks later, I'm doing what I should have done in the first place - just put it out there without changing a damn thing. Well, I did cut it up into 3 overly long episodes, but what follows is our version of a conversation taking place all over the world, as millions of rabid metal fans dig into this new record from their favorite band, and proceed to analyze, criticize, and praise every tiny detail of this new release. Enjoy...

NVB10.6 Part 1 of 3

This episode audio starts without preamble, as we jump right into the middle of a conversation, as Paul relates first getting into Maiden and we talk a little bit about songs that are hard to listen to as they are so closely tied to our good friend. Finally after about 5 minutes I properly introduce Paul and what we’re doing.

As far as the album goes, we discuss the title, Sun and Steel beer, Paul's wonderfully over the top Maiden jeans vest ("battle jacket"), where Janick & Dave shop, why this album is far too long, and skip around a bit on discussing the songs, largely as pertains to song length.

In honor of my late friend John’s birthday, I share possibly the dorkiest story of our teenage years. How dorky? A CD changer is the main player (heh heh) in this story...

Episode 10 of Now Very Beast - Iron Maiden: The Next Ten Years

A review and discussion of IRN10 The First Ten Years Part X, The Clairvoyant (Live) & Infinite Dreams (Live)...

Bonus episode which goes into excessive detail about record shows and collecting the First Ten Years series...

Episode 9 of Now Very Beast - Iron Maiden: The Next Ten Years

A review and discussion of IRN09 The First Ten Years Part IX, Can I Play With Madness & The Evil That Men Do...

Bonus episode, in which our heroes learn to be careful what they wish for, and that there’s popular and then there’s high school dance popular...

Episode 8 of Now Very Beast - Iron Maiden: The Next Ten Years

A review and discussion of IRN08 The First Ten Years Part VIII, Wasted Years & Stranger in a Strange Land...

Bonus episode, in which I tell a personal story about my friend and how we decided where Iron Maiden's cover of "King of Twilight" and Public Enemy's "Brothers Gonna Work it Out" should fall in our pre-show walk-on music...

Episode 6 of Now Very Beast - Iron Maiden: The Next Ten Years

A review and discussion of IRN06 The First Ten Years Part VI, 2 Minutes to Midnight & Aces High...

Episode 5 of Now Very Beast - Iron Maiden: The Next Ten Years

A review and discussion of IRN05 The First Ten Years Part V, Flight of Icarus & The Trooper...

Episode 4 of Now Very Beast - Iron Maiden: The Next Ten Years

A review and discussion of IRN04 The First Ten Years Part IV, Run to the Hills & The Number of the Beast, Mike spots a printing error, and Mace lends a joke...

Episode 3 of Now Very Beast - Iron Maiden: The Next Ten Years

A review and discussion of IRN03 The First Ten Years Part III, Purgatory & Maiden Japan, praise for Paul Di’Anno, and maybe I tip my hand on my view of Killers...

Episode 2 of Now Very Beast - Iron Maiden: The Next Ten Years

A review and discussion of IRN02 The First Ten Years Part II, Women In Uniform & Twilight Zone...

I gave Episode 1 a haircut and moved my discussion of Sanctuary's "now you see it now you don't" placement on the debut album to this bonus episode. 

Episode 1 of Now Very Beast - Iron Maiden: The Next Ten Years

A review and discussion of IRN01 The First Ten Years Part I, Running Free & Sanctuary, plus my unsuccessful attempt to not get TOO detailed about the songwriting credits for Sanctuary and why it isn't on the UK album...

Welcome back! Glad to have you join us for the 31st anniversary of the First Ten Years as we celebrate the 41st anniversary of the self-titled debut album from Iron Maiden. Yeah, this show was just one more thing that got postponed this past year, but we're getting ready to go now!

Here's a quick updated preview episode of Now Very Beast - Iron Maiden: The Next Ten Years. The podcast that plans to update the Iron Maiden project "The First Ten Years", discussing the reasons for doing so, why an obscure record release is so important to this guy, and how this show is going to be an unashamedly personal discussion of the host's relationship with Maiden, with music, and with his late friend...

2021 should be a big year for Maiden, with a new album reportedly on the horizon, a probable return to touring, and maybe even being honored by Cleveland, Ohio? Stay tuned...

Welcome to Episode Zero, or the preview episode of Now Very Beast - Iron Maiden: The Next Ten Years. This opening episode goes over the plan to update the 30 year old Iron Maiden project "The First Ten Years", the reasons for doing so, why an obscure record release is so important to this guy, and how this show is going to be an unashamedly personal discussion of the host's relationship with Maiden, with music, and with his late friend...