An Open Letter to all Forum Members

exact33 wrote:

now we can all get back to arguing whether Priest or Maiden are the best!

No argument, Priest by a landslide.

For me, it’s about a tie. There is no clear winner because both have made great and “not so good” albums. But if I was forced to choose... I would go with Maiden because everything from the Di’Anno and 80’s Bruce stuff is all great! They lost me with Blaze.

Same with Priest, except Ripper was actually great. It was the large doses of cheese lyrics and weird experimental detours that lost me.

lol! I have started another argument!

It's clearly Priest for me.

I've just never been into Maiden very much. And I really can't explain why because Dickinson and Halford both screech in "typical metal vocal" fashion and both bands have some progressive tendencies. But for some reason I gravitate toward Priest much more than Maiden. In fact, I don't own any Maiden albums except for a few "Best Of" comps but I own 5 or 6 Priest albums (all early ones of course). So maybe my opinion is skewed simply by exposure but there are seriously very few Maiden songs I'd say I really like. "Two Minutes To Midnight" is probably my favorite but after that it gets really iffy for me.

So let's continue to take this thread down that vein exact started.

What Maiden songs should I hear that might make me change my mind?

I'd normally choose Priest, but it's quite a tough call.

tohostudios wrote:

It's clearly Priest for me.  

I've just never been into Maiden very much.  And I really can't explain why because Dickinson and Halford both screech in "typical metal vocal" fashion and both bands have some progressive tendencies.  But for some reason I gravitate toward Priest much more than Maiden.  In fact, I don't own any Maiden albums except for a few "Best Of" comps but I own 5 or 6 Priest albums (all early ones of course).  So maybe my opinion is skewed simply by exposure but there are seriously very few Maiden songs I'd say I really like.  "Two Minutes To Midnight" is probably my favorite but after that it gets really iffy for me.

So let's continue to take this thread down that vein exact started.

What Maiden songs should I hear that might make me change my mind?

I don’t know... if you don’t already like some of the “best of” hits on your comps, you might just not like Maiden.

Here are some songs I like that are not the typical “hits”...

Running Free
Murders in the Rue Morgue
Gangland
Stranger in a Strange Land
Moonchild
Tailgunner
Judas Be My Guide
Ghost of the Navigator

(IMHDO)
Great studio albums by Priest...
RR, SWOD, SAS, SG, KM/HBFL, BS, SFV, DOTF, and AIR
Great studio albums by Maiden...
IM, K, NOTB, POM, P, and SIT
9 to 6, Priest for the win

By the way PK by Priest and SSOASS by Maiden are contrived boring albums that other bands of that time did better

James B. wrote:

(IMHDO)
Great studio albums by Priest...
RR, SWOD, SAS, SG, KM/HBFL, BS, SFV, DOTF, and AIR
Great studio albums by Maiden...
IM, K, NOTB, POM, P, and SIT
9 to 6, Priest for the win

By the way PK by Priest and SSOASS by Maiden are contrived boring albums that other bands of that time did better

Painkiller is boring? That’s the first I’ve ever heard that!

Troublezone wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

It's clearly Priest for me.  

I've just never been into Maiden very much.  And I really can't explain why because Dickinson and Halford both screech in "typical metal vocal" fashion and both bands have some progressive tendencies.  But for some reason I gravitate toward Priest much more than Maiden.  In fact, I don't own any Maiden albums except for a few "Best Of" comps but I own 5 or 6 Priest albums (all early ones of course).  So maybe my opinion is skewed simply by exposure but there are seriously very few Maiden songs I'd say I really like.  "Two Minutes To Midnight" is probably my favorite but after that it gets really iffy for me.

So let's continue to take this thread down that vein exact started.

What Maiden songs should I hear that might make me change my mind?

I don’t know... if you don’t already like some of the “best of” hits on your comps, you might just not like Maiden.

Here are some songs I like that are not the typical “hits”...

Running Free
Murders in the Rue Morgue
Die With You Boots On
Gangland
Stranger in a Strange Land
Moonchild
Tailgunner
Judas Be My Guide
Ghost of the Navigator

I'd add Be Quick Or Be Dead to the list. One of the best metal songs ever .

Troublezone wrote:

Painkiller is boring? That’s the first I’ve ever heard that!  

The "contrived" before "boring" gives context, other bands were doing that style of metal before Priest got their new wind up toy (Scott Travis) and did it better (IMHDO) The bombastic cheesy lyrical content was a bit much, even for 80's era Priest standards. Increasing tempo and over processed vocal screams, do not automatically make a great album. Agian, (IMHDO)

Toho, get Maidens Piece of Mind. If Revelations and Still Life doesn’t make you a fan nothing will.

James B. wrote:

Troublezone wrote:

Painkiller is boring? That’s the first I’ve ever heard that!  

The "contrived" before "boring" gives context, other bands were doing that style of metal before Priest got their new wind up toy (Scott Travis) and did it better (IMHDO) The bombastic cheesy lyrical content was a bit much, even for 80's era Priest standards. Increasing tempo and over processed vocal screams, do not automatically make a great album. Agian, (IMHDO)

Many people believe that Deep Purple did the “Rock and Rolla” style before and better. I find that album derivative and unoriginal. We can let that slide being it was their first album... they didn’t really have an identity until Sad Wings. I don’t believe Painkiller was contrived in a bad way. The band was getting better as musicians and wanted to step their game up. Sure the thrash scene influenced them, but when you’ve done the same blues based metal for almost 20 years, sometimes you want to spice things up and add some modern and current flavor. It happens all the time. Not everyone needs to stay in the same place forever like AC/DC and Motörhead. Look how Pantera evolved. They kept getting heavier each album. Why not Priest?

I’m glad you do always add the IMHO after your comments. Because that’s really what it is for all of us... opinions.

Btw... Scott Travis kicks ass! Much better than Dave Holland. Didn’t they even use a drum machine on Ram It Down because Holland couldn’t play the way they wanted.

Gilbert wrote:

Troublezone wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

It's clearly Priest for me.  

I've just never been into Maiden very much.  And I really can't explain why because Dickinson and Halford both screech in "typical metal vocal" fashion and both bands have some progressive tendencies.  But for some reason I gravitate toward Priest much more than Maiden.  In fact, I don't own any Maiden albums except for a few "Best Of" comps but I own 5 or 6 Priest albums (all early ones of course).  So maybe my opinion is skewed simply by exposure but there are seriously very few Maiden songs I'd say I really like.  "Two Minutes To Midnight" is probably my favorite but after that it gets really iffy for me.

So let's continue to take this thread down that vein exact started.

What Maiden songs should I hear that might make me change my mind?

I don’t know... if you don’t already like some of the “best of” hits on your comps, you might just not like Maiden.

Here are some songs I like that are not the typical “hits”...

Running Free
Murders in the Rue Morgue
Die With You Boots On
Gangland
Stranger in a Strange Land
Moonchild
Tailgunner
Judas Be My Guide
Ghost of the Navigator

I'd add Be Quick Or Be Dead to the list. One of the best metal songs ever .

I agree. But I was trying to suggest some less talked about songs that may not be on his greatest hits comps.

mc666 wrote:

I generally avoid threads about politics, religion, bands I find to be shitty, and any threads started by that Saxon guy. I don't troll, so topics I find uninteresting I just keep my distance.

For those who enjoy it, have at it.

What a swell guy. Nice to see Monte is above us all.

And....
Hell Bent For Leather/Killers? A paradox if there ever was one

Troublezone wrote:

Btw... Scott Travis kicks ass! Much better than Dave Holland. Didn’t they even use a drum machine on Ram It Down because Holland couldn’t play the way they wanted.

What Scott plays on "Painkiller" is basically an extension of the drum solo he was doing with Hawk back in like 85. Typical metal drummer stuff of the time that everybody else was doing, including me.

(IMHDO) Holland played tastier stuff with Trapeze than anything with Priest, and also (IMHDO)... The best drummer Priest ever had was Les Binks.

UNCLE SAXON'S KICKASS CDS wrote:

And....
Hell Bent For Leather/Killers?   A paradox if there ever was one

Always thought "Paradox" was a German speed metal band and a Christian metal band from Texas?

Priest and it's not even close. They invented the modern image of metal and laid the groundwork for all that followed. Maiden was great but I find their post reunion albums to be boring for the most part. I'd take just about any Priest album from Retribution on over any Maiden album from the same time period. Nostradamus is a giant turd though.

Just do a poll and find out. For real.

I honestly don't get why they are compared with each other so much. Their music is nothing alike. Same country is about all they really have in common. It's like comparing Slayer to Motley Crue. Both Maiden and Priest are great bands, but comparing them is pointless IMO.

That said, Priest is still best, and it's not even close!

I don't think any of the two is "better" than the other. Both are great, each in its own way and style.

I got into Priest and Maiden through two songs, Painkiller and Be Quick Or Be Dead. Never looked back.

Two monster bands. Hope they will still be around for years to come .

“Better” is an opinion. I’m sure Glenn and KK can’t play like Smith and Murray (and vice versa). Harris is more upfront and flashy compared to Ian Hill...
Who cares? Both bands are great!

We need a new album my Iron Maiden. It's about time.

Gilbert wrote:

We need a new album my Iron Maiden. It's about time.

I wish they would ease back on the bloated prog and return to the straight forward songs.

Troublezone wrote:

Gilbert wrote:

We need a new album my Iron Maiden. It's about time.

I wish they would ease back on the bloated prog and return to the straight forward songs.

True.