Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith recently revealed he might be getting tired of the band’s long-standing concert tradition. He addressed the topic in an interview with Bandit Rock.
Smith discussed the possibility of changing Iron Maiden’s opening intro music. The band has used UFO’s “Doctor Doctor” for nearly all concerts since at least 2000.
“Well, I mean, I love UFO — they’re one of my favorite bands — but maybe we should change it,” Smith said. “We used to have a different one — it was an AC/DC song called ‘It’s A Long Way To The Top [If You Wanna Rock ‘N’ Roll]’, with the bagpipes and everything.”
The guitarist expressed openness to bringing back their former intro choice. He also acknowledged his appreciation for the current selection.
“So maybe we should bring that back,” he continued. “I do love ‘Doctor Doctor’.”
This potential change would mark a significant shift in Iron Maiden’s live show presentation after more than two decades of consistency.
Smith’s comments highlight the band’s careful attention to their concert presentation. Their presentation has evolved significantly throughout their touring history. Iron Maiden has experimented with various opening sequences over the decades. Each sequence was designed to set the tone for their legendary performances.
The song “Doctor Doctor” holds special significance beyond its role as Iron Maiden’s intro music. YouTube documentation revealed that this iconic song catapulted UFO to fame and became a staple in Iron Maiden’s concert presentations. It serves as the band’s signal for fans to brace for an explosive show while the crew finishes preparation.
The connection between Iron Maiden and UFO runs deeper than just the intro music. The same source noted that Iron Maiden’s bassist Steve Harris is a huge UFO fan who called their song “Love to Love” life-changing. This deepened the bond between the two bands through a 1981 tour.
Iron Maiden’s history of show openers demonstrates their commitment to theatrical presentation. Maiden Revelations documented that the band has used various opening numbers throughout their career. These included “Where Eagles Dare” in 1983 with its epic Ron Goodwin film theme and “Caught Somewhere in Time” in 1986 with a futuristic city stage backdrop.
The potential return to AC/DC’s “It’s A Long Way To The Top” would represent more than just a musical change. This shift would reconnect Iron Maiden with their earlier concert traditions while potentially introducing a different energy to their live performances. It would complete with the distinctive bagpipe elements that made the AC/DC track memorable for their previous tours.
