Dickinson, Bruce - The Best Of Bruce Dickinson


Year of Release: 2001
Label: Metal-Is
Catalog Number: MISCD014
Format: CD
Total Time: 134:52:00

There are two versions of this best of disc - the Limited 2 CD version and the single disc version. I've decided to separate the reviews and rate each retail version individually.

Bruce Dickinson has had a chequered career beginning with Samson and moving on to one of the forerunners of heavy metal in Iron Maiden. His departure from Maiden signalled the beginning of a solo career that spawned five studio albums and two live albums. And it is here we find Metal-Is releasing The Best of Bruce Dickinson - with a few new additions to whet your appetites.

CD I:

On the main disc there are two new tracks: "Silver Wings" and "Broken." The first sounds a lot like Maiden's "Aces High" and "Wasted Years." Lyrically this is a great song that deals with bombing raids over Germany in WWII and the song is pacy with Bruce in top form (joining him are Roy Z - g/b - and Dickie Fliszar - d -). The latter is a fairly basic, catchy number that would fit well between Accident Of Birth and The Chemical Wedding - Bruce incorporating trademark melody lines and Roy Z producing some clever guitar riffs. Two live tracks are present (from his live disc Scream For Me Brazil) and include "Laughing In The Hiding Bush" and "Book Of Thel" (a personal favourite). The rest of the disc contains re-mastered material with selected tracks from all of Bruce's solo discs. It's great to hear "Tears Of The Dragon" re-mastered. What a track!

The liner notes are very interesting, too, with Bruce declaring his honest opinion on some of his earlier material and the problems he had with "metal" and of releasing new material. Well worth the read.

CD II:

Disc two is where the majority of the "action" happens. Fundamentally, we are given an insight into Bruce's history - 13 tracks plus a 13 minute monologue from Bruce himself.

This disc features a plethora of the weird and wonderful. It begins with the original Nightmare On Elm Street "Bring Your Daughter ... To The Slaughter," an early "different" version of "Wicker Man" (nothing to do with the Maiden number), and weird-arse tracks such as: "Ballad Of Mutt," "I'm In A Band With An Italian Drummer" (must be heard to be believed), and Bruce's first ever sound recording "Dracula." Another rare and live track in "Jerusalem" is also present. Some of these tracks have been B-sides in the past but there's so much more, a couple of which would be worthy as full releases. Bruce's monologue is outstanding, describing all of the tracks on disc II. He really does talk (and talk, and talk). No wonder he's a singer!

Conclusion: I consider the first disc outstanding but I don't know whether it's value for money since you can pick the majority of his solo material up for mid-price. Thus, if you can afford it, go out and buy the originals. The two new tracks add value for money though. As for the limited edition double disc version (limited to how many Metal-Is?) then the value increases significantly, as does the rating.

[This review originally appeared November 2002 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]
Tracklisting:
Disc One: Broken / Tattooed Millionaire / Laughing In The Hiding Bush / Tears Of The Dragon / The Tower / Born In '58 / Accident Of Birth / Silver Wings / Dark Side Of Aquarius / Chemical Wedding / Back From The Edge / The Road To Hell / Book Of Thel (Live)

Disc Two:* Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter (Original Version) / Darkness Be My Friend / Wicker Man (Original Bruce Track) / Real World / Acoustic Song / No Way Out / Midnight Jam / Man Of Sorrows / Ballad Of Mutt / Re-Entry / I'm In A Band With An Italian Drummer / Jerusalem (Live) / Interview With Bruce / Dracula

* initial pressing only

Musicians:
Bruce Dickinson - vocals
Dickie Fliszar - drums
Roy Z - guitars
Adrian Smith - guitars
Eddie Casillas - bass
Dave Ingraham - drums
Janick Gers - guitars
Alex Dickson - guitars
Andy Carr - bass
Chris Dale - bass
Fabio Del Rio - drums
Doug Van Booven - percussion

Discography:
Tattooed Millionaire (1990)
Balls To Picasso (1994)
Alive In Studio A (1995)
Skunkworks (1996)
Accident Of Birth (1997)
The Chemical Wedding (1998)
Scream For Me Brazil (Live) (1999)
The Best Of Bruce Dickinson (2001)

Genre: Traditional Metal

Origin UK

Added: December 8th 2004
Reviewer: Gary Carson
Score:
Artist website: www.screamforme.com
Hits: 2260
Language: english

  

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