No fronting: we just can’t get enough of this photo
Following the recent news of the ‘Heavy Metal Truants’ charity bike ride to Download Festival at Castle Donington organised by Maiden manager Rod Smallwood and Metal Hammer edi...
No fronting: we just can’t get enough of this photo
Following the recent news of the ‘Heavy Metal Truants’ charity bike ride to Download Festival at Castle Donington organised by Maiden manager Rod Smallwood and Metal Hammer editor Alexander Milas, it has now been announced that Maiden’s lead singer Bruce Dickinson will be flying in specially from Germany following two sold-out Maiden shows in Frankfurt on Tuesday and Wednesday so he can join the HM Truants in cycling the final 25 mile leg of the bike ride into the Download Festival on Friday, June 14th, the day before Iron Maiden’s headline appearance there in front of an expected 100,000 fans.
This ride by the Metal fraternity is to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust, Childline and Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy
Starting on Wednesday, June 12th, over 40 riders will set off from Alexandra Palace, London, cycling 165 miles up to Donington Park, arriving as the first bands take to the Download stage on the afternoon of Friday 14th. The sponsored riders will include band members from British Lion, Paradise Lost, Pendulum, Tesseract, Thunder, Trivium and Young Guns alongside music journalists (Hammer, Classic Rock, Prog) radio presenters (Planet Rock), and music industry participants including Parlophone, Sony Music, Universal/EMI, BMG Rights, 5B Artist Management, Raw Power Management, Phantom Management and The Agency, plus even an MP, Mike Weatherley. Joining them will be a variety of heavy metal fans who have all signed up for three days of hard cycling to raise funds for these deserving Children’s Charities. Anyone wishing to help support them on their ride can donate via the Heavy Metal Truants site –www.heavymetaltruants.com
Asked how he felt about this most unconventional way to arrive at a major UK Festival where Maiden will be headlining on the Saturday night, June 15th, Bruce commented: “Yes, maybe it’s the first time the headliner has shown up on a bike, but I do use my bike to get around in London when l get the chance and have turned up at the Beeb on a bike before, though the Commissioners were a bit surprised as they are too used to seeing limos! These are great causes, I am only sorry that due to our tour schedule l can’t do more of the ride, and hope our fans will support our efforts. I look forward to a day off after the ride seeing some great bands before we go into full Maiden action on the Saturday, with every intention of giving the fans a memorable show. Download and Metal fans are the best there are, so everyone expects something very special.”
The band’s Download Festival appearance marks a record FIFTH time that Iron Maiden have headlined at the legendary Donington Park, with their two Monsters Of Rock and three Download performances, and will be the 25th Anniversary of the band’s first appearance there in 1988 to a (still) record audience of 107,000.