Iron Mac

The First Ten Years is a series of 10 CDs and double 12" singles by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released between 24 February and 28 April 1990, in commemoration of the band's ten-year recording anniversary…

Several years before Steve Harris formed what would become (arguably) the biggest heavy metal band of all time, four young Basildon rockers going under the dubious moniker of ‘Bum’ decided they had to change their name. Innocent as it may seem today, the name Bum was causing them a lot of problems, with many promoters and clubs refusing to book them as it was seen to be "offensive". Having witnessed Cream perform live in their school hall in 1966, they were inspired enough to get working on a band of their own. They paid their dues initially as Stevenson’s Blues Department, playing regularly as main support to Fleetwood Mac and Jethro Tull amongst others…

Eric Dolphy - Iron Man (1963) {Restless-Metrotone 7 72659-2 rel 1992}
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© 1963, 1992 Restless / Metrotone Records | 7 72659-2
Jazz / Post Bop / Avant-Garde Jazz / Saxophone / Clarinet

The companion piece to Conversations (recorded at the same mid-1963 sessions with producer Alan Douglas), Iron Man is every bit as essential and strikes a more consistent ambience than its widely varied twin. It also more clearly anticipates the detailed, abstract sound paintings of Dolphy's masterwork Out to Lunch, in large part because this time around the program is weighted toward Dolphy originals. "Iron Man," "Burning Spear," and the shorter "Mandrake" all have pretty outside themes, full of Dolphy's trademark wide interval leaps and playful sense of dissonance.

Michael Burks' third release on Alligator Records, Iron Man, is as close to being a live album as you can get from a studio performance. This could be attributed to Burks using his seasoned road band on this date instead of the Memphis studio musicians used previously on Make It Rain and I Smell Smoke. Alongside Burks' searing Flying V strut, Wayne Sharp's greasy Hammond B-3 dominates this set, reveling in soul and rock influences, including a cover version of Free's "Fire and Water," a definite nod to the blues-rock audience Burks has gained over his 30-plus years on the road. While Iron Man is an overall inspired modern electric blues disc, a few missteps hamper the session. "Ashes in My Ashtray," penned by Chicago bluesman Jimmy Johnson, would have made a better instrumental in this particular case, as the lyrics get in the way of an intense Burks guitar performance.