Ahead of his first solo album in 19 years, The Mandrake Project, Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson spoke with The Telegraph about public school, his time as an airline pilot, and being accused of Satanism. An excerpt follows...

The Telegraph's Matt Mills reports: After he spent his early education hopping around schools in Sheffield, they eventually sent the youngster to public school.

“I developed my own sort of mini-terrorist organization,” Dickinson laughs. “I sent two tons of horses--t to my housemaster. I was beaten but it was absolutely worth it. Six strokes of a cane and your a--e would bleed, but it was definitely worth it, seeing two tons of steaming horses--t on the front steps of this ornate Georgian facade and thinking, ‘I did that’.”

Have metalheads ever falsely perceived him as a “posh boy” for his public school education? “No,” Dickinson says, laughing again. “I wasn’t a posh lad at all, which is why [my classmates] kicked the s--t out of me at school. I thought they were a bunch of posh c---s, and I told them that.”

He adds that heavy metal being working class is a stereotype, because, “with the exception of Black Sabbath, probably, none of the big heavy metal bands are anything other than bourgeois.”

Read more at telegraph.co.uk.

Dickinson recently announced a series album signing sessions at hmv stores across the UK.

Held in partnership with Planet Rock, Bruce will be personally signing copies of The Mandrake Project at five stores in early March.

The events kick off at the stroke of midnight on Friday, March 1 at hmv Cardiff – the exact moment The Mandrake Project is unleashed to the world. Bruce will then travel to London, Birmingham, Sheffield and Manchester for further album signing events.

"Planet Rock is excited to bring you some special programming around the signings, which we will announce in due course."

Access to the Bruce Dickinson signing sessions is limited, and you can visit hmv.com right here to find out how to attend.

Bruce Dickinson’s hmv signing sessions in association with Planet Rock:

March:

hmv Cardiff – Friday 1st at Midnight
hmv Oxford Street, London - Friday 1st at 6 PM
hmv Vault, Birmingham – Saturday 2nd at 11:30 AM
hmv Meadowhall, Sheffield – Saturday 2nd at 5 PM
hmv Manchester - Sunday 3rd at 2 PM

Dickinson recently released the second track from his forthcoming solo album, The Mandrake Project. Watch the official video for "Rain On The Graves" below:

Across ten inventive, expansive and absorbing tracks, Dickinson and his long-term co-writer and producer Roy Z, have created one of 2024’s defining rock albums. Sonically heavy and rich in musical textures, The Mandrake Project sees Bruce bring to life a musical vision long-in-the-making, and features some of the finest vocal performances of his career.

Recorded largely at LA’s Doom Room with Roy Z doubling up as both guitarist and bassist, the lineup for The Mandrake Project was rounded out by keyboard maestro Mistheria and drummer Dave Moreno, both of whom also featured on Bruce’s last solo studio album, Tyranny Of Souls, in 2005.

The Mandrake Project is Dickinson’s seventh solo album. It will be released on March 1 via BMG worldwide on multiple formats. Pre-order here.

The Mandrake Project tracklisting

"Afterglow Of Ragnarok"
"Many Doors To Hell"
"Rain On The Graves"
"Resurrection Men"
"Fingers In The Wounds"
"Eternity Has Failed"
"Mistress Of Mercy"
"Face In The Mirror"
"Shadow Of The Gods"
"Sonata (Immortal Beloved)"

"Afterglow Of Ragnarok" video:

Bruce Dickinson and his phenomenal band will bring the music of The Mandrake Project to life with a major headline tour this spring and summer.

The Mandrake Project tour dates:

April
18 - Diana Theater - Guadalajara, Mexico
20 - Pepsi Theatre - Mexico City, Mexico
24 - Live Curitiba - Curitiba, Brazil
25 - Pepsi On Stage - Porto Alegre, Brazil
27 - Opera Hall - Brasilia, Brazil
28 - Arena Hall - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
30- Qualistage - Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

May
2 - Quinta Linda - Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
4 - Vibra - Sao Paulo, Brazil
18 - Barrowland Ballroom - Glasgow, UK
19 - O2 Academy - Manchester, UK
21 - Arena - Swansea, UK
23 - Rock City - Nottingham, UK
24 - O2 Forum Kentish Town - London, UK
26 - L’Olympia - Paris, France
28 - 013 - Tilburg, Holland
29 - De Oosterport - Groningen, Holland

June
1 - Barba Negra - Budapest, Hungary
3 - Arenale Romane - Bucharest, Romania
5-8 - Mystic Festival - Gdansk, Poland *
5-8 - Sweden Rock Festival - Solvesborg, Sweden *
9 - Rockefeller - Oslo, Norway
11 - Grona Lund - Stockholm, Sweden
13 - House Of Culture - Helsinki, Finland
14 - Noblessner Foundry - Tallinn, Estonia
16 - Huxleys Neue Welt - Berlin, Germany
17 - Grosse Freiheit 36 - Hamburg, Germany
19-22 - Copenhell - Copenhagen, Denmark *
22 - Summerside Festival - Grenchen, Switzerland *
24 - Zeltfestival Rhein-Neckar - Mannheim, Germany *
25 - Circus Krone - Munich, Germany
27-30 - Hellfest - Clisson, France *
30 - Rockhal, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg

July
3-6 - Rockharz Open Air - Ballenstedt, Germany *
5 - Ippodrome Delle Capannelle, Rock In Rome - Rome, Italy *
6 - Bassano Del Grappa, Metal Park - Vincenza, Italy *
9 - E-Werk - Koln, Germany
13 - Hala - Zagreb, Croatia
16 - Kolodrum Arena - Sofia, Bulgaria
19 - Kucukciftlik Park - Istanbul, Turkey
21 - Plateia Nerou - Athens, Greece (supporting Judas Priest)

* - festival performance

Bruce Dickinson’s touring band features guitarist Roy Z, drummer Dave Moreno, bass-player Tanya O’Callaghan and keyboard maestro Mistheria. For more information regarding the tour click here.

(Photo - John McMurtrie)