Iron Maiden Singer Names the Led Zeppelin of His Generation

2025-08-07

Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden.

Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson is revealing who he believes was the modern-day version of Led Zeppelin for his generation. – Author: Scarlett Hunter, Photo from John McMurtrie

Iron Maiden is one of the biggest rock bands on the planet, and for good reason. They’ve churned out decades worth of material that’s become some of the most popular in the heavy metal genre, alongside bands such as Judas Priest and Metallica. They also have a wealth of underrated material.

While Led Zeppelin is often credited as bringing the start of the hard rock movement, they also inspired metal bands. So, it makes sense that Bruce Dickinson, the frontman of Iron Maiden, has a soft spot in his heart for Led Zeppelin.

During an interview with Loudwire, Dickinson was asked about his 1994 solo album, “Balls to Picasso,” which came out right around the time that grunge was huge in the 1990s and metal wasn’t as big. In talking about that era of his music, Dickinson divulged that he was listening to a lot of a certain artist at the time who was big in the Seattle scene. This artist reminded him of Led Zeppelin, too.

Bruce Dickinson on the Led Zeppelin of the 1990s

When told that “Balls to Picasso” and that era of Dickinson’s music seemed like an “intentional downsizing” and that the singer seemed to “fully embraced that next chapter,” he agree.

“Oh yeah, you have to,” he said. “Let’s face it, you’ve got to be realistic about the world. But my view was that it was better to try and create something that was really new and different and just keep plowing that furrow and the universe would pretty quickly tell you, ‘Hey, you’re in the wrong job, buddy.'”

Then, when asked what artists he was listening to at the time the album came out, in the 1990s, he named some familiar acts, including one artist who he said was the modern-age Led Zeppelin.

“Well, I’ve got to say, I was a massive Chris Cornell and Soundgarden fan — massive. Alice in Chains, as well,” he said. “I mean, just great songs. So Alice in Chains and Soundgarden in particular.”

He added, “Soundgarden, to me, they were like a modern-day Led Zeppelin, updated and his voice was just the finest voice of his generation.”

It’s so true that Cornell, rest his soul, was the voice of his generation. It’s heartbreaking that he passed away in 2017.

So, what can metalheads expect from his upcoming solo tour in support of his latest solo release, called “The Mandrake Project?”

“Obviously, we’ve not toured — with the exception of two shows at the Whisky and one warm-up at the Observatory in Orange County — we haven’t toured any of this, ‘Mandrake Project’ or anything, in North America,” he told the publication, adding later, “So. this is going to be the first sort of comprehensive tour that we’ve done.”

He continued, “It’s a real band. It’s a rock ‘n’ roll band and we’re out there, six of us — well, six of us plus a theremin — and we’ll be out there onstage and we’re gonna be doing stuff from ‘Balls to Picasso,’ which we do anyway. We’re gonna be doing some stuff from ‘Mandrake.’ We do stuff from Chemical Wedding, so if you want to hear ‘The Alchemist,’ it’ll be there every night.”

Iron Maiden Vocalist is Grateful to Be Alive

In a separate interview with the Guardian in 2024, Dickinson was asked what was the closest he’s come to death. He’s a pilot, so that moment happened in the sky.

“I’ve been asleep at the wheel on the M11, had an engine fire over the Atlantic in a light aircraft, driven unprotected through an enemy firing zone to do a gig in wartime Sarajevo – the list goes on and on,” he said. “But I did have stage three throat cancer and was cured by some fantastic U.K. medics.”

In honor of Iron Maiden growing throughout the years, check out Audio Ink Radio’s pick for the best Iron Maiden album of the past 20 years.

Scarlett Hunter
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Posted by Scarlett Hunter | Metal, Music, Rock News

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