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Iron Maiden are a British heavy metal band formed in 1975 by bassist Steve Harris. After several lineup changes prior to their recording career, they settled on Harris, vocalist Paul Di'Anno, guitarist Dave Murray and drummer Doug Sampson. The band released an EP as a four piece, before hiring guitarist Dennis Stratton in 1979. Doug Sampson was dismissed from the band as he was unable to cope with the touring schedule and, at the suggestion of Stratton, replaced by Clive Burr, with whom the band recorded their self-titled debut album in 1980. Later that year, Stratton was replaced by guitarist Adrian Smith, due to musical and personal differences brought about by choosing not to travel with the band when supporting Kiss on the European leg of their Unmasked Tour. During the tour supporting their second studio effort, Di'Anno was fired from the band after drug and alcohol abuse affected his live performance. Vocalist Bruce Dickinson left his previous band, Samson, to audition for Iron Maiden in September 1981 and joined shortly afterwards. After the release of their third album, ''The Number of the Beast'', drummer Nicko McBrain replaced Burr, who left due to personal and scheduling problems on the subsequent Beast on the Road tour. This is considered by many as their quintessential lineup, with which they released a series of high-impact works. In 1990, prior to the recording of their eighth studio album, Smith was asked to leave the band due to a lack of enthusiasm, brought about by the "stripped-down" musical direction they were taking, which Smith considered "a step backwards". Janick Gers, an old friend of Dickinson's who performed on his debut solo album, became the new guitarist. This formation recorded one more album before Dickinson departed in 1993, in order to pursue his solo career further. The band listened to hundreds of tapes submitted by vocalists before asking Blaze Bayley to audition, with whom they would go on to release two studio albums, after which Bayley left the band by mutual consent in January 1999. At that point, the band were in talks with Dickinson, who, after a meeting with Steve Harris and Rod Smallwood (the group's manager) in Brighton, agreed to rejoin along with Adrian Smith, who was telephoned a few hours later. Iron Maiden thus became a six-piece band and have gone on to make five further studio releases. The current lineup is now the longest and most stable in the band's history. ==Current members== ;Steve Harris :Active: 1975–present :Instruments: bass, backing vocals, studio keyboards (1988,1998–present) :Release contributions: all Iron Maiden releases :Harris founded the band in December 1975 and is the group's only constant member. ;Dave Murray :Active: 1976–1977, 1978–present :Instruments: lead and rhythm guitars :Release contributions: all Iron Maiden releases :After Steve Harris expressed his dissatisfaction with the abilities of then guitarists Dave Sullivan and Terry Rance, Murray auditioned for the band in late 1976 at the suggestion of then vocalist Dennis Wilcock. Following Rance and Sullivan's departure in December 1976, Murray joined the band for six months until he was sacked following an argument with Wilcock. Six months later, Wilcock left the band and Murray was immediately reinstated and has remained with the band ever since. ;Adrian Smith :Active: 1980–1990, 1999–present :Instruments: lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals, studio keyboards (1988) :Release contributions: all Iron Maiden releases from ''Killers'' (1981) to ''Maiden England'' (1989), then from ''Brave New World'' (2000) to present :The childhood friend of Dave Murray, Smith was originally asked to join the band in 1979 when the band were on the verge of signing with EMI but turned them down to continue with his own band, Urchin. A year later, Urchin split up and Smith joined Iron Maiden in November 1980. Smith agreed to leave Iron Maiden in 1990 as he did not approve of the direction the band were aiming for on their next album, ''No Prayer for the Dying''. After a nine year absence, during which he formed his own band, Psycho Motel, and joined Bruce Dickinson's solo outfit, Smith was asked to rejoin Iron Maiden in 1999. ;Bruce Dickinson :Active: 1981–1993, 1999–present :Instruments: lead vocals :Release contributions: all Iron Maiden releases from ''The Number of the Beast'' (1982) to ''Live at Donington'' (1993), then from ''Brave New World'' (2000) to present :Having admired the band from afar after first seeing them perform in 1980, Dickinson agreed to leave his band Samson to audition for Iron Maiden in September 1981 and was immediately hired. In 1993, after much deliberation, Dickinson decided to leave the band to focus on his solo career. Following a gap of six years, during which he released four solo albums, the band's manager, Rod Smallwood, convinced Dickinson to rejoin the band in January 1999. ;Nicko McBrain :Active: 1982–present :Instruments: drums :Release contributions: all Iron Maiden releases from ''Piece of Mind'' (1983) to present :McBrain became friends with Iron Maiden when his previous band, Trust, supported them in 1981. When Clive Burr was sacked in late 1982, McBrain was immediately invited to join the group. ;Janick Gers :Active: 1990–present :Instruments: lead and rhythm guitars :Release contributions: all Iron Maiden releases from ''No Prayer for the Dying'' (1990) to present :Upon Smith's departure from Iron Maiden in 1990, Gers, who was then a member of Dickinson's solo outfit, was asked to learn some of the band's songs for an audition held three days later, during which he was instantly hired. When Smith returned to Iron Maiden in 1999, Harris insisted that Gers remained in the group, creating their current three-guitar lineup. File:Steve Harris 521.jpg|Steve Harris Bass File:Davemurray.jpg|Dave Murray Guitars File:Adrian Smith 1.jpg|Adrian Smith Guitars File:Iron Maiden en Costa Rica Bruce.jpg|Bruce Dickinson Lead vocals File:Nicko McBrain 2.jpg|Nicko McBrain Drums File:Janick Gers 1.jpg|Janick Gers Guitars Iron Maiden performing at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa stadium, Costa Rica on 26 February 2008 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「List of Iron Maiden band members」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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