In 2023 Great Britain’s Royal Mail issued yet another in its series of stamps celebrating the careers of famous British rock bands and musicians, this time featuring the “Heavy Metal” band Iron Maiden.
Inexplicably to many heavy metal musicians and fans, the British band Iron Maiden has not been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Since the release of its eponymous debut album in 1980 Iron Maiden have sold over 130 million copies of their albums worldwide, despite minimal radio and mainstream media support. To date the band’s catalogue has sold over 200 million copies worldwide, including albums, singles, compilations and videos. The 1980 record’s cover art featured Maiden’s iconic stylised logo along with the zombie mascot Eddie, who has appeared on every album cover since. Iron Maiden was the first metal band played on MTV in 1981, which brought it additional success and recognition. The eight stamps celebrate iconic Iron Maiden performances across four decades of epic live tours. The First Class stamps show Steve Harris performing in Vancouver in June 2010; singer Bruce Dickinson at Hammersmith Odeon, London, May 1983; guitarists Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Steve Harris in Pamplona, September 1988 and drummer Nicko McBrain in Quito, March 2009.
The four £1.85 stamps above feature: Dave Murray, Bruce Dickinson and Janick Gers in Rio de Janeiro, January 2001; guitarist Adrian Smith and bass player Steve Harris in Helsinki, May 2018; the band performing perform at Twickenham Stadium, London, July 2008 and singer Bruce Dickinson sword fighting with mascot Eddie in Birmingham, August 2018.
There is also an exclusive stamp sheet saluting Eddie – Iron Maiden’s notorious mascot. The stamps celebrate ever-present Eddie through the ages, from his appearance on the cover of Iron Maiden’s debut album (left) to his current Samurai-inspired incarnation for 2021’s “Senjutsu” album. The stamps are set against a backdrop of artwork from the band’s first official live album, 1985’s “Live After Death”.
