Former IRON MAIDEN Keyboardist Tony Moore: "I Knew That I Wasn't Right For The Band"

June 8, 2006, 17 years ago

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The following is an except from an article written by Ian Nathanson for Toronto's Metro (www.metronews.ca):

Two decades before Tony Moore found a niche as a key live venue manager in London with The Kashmir Klub and later The Bedford, the British singer-songwriter served a short-lived tenure as keyboardist for — wait for it — metal act IRON MAIDEN.

“I didn’t leave the band because I didn’t like anyone and I didn’t leave because I didn’t believe in these guys,” says Moore, who will host a night of emerging British talent at the Cameron House on Friday. “I knew that I wasn’t right for the band. And they never hired another keyboard player again.”

Moore later established a bit of a Canadian connection with his two-year stay as keyboardist for CUTTING CREW (of ‘80s hit in '(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight' fame) and later joining forces with Argentine songstress MARIE CLAIRE D’UBALDO (whose songs have been covered by CELINE DION and K.D. LANG).

Iron Maiden had twelve different line-ups in the 1970s, paying their dues on the mostly punk club circuit in London's rough East End. Although Iron Maiden was a metal band influenced by DEEP PURPLE, YES, WISHBONE ASH, JUDAS PRIEST, LED ZEPPELIN, and BLACK SABBATH, the earlier music had undoubted punk overtones.

Keyboardist Tony Moore joined in 1977, but before long everyone concerned realised that keyboards were a no go. Original singer Paul Day was replaced by the outlandish Dennis Wilcock, a huge KISS fan who used fire, make-up, and fake blood on stage. Wilcock provided the initial inspiration for "Eddie". Neither vocalist possessed both the stage presence and vocal ability to take the band to the next level. However, this changed in 1978, with the addition of punk-ranting Paul Di'Anno as frontman and Doug Sampson on drums.



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