Rod Smallwood , Iron Maiden , recounted how an accident that resulted in a cut on Bruce Dickinson during a show at Rock in Rio helped the band become better known in South America and the United States.
Above all, in an interview with Classic Rock, the businessman recalled the episode that occurred in 1985:
“We had no history in South America before that. We played before Queen, and the estimated audience was 300,000 people – but it could have been more. And it was broadcast live on TV. Not just in Brazil, but throughout South America.”
Rod explains the sound conditions: “The sound was really bad on stage. Bruce got so frustrated that he kicked some monitors. That's when he hit the head of a guitar and cut himself. Blood was running down his face.”
Smallwood says he was on the side of the stage when Bruce approached him. “See that camera over there with the red light on? Put your head right in front of it!” Bruce tells a different version of the story, where he says he sent a roadie over to ask him to widen the wound a little so he would bleed more!.
Watch the moment of Iron Maiden's performance in Brazil:
Iron Maiden and the results of the impact
The manager's intervention at the time of the accident worked, as the sight of the vocalist's bloodied face resulted in a huge reaction. "After that show, we played to a minimum of 40,000 people a night in South America — practically forever."
Rod describes the moment as "one of the most important shows we've ever done" and explains how it was directly related to his goals. "Metal is a global thing, and I always wanted Maiden to be a hugely successful international band.".
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