Greatest Iron Maiden Music description

Iron Maiden were formed in 1975 in Leyton, East London by bassist Steve Harris, formerly of the band Smiler. The group's lineup was volatile during its early years, but eventually settled on drummer Doug Sampson, guitarist Dave Murray, and vocalist Paul Di'Anno in 1978. Late that year, this incarnation of the band recorded a four-song demo and circulated it to club owners and others involved in the London scene, including the group's soon-to-be manager Ron Smallwood. The demo's popularity led Iron Maiden to self-release it as 1979's The Soundhouse Tapes EP, which soon sold out its 5,000-copy run. After scoring a deal with EMI, the band enlisted a second guitarist, Dennis Stratton. Late in 1979, Sampson departed due to health issues and former Samson drummer Clive Burr took his place behind the kit. The band's self-titled debut arrived in 1980; though it was recorded in a hurry, it was nonetheless a U.K. hit due to the single "Running Free." Its 1981 follow-up, Killers, had a harder approach thanks in part to producer Martin Birch -- with whom the group worked until his 1992 retirement -- and also saw the replacement of Stratton with Murray's childhood friend Adrian Smith.