After years of being snubbed, Iron Maiden were finally announced as a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee earlier this year. With the legendary metal band set to be on tour in Australia in November, they won’t be in attendance at the Los Angeles induction ceremony, but as it turns out they wouldn’t have shown up anyway.
With frontman Bruce Dickinson a longtime vocal critic of the Rock Hall, it’s no surprise that Maiden won’t be there to receive the honor, scheduling conflict or not. However, they are not going so far as to refuse induction, as the singer once suggested.
Iron Maiden’s Thoughts on the Induction
In a new interview, Dickinson and Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris were asked by Metal Hammer whether they were planning to turn down the honor outright, and Harris replied, “No, there have only been comments from a couple of members of the band here and there. Bruce has his own strong feelings about it, which is his opinion. It’s never really bothered me one way or the other, because awards aren’t what we do this for. But in a weird way I’m glad it’s happened so the Americans will stop banging on about it. To me, if you get offered something, you say, ‘Thank you very much.’ But did I lose sleep over getting it or not getting it? No.”
Dickinson added, “I can’t even summon the energy to be vitriolic about it. I appreciate that a significant number of people are happy for us. That’s nice. It’s not something we’re bothered about.”
Further pressed as to whether they would have attended the upcoming ceremony had they not already been scheduled to be on tour in Australia in November, Dickinson simply responded, “No.”
Harris offered, “I don’t do those sort of things. I didn’t even go to the recent red carpet thing for the Iron Maiden documentary. It’s not me.”
Upcoming Tour
While they won’t be at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Iron Maiden will be in North America in August and September for their “Run for Your Lives Tour” with support from Megadeth and Anthrax. Get tickets here.
In conclusion, Iron Maiden’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a significant honor, but it’s clear that the band doesn’t place much importance on it. With their upcoming tour and other projects, Iron Maiden is focused on continuing to make great music and perform for their fans, rather than seeking validation from awards or institutions.
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