Bruce Dickinson says he sneaks off stage for a cup of tea during epic Iron Maiden song
It clocks in at more than five minutes
Last updated 16th Dec 2024
Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson has revealed he’s been sneaking off stage for a cup of tea during ‘Death of the Celts’ on the band’s The Future Past World Tour.
The heavy metal legends’ epic 81-date 2023 and 2024 tour, which concluded last week in Sao Paolo with Nicko McBrain’s final-ever Iron Maiden concert, featured songs from the band’s 2021 album ‘Senjutsu’, rarely performed material from 1986’s ‘Somewhere in Time’, and classic tracks.
Among the songs on the setlist was the 10-minute ‘Senjutsu’ track ‘Death of the Celts’, and Bruce Dickinson told Classic Rock magazine the sprawling instrumental that makes up more than half the track affords him enough time to go for a tea break.
Bruce said: “There’s one song and that’s ‘Death of the Celts’ – it’s a long song, ten minutes, with a lengthy instrumental part that’s five minutes and twenty seconds.
“I know that because that’s how long I’ve got to have a cup of tea in the middle.”
Speaking to Sirius XM back in 2021, Bruce Dickinson joked that he wanted ‘The Parchment’ to make Iron Maiden’s setlist as it would allow him time to have a cuppa.
"It's almost like self-hypnosis listening to that – it really is,” Bruce noted. “I'll be round the back having a glass of non-alcoholic water. I get a five-and-a-half-minute tea break in the middle of ‘The Parchment!’”
Iron Maiden will celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2025 on the Run For Your Lives World Tour.
Opening with two shows in Budapest in late May, the trek includes sold-out arena shows in Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow plus a massive homecoming show at London Stadium on 28th June.
The 32-date European run is Iron Maiden’s first trek Inver 40 years without Nicko McBrain behind the drum kit, following his retirement from touring. British Lion’s Simon Dawson will perform on the tour.
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