Bruce Dickinson , vocalist of Iron Maiden , spoke about the period when Blaze Bayley replaced him in the band. The Wolfsbane was part of the Iron Maiden lineup between 1994 and 1999, and recorded The X Factor (1995) and Virtual XI (1998).
In an interview with Talk Is Jericho , Dickinson explained that, at the time, he didn't stop to listen to the albums released with Bayley on vocals. According to him, his main focus was on his solo career. Bruce also said it wasn't his business, since he was out of the band.
“It’s not that I wasn’t interested in listening to the Blaze-era Maiden albums. I was very busy doing my own thing. So, I had a sort of peripheral awareness, though, in a way, I thought it wasn’t my business because I wasn’t in the band anymore. But I wished him all the best, because when he joined the band, I thought his voice was quite different from mine. I loved what he was doing in Wolfsbane. I hoped it would work out. Unfortunately, it didn’t. But I love Blaze. I think he’s a great guy. There’s not a hint of malice in him. He’s a nice guy,” he declared [transcription via Blabbermouth ].
Lead singer talks about how the idea of singing songs by their predecessor on past tours came about.
In the same conversation, Bruce Dickinson also commented on who suggested that songs sung by Blaze Bayley , such as "The Clansman" and "Sign of the Cross," for example, be sung by him. The Englishman stated that he didn't know and also mentioned a difference between his vocal tones and Blaze's. Besides the songs mentioned, Dickinson has also sung "Man on the Edge," "Futureal," and "Lord of the Flies."
“Actually, I can’t remember. When I heard them, I thought, ‘I think I can put some of my technique in here.’ But to be honest, I think all the songs they did with Blaze would suit my voice. Some of them aren’t in my range. They’re lower. While he sang a certain track with a lot of power because it was in his range, I honestly had difficulty making it sound as effective because it’s a little below where all the power comes into play with my voice,” he concluded.
READ ALSO: Steve Harris recalls Iron Maiden albums with Blaze Bayley on vocals