Happy 25th anniversary, Maiden England!

The past couple of years have been a huge retro trip for Iron Maiden and their fans. The Maiden England World Tour in 2012-14, a modern version of the 1988 Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son show, drew millions of people. And the band’s classic 1980s catalog has been reissued as picture disc vinyl and 180g black vinyl.

When the last batch of these vinyl editions are released later this month, the band’s 1980s revisits are over. Maiden are currently working on a brand new studio album for release in 2015 and will probably tour it as hard as they always do. So it’s fitting that the end of 2014 also sees the 25th anniversary of the original Maiden England concert video.

(Continues under pic!)

Derek Riggs’ artwork for the Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son album was the basis for the stage production in 1988 as well as 2012-14.

Released on November 8 1989, Maiden England was Maiden’s second feature-length concert video, following 1985’s Live After Death, and it’s one of our favorites in the pantheon of Maiden live DVDs:

Iron Maiden concert DVD guide!

Maiden England was not released as a live album at that time, but in 2013 the concert finally got the proper treatment as a double live record, and also a great DVD remix by Kevin Shirley:

Maiden England ’88 album review!
Maiden England ’88 DVD review!

It was the end of the 1980s, and Maiden England is essentially the band’s last hurrah to the decade that saw them become the biggest metal band on the planet. The 1990s would throw plenty of challenges their way, but for now – raise that Trooper Ale and celebrate the first 25 years of Maiden England!

Cheers!