Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson Recalls In-Air Emergency as Flight Captain + More Life-Threatening Experiences
Iron Maiden‘s Bruce Dickinson is a true Renaissance man and while we all worship him for the god-like frontman he is, being a singer is just one of the head-spinning portions of his résumé. Beyond Maiden, fans are well aware of his status as an airline captain as the all-too literal high-flying vocalist has famously piloted the band’s Ed Force One custom jet around the world on various tours. Throughout his newly released autobiography, What Does This Button Do?, Dickinson chronicles some harrowing in-air situations that easily could have downed him had he not maintained a cool head under pressure. In our interview with metal’s ”Air Raid Siren,” the singer / pilot shared a story you won’t find in the book, detailing his troubling first flight as a captain, and he later pontificated about the fragility of life.
Flying from Gatwick, England to Egypt, Dickinson explained that the plane’s pressurization alarm went off, triggering the oxygen masks to drop from above in the cabin. ”It wasn’t like in the movies because nobody was screaming — there was no loud bang. In fact, it all went in slow time and [was] not a big drama,” he explained in increasingly animated fashion. While Dickinson and his co-pilot were breathing through their oxygen masks, the flight crew knocked at the door, seemingly unfazed by the situation, questioning, ”All the masks have dropped in the back of the cabin — is there a problem?” Meanwhile, the two pilots stressed the enormity of what was happening while the flight crew remained nonchalant, understood what was happening and strapped on their masks as well.
”I was just like, ‘This is not in the script!'” Dickinson exclaimed, smiling and shaking his head in disbelief. The moral of the story? ”Nothing ever happens like it does in the movies.”
While that crisis was averted, Iron Maiden’s frontman details more stressful flying incidents in his book, along with his trip to Sarajevo in the middle of an active war zone while with his solo band as well as his battle with and defeat of head and neck cancer in 2015. Having survived possibly the most life-threatening experience of his now 59 years, we wondered if this had altered his outlook on death.
”Mortality is inevitable,” he understood. What it made Dickinson realize was the value of life and the utilization of his time. ”Don’t waste your time and, above all, don’t let other people waste your time,” he began, adding, ”I reserve the right to be impatient.” Having come out on the positive side of his cancer battle, it seems the polymath is centered as he stated, ”Live life for now; live it for right now.”
What Does This Button Do? spans from Dickinson’s early childhood being raised by his grandparents through the age of five all the way through the present day, detailing his life in and out of Iron Maiden. To grab your copy of this must-read, go here.
(Source http://loudwire.com/)
Behemoth Enter The Studio To Begin Work on The Satanist Follow
Behemoth have confirmed that they’ve entered the studio to begin work on the follow-up to 2014’s The Satanist.
Last week, the band’s frontman Nergal posted a clip showing them rehearsing new material – and he’s now given an update on Instagram reporting that they’re now at Poland’s Monochrome Studio
Nergal says: ”My church is black. This is our shelter for the next week – couldn’t be more excited than I am now! Teaming up with my old partners in crime Tomasz Orion Wróblewski and Zbigniew Promi?ski with technical back up from Mr. Bergstrand and Haldor Grunberg to make the ultimate artistic statement.”
No release date has been set, while further album details will be revealed in due course.
Nergal also reports that he’s been questioned by Polish authorities for a band t-shirt with a design similar to the country’s official coat of arms.
They are accused of disrespecting Poland’s white eagle emblem on their Republic Of The Unfaithful t-shirt design, which features an eagle and two snakes behind an inverted cross.
The band no longer sell the t-shirt at their shows, but Nergal reports that it is Behemoth’s best-selling shirt in their catalogue.
Nergal says: ”Several individuals have been already questioned including heraldists who have made their statement clear: This is not a Polish emblem. Apparently it’s not enough for the decision makers in the court.
”Are they looking for a scapegoat? Is this another attempt of the Polish government to convict Nergal and give an example for other artists? What’s the hidden message of those actions may I ask?”
He adds: ”Weird times, weird country, weird vibes… I do not feel safe and comfortable here I must admit, but do I feel guilty? Fuck no. It is obvious that the eagle that has no crown so can not be a Polish emblem. Period.”
He then points to fans who have the design tattooed and says: ”Shall we arrest them? Peel the skin off? Cover it up? These rhetorical questions I’m gonna leave unanswered here and go to do what I do best – piss stupid people off with sincere and honest art and I shall never give up on my freedom to do so.”
(Sources http://screamingguitars.com/)
