Bruce Dickinson recently looked back on the rock and roll scene of the 1980s in an interview with Classic Rock.
The singer spoke about how he started taking up activities like fencing to stay grounded while dealing with an industry fueled by drugs and alcohol, especially during Iron Maiden’s tours.
He commented on his contemporaries’ state at the time, specifically naming Mötley Crüe, “We toured with Mötley Crüe. Complete f-cking casualties, much of it self-induced. And I was like, ‘Please tell me I’m not going to end up like that!'”
Dickinson referred to Maiden’s ‘World Slavery Tour’ in support of ‘Powerslave.’ The Crüe joined them for the European leg in the fall of 1984.
The trek marked a turning point in the singer’s life by its end, as he shared, “I genuinely thought I should just pack it all in completely. Not go solo. Not do anything. Just stop being part of music, because it’s just not worth it. It’s tanked any relationships I might have had, or wanted to keep.”
The vocalist left Iron Maiden in 1993 but returned in 1999. Now, he and the band are set to launch the ‘Run for Your Lives World Tour’ in May, celebrating their first nine albums.
This tour will not include longtime drummer Nicko McBrain, who announced his retirement on December 7. Simon Dawson will take his place for the upcoming shows.
