Death on the Road
Encyclopedia
Death on the Road is a live CD
, LP
, and DVD
released by the British heavy metal
band Iron Maiden
on 30 August 2005 (CD & LP version) and on 6 February 2006 (DVD version). The album was recorded at Westfalenhalle
in Dortmund
, Germany
on 24 November 2003, during the Dance of Death World Tour (2003–2004).
The release performed well in the national charts of several countries; Finland
(no. 6), Sweden
(no. 7), Norway
(no. 12), France
(no. 14), Italy
(no. 17), Switzerland
(no. 17), Spain
(no. 18), United Kingdom
(no. 22), Ireland
(no. 27), the Netherlands
(no. 39) and India
(no.29).
and stereo
and the final containing special features, including a documentary and the promo videos for Wildest Dreams
and Rainmaker
.
The 70-minute documentary
, directed by Matthew Amos, shows the recording of the Dance of Death
album at Sarm West Studios, London
and the subsequent preparations for the following tour, including interviews with the majority of the band's road crew
. Additional and extended interviews with crew and fans (recorded at Earls Court
, London) were also included as individual films, entitled "Life On The Road" and "The Fans". The documentary contains the first ever released footage of the band in the recording studio.
The cover was designed by Melvyn Grant
.
The version of "Fear of the Dark
" on this release was later included in the Edward the Great
2005 re-release.
deeming it "very nearly the ultimate Iron Maiden live album," commenting that the release proves that the band "are as exciting, relevant and unique in 2005 as they were two decades ago." Sputnikmusic
commented that the release is "at times... quite amazing", giving "the overall... that Maiden are indeed an excellent live band, and one that you need to see at some point in life."
Allmusic were more critical of the release, remarking that "longtime fans do not need any more live versions of "Number of the Beast," "Hallowed Be Thy Name," "Run to the Hills," or "The Trooper,"" although also stating that the band lays "waste [to] any notions that they can't hold themselves to the performance standards of their younger days."
, except where noted.
with
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
, LP
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
, and DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
released by the British heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
on 30 August 2005 (CD & LP version) and on 6 February 2006 (DVD version). The album was recorded at Westfalenhalle
Westfalenhalle
Westfalenhallen are three multi-purpose venues, located in Dortmund, Germany. The original building was opened in 1925, but was destroyed during World War II. New halls were built, the Große Westfalenhalle opened in 1952. The capacity of the arena is 16,500...
in Dortmund
Dortmund
Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on 24 November 2003, during the Dance of Death World Tour (2003–2004).
The release performed well in the national charts of several countries; Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
(no. 6), Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
(no. 7), Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
(no. 12), France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(no. 14), Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(no. 17), Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
(no. 17), Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
(no. 18), United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(no. 22), Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
(no. 27), the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
(no. 39) and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
(no.29).
Background
The video was released in a 3 DVD set, with the first two representing the concert footage in 5.1 Digital audio5.1 surround sound
5.1 is the common name for six channel surround sound multichannel audio systems. 5.1 is now the most commonly used layout in both commercial cinemas and home theaters. It uses five full bandwidth channels and one low frequency enhancement channel . Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II, DTS, and...
and stereo
Stereophonic sound
The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
and the final containing special features, including a documentary and the promo videos for Wildest Dreams
Wildest Dreams (song)
"Wildest Dreams" is a single from Iron Maiden's 13th studio album, Dance of Death, released in 2003.The band began performing the song in concert before the album was released. The single also includes an improvisational jam from the Dance of Death sessions...
and Rainmaker
Rainmaker (song)
"Rainmaker" is the 37th single released by Iron Maiden. It is the second single from their 13th studio album Dance of Death. The song was largely written by long-time guitarist Dave Murray. The lyrics were inspired by vocalist Bruce Dickinson's comment that the intro riff made him think of raindrops...
.
The 70-minute documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
, directed by Matthew Amos, shows the recording of the Dance of Death
Dance of Death (album)
Dance of Death is the thirteenth studio album by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released first in Japan on 2 September and then the rest of the world on 8 September 2003.-Background:...
album at Sarm West Studios, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and the subsequent preparations for the following tour, including interviews with the majority of the band's road crew
Road crew
The road crew are the technicians or support personnel who travel with a band on tour, usually in sleeper buses, and handle every part of the concert productions except actually performing the music with the musicians...
. Additional and extended interviews with crew and fans (recorded at Earls Court
Earls Court
Earls Court is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It is an inner-city district centred on Earl's Court Road and surrounding streets, located 3.1 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It borders the sub-districts of South Kensington to the East, West...
, London) were also included as individual films, entitled "Life On The Road" and "The Fans". The documentary contains the first ever released footage of the band in the recording studio.
The cover was designed by Melvyn Grant
Melvyn Grant
Melvyn Grant , is a universal artist and illustrator. Trained traditionally he originally worked with oil paints, but now has switched to creating most of his work digitally...
.
The version of "Fear of the Dark
Fear of the Dark (song)
"Fear of the Dark" is a song written by Steve Harris, bass player and main songwriter for Iron Maiden, as the title track to Iron Maiden's 1992 album Fear of the Dark...
" on this release was later included in the Edward the Great
Edward the Great
Edward the Great is Iron Maiden's third "best-of album", originally released on 5 November 2002.In 2005, a revised edition was released in Europe, Asia and South-America with an updated track-listing...
2005 re-release.
Reception
Reviews for the album were generally positive, with Kerrang!Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
deeming it "very nearly the ultimate Iron Maiden live album," commenting that the release proves that the band "are as exciting, relevant and unique in 2005 as they were two decades ago." Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic, or simply Sputnik, is a music website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites...
commented that the release is "at times... quite amazing", giving "the overall... that Maiden are indeed an excellent live band, and one that you need to see at some point in life."
Allmusic were more critical of the release, remarking that "longtime fans do not need any more live versions of "Number of the Beast," "Hallowed Be Thy Name," "Run to the Hills," or "The Trooper,"" although also stating that the band lays "waste [to] any notions that they can't hold themselves to the performance standards of their younger days."
CD Track listing
All songs written by Steve HarrisSteve Harris (musician)
Stephen Percy "Steve" Harris is an English musician and songwriter, known as the bassist, occasional keyboardist, backing vocalist and primary songwriter of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, which he founded in 1975...
, except where noted.
Disc one
- "Wildest DreamsWildest Dreams (song)"Wildest Dreams" is a single from Iron Maiden's 13th studio album, Dance of Death, released in 2003.The band began performing the song in concert before the album was released. The single also includes an improvisational jam from the Dance of Death sessions...
" (Adrian SmithAdrian SmithAdrian Frederick "H" Smith is an English musician and one of three guitarists in the heavy metal band, Iron Maiden. He is also one of the band's regular songwriters and, along with bassist Steve Harris, performs backing vocals on some songs.-Biography:While at school, Smith purchased his first...
, Harris) – 4:51 - "Wrathchild" – 2:49
- "Can I Play with MadnessCan I Play with Madness"Can I Play with Madness" was the sixteenth single released by Iron Maiden. Released in 1988, it is the first single from the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album and hit number 3 in the UK charts. The song is about a young man who wants to learn the future from an old prophet with a crystal ball...
" (Bruce DickinsonBruce DickinsonPaul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....
, Smith, Harris) – 3:30 - "The TrooperThe Trooper"The Trooper" is a song written by Iron Maiden bass player Steve Harris. It is Iron Maiden's ninth single, and the second from their 1983 album Piece of Mind. The single was released on 20 June 1983...
" – 4:12 - "Dance of Death" (Janick GersJanick GersJanick Robert Gers is an English musician, best known for being one of the three current guitarists in Iron Maiden, along with Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, as well as his earlier work with Gillan and White Spirit.-Career and Personal Life:...
, Harris) – 9:23 - "RainmakerRainmaker (song)"Rainmaker" is the 37th single released by Iron Maiden. It is the second single from their 13th studio album Dance of Death. The song was largely written by long-time guitarist Dave Murray. The lyrics were inspired by vocalist Bruce Dickinson's comment that the intro riff made him think of raindrops...
" (Dickinson, Dave MurrayDave Murray (musician)David Michael Murray is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as one of the earliest members of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden.-Biography:...
, Harris)– 4:01 - "Brave New World" (Dickinson, Murray, Harris) – 6:09
- "Paschendale" (Smith, Harris) – 10:17
- "Lord of the FliesLord of the Flies (song)"Lord of the Flies" is an Iron Maiden single and second track on their 1995 album The X Factor. The song is based on the book and film of the same name.The single was only released outside of the UK...
" (Gers, Harris) – 5:06
Disc two
- "No More LiesNo More Lies - Dance of Death Souvenir EPNo More Lies - Dance of Death Souvenir EP is a studio EP by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 29 March 2004.This EP was released as a "thank you" to fans, packaged in a box containing a free sweatband...
" – 7:49 - "Hallowed Be Thy NameHallowed Be Thy Name"Hallowed Be Thy Name" is a song written by Steve Harris for the 1982 Iron Maiden album The Number of The Beast.The song includes 2 guitar solos: the first is played by Dave Murray,and second was played by Adrian Smith from 1982 until 1988.From 1990, second solo is played by Janick Gers...
" – 7:31 - "Fear of the DarkFear of the Dark (song)"Fear of the Dark" is a song written by Steve Harris, bass player and main songwriter for Iron Maiden, as the title track to Iron Maiden's 1992 album Fear of the Dark...
" – 7:28 - "Iron MaidenIron Maiden (song)"Iron Maiden" is a song by Iron Maiden on their debut album Iron Maiden. It was written by Steve Harris, and recorded with Paul Di'Anno on vocals, Clive Burr on drums, and Dennis Stratton and Dave Murray on guitars...
" – 4:50 - "Journeyman" (Dickinson, Smith, Harris) – 7:02
- "The Number of the BeastThe Number of the Beast (song)"The Number of the Beast" is Iron Maiden's seventh single and the second single from Iron Maiden's 1982 album of the same name. The song is inspired by both a nightmare bandleader and bassist Steve Harris had after watching the movie Damien: Omen II, and the storyline of the poem Tam o' Shanter...
" – 4:57 - "Run to the HillsRun to the Hills"Run to the Hills" was Iron Maiden's sixth single and the first single from their 1982 album The Number of the Beast. The lyrics clearly discuss the violence visited upon Native Americans in the Nineteenth Century. Several lines appear to address the Sioux Wars, a conflict between the Lakota...
" – 4:26
Side A
- "Wildest Dreams" – 4:51
- "Wrathchild" – 2:49
- "Can I Play with Madness" – 3:30
- "The Trooper" – 4:12
- "Dance of Death" – 9:23
Side B
- "Rainmaker" – 4:01
- "Brave New World" – 6:09
- "Paschendale" – 10:17
- "Lord of the Flies" – 5:06
Side B
- "Iron Maiden" – 4:50
- "Journeyman" – 7:02
- "The Number of the Beast" – 4:57
- "Run to the Hills" – 4:26
Personnel
- Bruce DickinsonBruce DickinsonPaul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....
- lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the... - Dave MurrayDave Murray (musician)David Michael Murray is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as one of the earliest members of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden.-Biography:...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Adrian SmithAdrian SmithAdrian Frederick "H" Smith is an English musician and one of three guitarists in the heavy metal band, Iron Maiden. He is also one of the band's regular songwriters and, along with bassist Steve Harris, performs backing vocals on some songs.-Biography:While at school, Smith purchased his first...
- guitar, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Janick GersJanick GersJanick Robert Gers is an English musician, best known for being one of the three current guitarists in Iron Maiden, along with Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, as well as his earlier work with Gillan and White Spirit.-Career and Personal Life:...
- guitar - Steve HarrisSteve Harris (musician)Stephen Percy "Steve" Harris is an English musician and songwriter, known as the bassist, occasional keyboardist, backing vocalist and primary songwriter of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, which he founded in 1975...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Nicko McBrainNicko McBrainMichael Henry "Nicko" McBrain is an English musician, best known as the drummer for Iron Maiden, which he joined in 1982, prior to which he had played for Streetwalkers, Pat Travers, and the French political band, Trust.-Biography:...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
with
- Michael Kenney - keyboardsElectronic keyboardAn electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...
Album
| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Albums Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
23 |
| Dutch Albums Chart | 39 |
| Finnish Albums Chart | 5 |
| German Albums Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
17 |
| Japanese Albums Chart Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... |
106 |
| Norwegian Albums Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
12 |
| Swedish Albums Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
7 |
| Swiss Albums Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
17 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
22 |
Single
| Year | Single | Chart | Position | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | "The Trooper The Trooper "The Trooper" is a song written by Iron Maiden bass player Steve Harris. It is Iron Maiden's ninth single, and the second from their 1983 album Piece of Mind. The single was released on 20 June 1983... " (live) |
Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
5 | Death on the Road |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
16 | |||
| Italian Singles Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
8 | |||
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
5 | |||
| Swiss Singles Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
61 | |||
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
5 |