Iron Maiden - The Soundhouse Tapes

[Khaos]

About the legendary Soundhouse Tapes:

Vocals: Paul Di'Anno
Bass..: Steve Harris
Guitar: Dave Murray
Drums.: Doug Sampson


The Soundhouse Tapes are the very first recordings of Iron Maiden. It features
three of the original four songs from the Spaceward demo tape which was
recorded in one 24-hour session on December 31, 1978. (The studio would
normally be empty over new-year, and Maiden was able to haggle for a cheap
price). The fourth song of the set, Strange World, was not included on "The
Soundhouse Tapes" because the band was a bit unhappy with it's recording
quality. Consequently, the Spaceward version of Strange World was not released
until years later for The Best Of The Beast compilation.

The Soundhouse Tapes was a critical element of Iron Maiden's eventual success,
and was instrumental in eventually acquiring a record contract with EMI. It was
released independantly on the Rock Hard Records label, a name coined from a Rod
Smallwood idea "If it ain't Rock Hard, it ain't worth a fuck." Neal Kay, the
infamous Soundhouse D.J. composed the sleeve notes, which read as follows:

Every so often, one special band emerges from the mass of untried and
unknown hopefuls which fill the streets of the rock world. Iron Maiden is
just one such band, bringing with their emergence, a style of rock music, so
hard, gritty and honest in it's delivery that only success can justify their
hard toil!
The tracks on this E.P. were the first ever recorded by the band
and are the authentic unremixed cuts taken from the demo tape recorded at
Spaceward Studios in Cambridge on December 30th 1978, and, subsequently
presented to me in the Soundhouse a week later.
After one hearing it was obvious that Iron Maiden would become one of the
leaders of present-day heavy metal, combining the sort of talent and hard
drive that the music world must not ever ignore.

Neal Kay

Because only 5000 copies of The Soundhouse Tapes were made, they have become
the "Holy Grail" for Iron Maiden collectors. The 7" vinyl E.P. was only
available through direct mail order, and were quickly sold out. Although
several record companies placed orders for 20,000 copies each, but the band
decided to refuse, feeling that cashing in at that time would have destroyed
the magic of The Soundhouse Tapes. Note that Dave Murray did all of the guitar
tracks for The Soundhouse Tapes.

1)Iron Maiden (Harris)

This is the first recorded version of what would become Iron Maiden's trademark
song. This recording is much more raw than the version that eventually ended up
on the first album, with a slower tempo that almost seems to drag a bit in
places. However, it exhibits the raw power and energy of the early Iron Maiden
recordings.

[Khaos]

2) Invasion (Harris)

Invasion is another of Harris' early compositions, and was first recorded here
on the Soundhouse Tapes. It is a great song about a Viking invasion, which was
later released as a b-side to the Women In Uniform single, and which later
evolved into Invaders on The Number Of The Beast album. This original version
of Invasion has a bit slower tempo than the later version, but is every bit as
good.

[Khaos]

3) Prowler (Harris)

This is the earliest version of Prowler, a classic Iron Maiden song with an
incredibly catchy tune. It was later re-recorded at a faster tempo for the Iron
Maiden album, which improved somewhat on this raw version who's slower tempo
seems to drag in places. Dave Murray's great guitar solo is here though, and so
is the raw energy that characterised Maiden's earliest recordings.

[allan]

Thanks. I have been a fan since Killers. I was very sad when Dianno was replaced but after buying The Number of the Beast, I thought Damn this new singer can sing.