Edward the Great

Updated on Jan 14, 2024

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Released 4 November 2002 Length 74:04 Release date 5 November 2002 Genre Heavy metal		Recorded 1982–2001 Artist Iron Maiden Label EMI

Edward the Great (2002) The Essential Iron Maiden (2005) Similar Iron Maiden albums, Heavy metal albums

Edward the Great: The Greatest Hits is Iron Maiden's third "best-of album", originally released on 4 November 2002. In contrast to other works by the group collecting together songs from different albums, such as Best of the Beast, Edward the Great includes no tracks with performances with vocalist Paul Di'Anno; however, material from when Blaze Bayley fronted the band were included.

Background

According to Mick Wall, the collection was controversial amongst fans as it was released not long after previous compilations such as Best of the Beast and Ed Hunter. Bassist and founder member Steve Harris comments, "We did get a bit of flak for the Edward the Great album but it wasn't aimed at the hardcore fan, it was aimed at the peripheral people who've heard the name or seen the name on a T-shirt and wouldn't know which record to pick up." To satisfy "the real collector", the band released the Eddie's Archive box set simultaneously. Notably, neither edition features any songs from Paul Di'Anno's tenure.

In 2005, a revised edition was released in Europe, Asia and South-America with an updated track-listing. The new version coincided with the release of The Essential Iron Maiden compilation, released solely in North America, and featured songs from the Dance of Death album as well as an alternate live version of "Fear of the Dark". The updated CD also added the song "Brave New World" from the album of the same name and the booklet included a new foreword by Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood, replacing the original foreword by founding member Steve Harris. The album cover does not differentiate between the two editions.

Personnel

Production and performance credits are adapted from the album liner notes.

Iron Maiden

Bruce Dickinson – lead vocals (except "Man on the Edge", "Futureal")

Steve Harris – bass guitar, producer ("Man on the Edge", "Futureal"), co-producer ("The Wicker Man", "Fear of the Dark", "Brave New World", "Wildest Dreams", "Rainmaker")

Dave Murray – guitar

Janick Gers – guitar ("Holy Smoke", "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter", "Man on the Edge", "Futureal", "The Wicker Man", "Fear of the Dark", "Brave New World", "Wildest Dreams", "Rainmaker")

Adrian Smith – guitar (except "Holy Smoke", "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter", "Man on the Edge", "Futureal")

Nicko McBrain – drums (except "Run to the Hills", "The Number of the Beast")

Additional musicians

Blaze Bayley – lead vocals ("Man on the Edge", "Futureal")

Clive Burr – drums ("Run to the Hills", "The Number of the Beast")

Production

Martin Birch – producer (except "Man on the Edge", "Futureal", "The Wicker Man", "Fear of the Dark", "Brave New World", "Wildest Dreams", "Rainmaker")

Nigel Green – producer ("Man on the Edge", "Futureal")

Kevin Shirley – producer ("The Wicker Man", "Fear of the Dark", "Brave New World", "Wildest Dreams", "Rainmaker")

Simon Heyworth – remastering (except "Man on the Edge", "Futureal", "The Wicker Man", "Fear of the Dark", "Brave New World", "Wildest Dreams", "Rainmaker"), mastering ("Man on the Edge")

Ronal Whelan – mastering ("Futureal")

George Marino – mastering ("The Wicker Man", "Brave New World", "Fear of the Dark" — 2002 edition)

Tim Young – mastering ("Wildest Dreams", "Rainmaker")

Howie Weinberg – mastering ("Fear of the Dark" — 2005 edition)

Tom Adams – sleeve illustration

Peacock – art direction, design

Dimo Safari – photography

Simon Fowler – photography

Ross Halfin – photography

Rod Smallwood – management

Andy Taylor – management

Merck Mercuriadis – management

Songs

1Run to the Hills (1998 Remastered Version)3:54
2The Number of the Beast4:51
3Flight of Icarus3:51

References

Edward the Great Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

Contents

Background

Personnel

Songs

References