At the height of my Maiden mania, I was pleased to learn that Bruce Dickinson had solo albums (often involving other alumni too), but I hadn't realistically expected them to be as good as they were, sometimes far surpassing what the bigger band was doing at the same time. And other times, not so much. Here are my Top 7 Bruce Discs-inson.
Guitar key:
Janick Gers
Roy Z
Alex Dickson
Adrian Smith & Roy Z
Bruce's brief reinvention as a 90s alt-prog band never grabbed me, and these economical songs all sound pretty much the same, even if the man himself is on top form.
Fave: Space Race
Apart from the big 'un, which can be salvaged on a best-of, no other songs have ever made an impression the various times I've given the album a chance. He remastered it recently, but sound quality was never the issue. I'm afraid Maiden's Bruceless X Factor won this round.
Fave: Tears of the Dragon
Bruce let off steam and showcased his hard rock side, aided by Janick Gers, in what proved to be a more worthwhile effort than the subsequent Iron Maiden release, not for the last time. Not all of it stands out, but it's something you can leave playing happily enough.
Fave: Son of a Gun
This grand return falls short of greatness, but it's good that he tried. The opening set high expectations that immediately petered out, but there's enough variety to merit returns.
Fave: Afterglow of Ragnarok
Now reunited, and losing another guitarist to the Beast, Bruce was spreading himself thinner by the time he decided to crack another one off. That means the filler's back, but there are more buried gems than I'd remembered. I might even have thought 'Navigate the Seas of the Sun' was from A Matter of Life and Death, terrible lapsed fan that I am.
Fave: Kill Devil Hill
The dark, brooding cousin of Seventh Son might well be the Bruce Dickinson band's artistic triumph, but it's a bit more arduous and less fun than Accident of Birth, and the choruses are starting to sound strained. I was also too Blaked out by A-level English to appreciate its sentiments at the time.
Fave: The Tower
Now joined by Adrian on lead guitar and Derek Riggs on gruesome cover art, the Iron Maiden exiles more than hold their own riding Roy Z's heavy groove. Even as a staunch X Factor defender, this beast's more alive, and it's an easier listen than their follow-up.
Fave: Darkside of Aquarius
