The band disagreed with the former vocalist regarding the tracks he claims to have written.
In June of this year Iron Maiden vocalist Dennis Willcock filed a lawsuit against the band alleging that lyrics from several songs were stolen from him, and now, according to Ham & High , the group has responded to the accusations.
The lawsuit cites “Prowler”, “Charlotte the Harlot”, “Phantom of the Opera”, and “Iron Maiden” as compositions by Willcock, while “Prodigal Son” is revealed to be a collaboration between him and bassist Steve Harris . In their response, the band members claim that these tracks were not written by Willcock.
“The lyrics [for “Charlotte the Harlot”] were written by Harris in 1977 to accompany what Dave Murray had already composed when he joined the band in 1976,” the band responded.
They also revealed that Willcock made some changes to the track and to "Prowler," but questioned whether he remembers doing so. "When he was a member of the band, it was normal for him to forget the lyrics or sing the wrong words," they said.
Iron Maiden's former manager, Barry McKay, had previously sued the band for his contribution to "Hallowed Be Thy Name" and reached a settlement with the members. According to Ham & High , he is now representing and assisting Willcock in his legal battle and said he is eager to hear the case in court.
