BLAZE BAYLEY: 'I Am Really Proud For My Work With IRON MAIDEN'

Dimitris Kontogeorgakos of Metal-Temple.com recently conducted an interview with UK vocalist Blaze Bayley (IRON MAIDEN, WOLFSBANE). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow.

Metal-Temple.com: On the official BLAZE website, it is mentioned that on this [new BLAZE] album ["The Man Who Would Not Die"], you have chosen a different musical direction; can you give us some more details?

Blaze: The great difference is that this is an album by the band. We have a solid lineup now that we really worked hard to get. We discussed that we have to put our egos aside and work on the music and the best songs we can come up with. No matter you has an idea, if it is a good one we are going to use it. We brought all our ideas on the table and we chose the best ones for this album. This process needs a lot of patience and actually proves that we are strong as a band. And this is why we came up with an album that we all feel so happy about. Everyone has put 100% if himself in this without thinking who is most important.

Metal-Temple.com: You said that you had to put your ego aside to work on this album. It seems to me that you might have had some "ego" issues in the past.

Blaze: When I left IRON MAIDEN, I found myself out of a band for the first time. It was a real shock for me, like an identity crisis. I wanted to put together a lineup as quick as I could to prove that I was still going. The people that I chose were not that experienced and they were creating little problems understanding the situation in the band. We did some great work together but there were some differences like "I have done this and that" and they had done nothing... In the lineup we have now, everyone has done albums, has been on tour with a band so it kind of feels like the time I was with IRON MAIDEN. Because in those days nothing was written and no one came to me to say, "You have to sing this way." Steve Harris said that we will use any idea that meets the high standards of the band. I am really proud for my work with IRON MAIDEN like the hits "Man On The Edge" or "Lord Of The Flies". That period of time helped me build my confidence and improve my songwriting. So this lineup has created an album that really feels good to me.

Metal-Temple.com: So, what about the lyrics? I got the impression that some of them come from your personal experience.

Blaze: I wrote most of the lyrics. Dave and Nick wrote also some of them. But believe me, I can tell a story for every song in the album. Like "Blackmailer", that is about the last record company I was with. They lied to me, they stole from me, hey cheated me and twisted the record deal. So, that's a true story; the only think I left out was the name of the guy who shook my hand! As we were putting the songs in a row, the album seemed to follow a certain road; it starts with biterness, resentment and after a while the will to get back on track as you are in a difficult situation that someone else put you. So it's time to get them back! As the album progresses, it finds you in a job that you don't like but you have to do to survive. Then reaching the end the songs get a little heavier where you realized that this is your life and you have to fight every day to make the most of it. Overall I hope that the people will get the vibe of the album that is based on my experience. You know, after the last album, things got really bad and actually I had to get a job in a factory to make a living. I had no money because I had spent it all in the band but the record company had ripped off. I worked in a warehouse and this experience reminded me of the way I started. "Waiting For My Life To Begin" is about that period of time; when I was working and thinking whether I would be able to get in a band and start singing again. I was looking to the people around me who were doing the same job for almost 20 years and I thought, "Fuck, I have been totally blessed with all the things I have done so it's time to move on." You know, I have been blessed with some loyal fans that have been supporting me even during the dark days!

Metal-Temple.com: I think that you earned their respect with your sincere attitude. So, how did it feel working again with Jase Edwards from WOLFSBANE?

Blaze: It was absolutely incredible! He is such a talented guy! The album was in a terrible condition with too many technical problems and we were in front of a deadline without knowing what to do. So, we phoned Jase asking for his help. He was like Wolf from "Pulp Fiction"; we gave him everything and after one day everything was starting getting into place! He did a magnificent job for us and I really look forward to working with him again in the future.

Metal-Temple.com: Have you ever though of making a new album under the WOLFSBANE name?

Blaze: No, we haven't. Although, we had a reunion on stage last Christmas and it was a lot of fun. We are open though, if something good comes, like a tour in Japan, then we will probably do it as long as it won't interfere with anything else. Nobody's got any ideas and we all are in different musical directions but I wouldn't rule it out in the years to come. Now the most important thing to me is BLAZE.

Read the entire interview at Metal-Temple.com.