The former Iron Maiden drummer, known as Thunderstick, recently opened up about his long absence of communication with ex-bandmate Bruce Dickinson. In an interview with Chaoszine, he delved into his current relationships with past members of the band, specifically highlighting his continued friendship with Steve Harris and Bruce Dickinson despite not having spoken to Dickinson for many years, attributed to their vastly different life paths.
“I hold no grudges or regrets about my time with Iron Maiden. Steve Harris and Bruce are still friends of mine, though it’s been years since Bruce and I have crossed paths. He’s living the life of a multimillionaire, while I am not. But, no regrets at all,” Thunderstick expressed.
Thunderstick also touched upon some disappointment from fans regarding his musical direction, which diverges from the heavy metal genre Iron Maiden is known for:
“A section of my audience expects heavy metal, but my music leans more towards power rock or hard rock, rooted in the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal era. The Thunderstick persona, especially marked by the iconic mask, became synonymous with this movement. There was a moment of controversy when a new album cover had to be altered to stock in WH Smith stores, as they refused to display the original Thunderstick image.”
Discussing his musical style further, Thunderstick noted the surprise some fans experience due to their preconceptions:
“Given my history with Iron Maiden and Samson, along with the Thunderstick mask, people often anticipate heavy metal. However, my music, while hard-hitting, veers more towards hard rock. It’s designed to deliver a powerful impact but isn’t heavy metal.”
Thunderstick’s tenure with Iron Maiden was brief, spanning from 1977 to 1978, before he adopted the Thunderstick persona. Despite an invitation to rejoin the band later, he chose to stay with Samson, another band he was part of at the time.
“When I left Iron Maiden, they were just another band striving to make a name for themselves amidst a sea of punk. The emergence of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal was still on the horizon. No, I never anticipated the monumental success that Iron Maiden would achieve,” he remarked, reflecting on the band’s evolution and his decision to pursue a different musical path with Samson.
