Iron Maiden win Royal Mail seal of approval with 12 stamps



Band whitethorn additionally had been snubbed via Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nevertheless Royal Mail tin wage tribute to ‘bona fide stone legends’

One of the 12 Iron Maiden stamps, displaying Dave Murray, Bruce Dickinson and Janick Gers successful Rio de Janeiro, January 2001. Photograph: Royal Mail/PAOne of the 12 Iron Maiden stamps, showing Dave Murray, Bruce Dickinson and Janick Gers successful Rio de Janeiro, January 2001. Photograph: Royal Mail/PANadia Khomami Arts and subculture correspondentThu 5 Jan 2023 01.00 ESTLast modified connected Thu 5 Jan 2023 05.25 EST

Iron Maiden whitethorn additionally were snubbed by mode of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame remaining 12 months, but Royal Mail arsenic a minimum has fixed its stamp of support to the dense metallic band.

Twelve stamps volition wage tribute to the “bona fide stone legends” – making Iron Maiden the 5th opus instauration to diagnostic successful a committed stamp issue, pursuing the Beatles successful 2007, Pink Floyd successful 2016, Queen successful 2020, and the Rolling Stones successful 2022.

Eight stamps diagnostic performances by mode of Iron Maiden and each of the contiguous time individuals of the band. The guitarists Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers, the pb vocalist Bruce Dickinson, the drummer Nicko McBrain and the bassist Steve Harris each look successful the commemorative task.

Four of the stamps relation Iron Maiden’s mascot, Eddie. Photograph: Royal Mail/PA

Other stamps wage homage to the band’s mascot, Eddie, which see him dressed arsenic a samurai warrior from the latest Senjutsu album. The workplace medium – the organization’s 17th – was launched successful 2021 and made it to No 2 successful the charts.

Harris said: “We had been each virtually astounded – successful a large mode – erstwhile we archetypal heard astir the commemorative assment, and likewise rather a bully woody speechless portion we noticed the stamps for the superior time. They quality tremendous and honestly prehend the essence and spot of Maiden.”

Iron Maiden was fashioned successful London successful 1975 by mode of Harris. They person had 1 No 1 wrong the UK with the 1988 azygous Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter and 35 songs wrong the Top 40, successful enactment with Official Charts Company.

They person besides had 5 No 1 albums, which includes Fear of the Dark, The Book of Souls, The Final Frontier, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son and The Number of the Beast.

In total, the set person bought other than 100m facts and done enactment astir 2,500 instances crossed 64 planetary locations.

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Though nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame remaining 12 months, Iron Maiden were excluded from the listing of inductees – a determination Kiss’s Gene Simmons known arsenic “disgusting”.

Responding to the stamp problem, Iron Maiden’s supervisor, Rod Smallwood, stated: “As a set who person successful nary mode performed by means of anyone else’s policies for implicit 40 years, it’s precise gratifying to adjacent them honoured of their location america of a successful this manner.

“We’re arrogant to amusement however those six set participants are nevertheless charismatic to progressively much enthusiasts each twelvemonth with their way and their mythical indicates – which I presume these stamps really seizure well.

Adrian Smith and Steve Harris successful Helsinki, May 2018, connected a Royal Mail stamp. Photograph: Royal Mail/PA

“It’s additionally superb that Eddie has been honoured too. It’s exceptional to presume that Her Majesty, whitethorn additionally she remainder successful peace, saw these and lent her iconic silhouette to them too.”

David Gold, the manager of outer nationalist affairs and sum astatine Royal Mail, stated: “Few bands successful the past of stone tune whitethorn beryllium known arsenic bona fide stone legends – but Iron Maiden are simply that – and more.”

The Royal Mail stamps are disposable to bid from 5 January and are connected merchantability from 12 January. Iron Maiden could beryllium backmost connected the roadworthy again with The Future Past excursion successful 2023.