IRON MAIDEN manager Rod Smallwood, on the road on their Somewhere Back In Time World Tour 2008, has issued the following tour blog:

"Awake, shower, breakfast, emails -- another typical tour morning. Its bags in the lobby by 9.15 am so they can go ahead onto the plane. Back in the room work til its time to leave at about 11. Everyone on time, off we go to airport, cars go straight to steps of the plane, the air crew and our road crew are all on board and prepared so its off we go with Bruce once again at the controls heading for Sydney.

Published with kind permission from the copyright holder, the Iron Maiden Online Club.

There is again great banter between air traffic control and Bruce as we approach the runway. Sometimes they insist Bruce sings some of The Trooper or they wont let us land. A couple of hours out of Perth the air traffic control told us we had a clear straight run in and to go as fast as possible as his daughter wanted to see us land before she had to go off somewhere!!!

As we come into land we spot 2 news helicopters from Channels 9 and 7 who appear to be filming the plane. We taxi into the "private" section of the airport I see news cameras waiting for us to get off down the steps. I make sure the band get off first and all together -- looks much better! If you are going to make national news you might as will do it like the Beatles did though most of you are too young to remember that. Band go along with this in good humour and our doc crew film the news crews filming us and are in turn filmed by Johnny Burke, our man. My god what is going on here!!! At least we will have lots of footage!!

That evening and repeated on each news show was a fantastic piece about the band, the plane and the Sydney concerts. You will find a link in our site news section. This is really taking our media coverage to a new level with Sky and now this and we are told by our promoters right across South and Latin America that every national news channel will have a team meeting us at the airport. There is even talk of CNN being at LAX, and they are definitely coming out to part of our South American dates. The band take it all in their stride and really don't seem to notice that much as they are getting used to cameras everywhere and have stopped complaining too much! Personally though I think its fantastic that we are getting so much international news attention as I feel, for a number of reasons, this band deserves this recognition for their achievements and much of the coverage includes you the fans and the media are clearly starting to recognise this unique relationship between band and fans. And sure as hell beats being on MTV, which of course we are not!!

Off the plane, straight into the cars and off to the hotel with bags delivered to rooms later. Yes this is starting to work well at least for domestic flights, though it will be tougher on international flights and, except for Mexico and Brazil, most will be after Oz.

I guess we got to the hotel about 3 and I set up to work. Again I am blessed with a really great room and am sitting here looking out of the window at the Sydney Harbour Bridge and famous Opera House so its not so bad being chained to the laptop!!

In the evening I met up with an old mate Russell and his lovely wife and daughter, Robyn and Shannon. Russ, whilst at EMI in the early eighties was responsible for one of the few occasions we have had airplay anywhere when he got Run to the Hills on national radio leading to a big hit leading to a platinum album with NoB leading to our first tour there in 83. We always kept in touch so it was good to see them all again. Went for a great meal at China Doll on Woolloomooloo (yes l think l spelt it right) Wharf -- highly recommended -- excellent south east Asia menu with plenty of spicy stuff, just the job!!

Got back to hotel in good time about 10.30, watched some sport on TV and bed at midnight. Can we sleep???? Soon find out!!!"

(Thanks Maidennorway.com)