Bruce Dickinson: (1996) Skunkworks

Displaying a sometimes Rush-like refined prog groove and plenty of his traditional science-and-literature lyrical themes, Bruce Dickinson deserves high marks for Skunkworks, the ex-Iron Maiden vocalist's fourth solo effort. This 1996 release signals Dickinson's tentative shift toward music generally in tune with (but still somewhat restrained when compared to) his seminal work with Maiden. The occasionally over-serious, high-concept imagery is about what fans would expect, but the open, less metallic accompaniment (that still rocks by any standard) has a non-chronological familiarity. Joining the singer on Skunkworks are musicians Alex Dickson (guitars), Alex Elena (drums), and Chris Dale (bass). Highlight tracks include "Solar Confinement," which while lyrically murky, has a great chorus, and the Soundgarden-esque "I Will Not Accept the Truth." "Headswitch" is also a treat, with its updated Deep Purple groove. This track also features some of Dickson's best work. A year after Skunkworks, Dickinson joined up with former Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith and made a more defined return to classic form. Most agree that the Smith period is the singer's finest, but Skunkworks has some merit of its own, foreshadowing what would become a highly approved stylistic shift. -- Jason Anderson

Tracks
1.Space Race
2.Back from the Edge
3.Inertia
4.Faith
5.Solar Confinement
6.Dreamstate
7.I Will Not Accept the Truth
8.Inside the Machine
9.Headswitch
10.Meltdown
11.Octavia
12.Innerspace
13.Strange Death in Paradise

Home Page= www.ironmaiden.com
Buy= AMAZON.com
LinkS=
http://474e90de.linkbucks.com (Sendspace)
http://98bd7dcc.linkbucks.com (MediaFire)
http://d7c7bcf8.linkbucks.com (Peeje)
Password= hmb
================

Bruce Dickinson: (1997) Accident Of Birth

Of all of Bruce Dickinson's solo albums, Accident of Birth sounds the most similar to Iron Maiden, which isn't surprising since former Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith co-wrote many of the songs and plays on the record. The album is better than many latter-day Maiden efforts, and though the songwriting is occasionally uneven, the best moments (including "Man of Sorrows") make it an intriguing album. -- Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracks
1.Freak
2.Toltec 7 Arrival
3.Starchildren
4.Taking the Queen
5.Darkside Of Aquarius
6.Road to Hell
7.Man Of Sorrow
8.Accident of Birth
9.The Magician
10.Welcome to the Pit
11.Omega
12.Arc Of Space

Home Page=
LinkS=
http://71325a1d.linkbucks.com (Peeje)
http://9ec2e1b8.linkbucks.com (MediaFire)
http://fb6b9ad2.linkbucks.com (Sendspace)
Password= hmb
================

Bruce Dickinson: (1995) Alive in Studio A

Perhaps second only to Rob Halford, Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson was the most acclaimed and instantly recognizable vocalist to emerge from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement of the early-'80s. Born Paul Dickinson on August 7, 1958, in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, he adopted the first name Bruce as a youngster for reasons unknown. Shortly after relocating to Sheffield as a teenager, Dickinson became enamored of such '70s heavy metal bands as Deep Purple, and after an attempt at becoming a drummer didn't work out, he began singing in local bands -- Styx (not the renowned American band of the same name), Speed, and Shots. But none of these bands broke out of regional status, something that would change when Dickinson fronted his next band, Samson.
Alive in Studio A is a double-disc set that finds the former Iron Maiden singer running through solo material and Maiden classics not only live in the studio, but also at the Marquee club. Both sets are tight and powerful, but the Marquee disc benefits from the presence of an actual audience, and, when taken together, the set proves that Dickinson could still rock as hard in the mid-'90s as he did in the early '80s. ~~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Tracks
CD~~1
1.Cyclops
2.Shoot All The Clowns
3.Son Of A Gun
4.Tears Of The Dragon
5.1.000 Points Of Light
6.Sacred Cowboys
7.Tattooed Millionaire
8.Born in '58
9.Fire
10.Change of Heart
11.Hell No
12.Laughing In The Hiding

CD~~2
1.Cyclops
2.1.000 Points of Light
3.Born in '58
4.Gods of War
5.Change of Heart
6.Laughing in The Hiding
7.Hell No
8.Tears of the Dragon
9.Shoot All the Clowns
10.Sacred Cowboys
11.Son of A Gun
12.Tattooed Millionaire

Home Page= www.ironmaiden.com
LinkS=
http://b360325f.linkbucks.com (Peeje)
http://01ce29c8.linkbucks.com (MediaFire)

Password= hmb
================

Bruce Dickinson: (1990) Tattooed Millionaire

In 1990, Bruce Dickinson launched his solo career with Tattooed Millionaire, which is far from a carbon copy of his work with Iron Maiden. Many of the fans who knew him as Maiden's lead vocalist assumed that this solo debut would be Maiden-like -- they expected an album of aggressive yet melodic fantasy metal in the Maiden/Ronnie James Dio/Black Sabbath vein. But Tattooed Millionaire found Dickinson favoring more of a hard rock/pop-metal approach. This album is full of glossy and lighthearted pop-metal that wouldn't be out of place on an album by Winger, Bon Jovi, or Def Leppard. "Lickin' the Gun" is more Aerosmith than King Diamond, and "Son of a Gun" is more Bad Company than Candlemass. And while some Maiden worshipers might prefer to hear Dickinson singing fantasy metal, the fact is that Tattooed Millionaire is excellent. With this album, Dickinson did what fellow Brit Rob Halford did on some of Judas Priest's more commercial and pop-influenced releases -- he showed listeners another side of himself and demonstrated that he wasn't obligated to embrace fantasy metal 100 percent of the time.

Tracks
1.Son Of A Gun
2.Tattooed Millionaire
3.Born in '58
4.Hell On Wheels
5.Gypsy Road
6.Dive!Dive!Dve!
7.All The Young Dudes
8.Lickin' The Gun
9.Zulu Zulu
10.No Lies

Home Page= www.ironmaiden.com/
Buy= AMAZON.com
Link= http://a3e4adf5.linkbucks.com
Password= hmb
================

Bruce Dickinson: (1994) Balls To Picasso

Immediately following his departure from metal legends Iron Maiden, singer and jack of all trades Bruce Dickinson signed a new deal stateside to Mercury Records and went to work on his second solo effort. Notwithstanding some dreadful artwork, his Polygram debut, Balls to Picasso, is somewhat of a disappointment and, for the most part, an ill-conceived project. Eager to get away from the classic galloping we'll-march-to-the-war Maiden sound, the singer joins forces with a band by the name of Tribe of Gypsies. The band (which managed to generate quite a buzz on its own but alas never found a home for itself) features Roy Z, Dickinson's chief collaborator/songwriting partner for this album. Eddie jokes aside, if Dickinson wanted to get away from the classic Iron Maiden sound, he sure does a good job on this album. Unfortunately, the singer fails to come up with anything truly groundbreaking or even interesting here (save for the album closer, "Tears of a Dragon"). Balls to Picasso gets underway with the messy, seven-minute "Cyclops." Following it is "Hell No," which, again, makes a valid argument for the singer's newfound musical freedom and prerogative to shun a sound that he once helped create. Not only is "Hell No" not Maiden-ish at all, it gives way to the über-heavy, down-tuned rumblings of "Gods of War" -- which takes flight like some sort of ode to Pantera gone New Wave of British Heavy Metal. The end result? Nothing substantial. Maybe a good idea on paper but definitely lost somewhere along the way in the execution. Moving forward, "1000 Points of Light" is another faux pas. Nicking its main riff from, of all places, Living Colour's "Cult of Personality," the cut erupts into a bizarre Queensrÿche-meets-Prong chorus and bridge that leave one scratching his or her head. Only Dickinson's strong vocal delivery manages to salvage the song from being a complete disaster. Other cuts like "Laughing in the Hiding Bush" and the soft "Change of Heart" fare a little better. Bongos give way to the lyrically challenged "Shoot all the Clowns," which, stunningly, comes across like some sort of bad L.A. hair metal experiment meets "Welcome to the Jungle."

Tracks
1.Cyclops
2.Hell No
3.Gods Of War
4.1.000 Points Of Light
5.Laughing In The Hiding
6.Change Of Heart
7.Shoot All The Clowns
8.Fire
9.Sacred Cowboys
10.Tears of The Dragon

Home Page= www.ironmaiden.com/
Buy= AMAZON.com
Link= http://dc0f5147.linkbucks.com
Password= hmb
================