Noted Heavy Metal vocalist Bruce Dickinson, born Paul Bruce Dickinson, in Worksop, Nottinghamshire on August 7th 1958, was dubbed the "Air raid siren" whilst a member of IRON MAIDEN, a role he performed extremely successfully over ten years before quitting for a reasonably successful solo career. Singing is only one of a number of talents possessed by the man who has ranked as one of the top ten fencers in Britain as well as taking up the role of a novelist, penning two satirical works based upon the 'Lord Iffy Boatrace' character.

Previous to finding international acclaim with IRON MAIDEN, debuting on 1982's 'Number Of The Beast', Dickinson was known as 'Bruce Bruce' whilst fronting IRON MAIDEN's NWoBHM compatriots SAMSON. He joined IRON MAIDEN in 1981 after recording a trio of albums with his former act. Dickinson's formative acts included Sheffield acts PARADOX and STYX in 1976, SPEED in 1977 and SHOTS in 1979.

With IRON MAIDEN at their creative and commercial height, having just concluded the 'Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son' world tour, Dickinson first made a foray into the solo-dom whilst still a member of IRON MAIDEN, releasing 'Tattooed Millionaire' in May 1990 and subsequently touring in support of it purely for the fun of doing so.

The album had been initiated when Dickinson had been approached to record a song for the fifth in the 'Nightmare On Elm Street' horror movie series. The singer, working with producer Chris Tsangarides, came up with 'Bring Your Daughter...To The Slaughter', although this track never made it to the album's running order due to IRON MAIDEN bassist and band leader Steve Harris insisting it be reserved for the next IRON MAIDEN record.

For recording of the album, laid down in rapid fire fashion during just two weeks in 1989, Dickinson employed former WHITE SPIRIT and GILLAN guitarist Janick Gers, bass player Andy Carr and drummer Fabio Del Rio. By the time Dickinson took on live work Janick Gers had relaced Adrian Smith in IRON MAIDEN. Dickie Fliszar replaced Del Rio on the road.

'Tattooed Millionaire' reached number 14 on the UK album charts, with the lead title track single hitting number 18. The album notably included a cover version of MOTT THE HOOPLE's 'All The Young Dudes', also issued as a single, attaining a number 23 chart placing. Other singles were 'Dive! Dive! Dive!', number 45, and 1991's 'Born In '58'.

The follow up proved a torturous affair to deliver. Initially, tracks were recorded in between legs of IRON MAIDEN's 'Fear Of The Dark' world tour with ex-JAGGED EDGE musicians guitarist Myke Gray, bassist Andy Robbins and former VAMP drummer Dick Flizcar with production again handled by Chris Tsangarides. However, these tapes were never used. Gray, Robbins and Flizcar went on shortly thereafter to form the successful SKIN.

Further recording sessions ensued in North America with noted producer Keith Olsen. Utilized in the studio were top rated session guitarist Tim Pierce and former SCARLET members bassist Martin Connolly and drummer Andy Bierne, the latter a veteran of GRAND PRIX. Dickinson had by announced his split from IRON MAIDEN in January 1993. Drafting in a completely new set of musicians in the form of Los Angeles act TRIBE OF GYPSIES, the resulting 'Balls To Picasso' album was finally laid to rest and found the man travelling down a more experimental, though not unproductive, road.

In July 1994 Dickinson announced his touring band was to consist of former ATOM SEED bassist Chris Dale, ex-MIDNIGHT BLUE and GUN guitarist Alex Dickson and Italian drummer Alex Elena. This new band toured in Britain with the unsigned MAITREYA as support and throughout Europe with support from SKIN and THE ALMIGHTY. The European trek included the performance of a gig for NATO forces in war torn Sarajevo during December 1994 which involved a hazardous journey to the city hidden in a truck after military officialdom declined to guarantee the band's safety.

Oddly, despite the relative success of his ventures, Dickinson lost his deal with EMI shortly before the close of the year, but soon found a new home at Rawpower Records and toured Europe in early 1995 sharing the bill with HELLOWEEN with a band billed as 'Skunkworks'. The resulting 'Skunkworks' album found Dickinson in an experimental mood in keeping with the times but this effort was found severely wanting by many of his long-term fans. Dale departed to join BALANCE OF POWER and later create SACK TRICK. Dickson joined Pop Star ROBBIE WILLIAMS band.

Eschewing a further foray into the world of the Alternative, Dickinson went back to his roots in more ways than one with his ensuing 1997 album 'Accident Of Birth'. Not only did the album contain unashamed traditional Heavy Metal but it was also graced with cover artwork by Derek Riggs, the artist who made such an impact with his sleeves for IRON MAIDEN.

The connection did not end there however as Dickinson was re-united with erstwhile IRON MAIDEN colleague guitarist Adrian Smith. Dickinson also collaborated on songwriting with ex DRIVER man Roy Z. The shift in direction was endorsed as Dickinson's album pulled in exemplary reviews and tour dates succeeded in pulling in capacity audiences. A further album 'The Chemical Wedding', based upon the philosophies of William Blake, struck an even heavier chord and exemplary reviews.

With IRON MAIDEN under pressure from fans to sever the relationship with Blaze Bayley it came as no great surprise in early 1999 that Dickinson and Smith were reunited into the IRON MAIDEN camp.

In the midst of recording the IRON MAIDEN 'Brave New World' album Dickinson and solo band cohort Roy Z also took time out to aid ex-JUDAS PRIEST vocalist Rob Halford with his album project. Dickinson would appear on the subsequent 'Resurrection' opus and on the 'Live Insurrection' too. Rumours also circulated about a possible collaboration between Halford, Dickinson and QUEENSRYCHE vocalist Geoff Tate billed as THE THREE TREMORS!

A 'Best Of Bruce Dickinson' compilation arrived in September of 2001. Alongside existing tracks the album numbered two new songs 'Silver Wings' and 'Broken' as well as original Dickinson versions of the adopted IRON MAIDEN numbers 'The Wicker Man' and 'Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter'. Initial limited edition variants included a bonus CD of an extra 70 minutes plus of rare material.

Although IRON MAIDEN had witnessed a massive upsurge in support and were set to maintain the momentum into 2002 with their live album recorded in Rio De Janeiro. Dickinson would make space for further outside work the same year, announcing solo appearances at the 'Wacken Open Air' festival in Germany, the 'Sweden Rock' festival, 'Graspop Metal' in Belgium and the 'Tuska Metal' event in Finland. Dickinson's live band for these gigs comprised of the former 'Skunkworks' team of bassist Chris Dale, guitarist Al Dickson and erstwhile RAG DOLLS and RACHEL STAMP drummer Robin Guy, now all members of spoof Rockers SACK TRICK. Dickinson would guest on SACK TRICK's 2002 opus 'Sheep In KISS make up', an album entirely composed of KISS cover versions.

Dickinson put his efforts into a new solo album in 2004, 'Tyranny Of Souls' in partnership with Roy Z once again, also making time to guest on the all star EXECUTION project album assembled by Renato Tribuzy, vocalist of Brazilian act THOTEN. Another dark and esoteric release, 'Tyranny Of Souls', issued in May of 2005 through Sanctuary subsidiary Mayan Records, would come suitably clad in a cover depicting Hell by the 15th century Flemish artist Hans Memling.

On the television front, the singer featured as presenter for a documentary 'Flying Heavy Metal' about commercial airlines and guested on Discovery Home channel's 'Trainspotting'.

To coincide with the issue of 'Tyranny Of Souls' the entire BRUCE DICKINSON back catalogue would be re-released in full expanded formats. The live outings, 1995's 'Alive In Studio A' and 1998's 'Scream for Me Brazil' would be merged as a three CD set. 1990's 'Tattooed Millionnaire' added a second disc comprising ten extra tracks including live material, 1994's 'Balls To Picasso's second disc added a further sixteen tracks, 1996's 'Skunkworks' was boosted by an additional eleven track CD whilst 'Chemical Wedding' from 1998 simply added another two songs.

'Tyranny Of Souls', issued in early June, racked up over 5'600 first week sales in North America to land at number 180 on the Billboard album charts. Unfortunately the album would not be toured as the singer spent much of the year on the road with IRON MAIDEN on European festival dates and co-headling the Summer 'Ozzfest' events with BLACK SABBATH in the Summer. In November Dickinson appeared live with TRIBUZY at two back to back gigs at São Paulo's Credicard Hall in Brazil for an all star band alongside MASTERPLAN guitarist ROLAND GRAPOW, PRIMAL FEAR's Mat Sinner and Ralph Scheepers, ANGRA's Kiko Loureiro and Roy Z.

To tide fans over in anticipation for the 2006 IRON MAIDEN opus 'A Matter Of Live And Death', BRUCE DICKINSON issued a three disc DVD retrospective of his solo works entitled 'Anthology' in June. This collection comprised a August 14th 1990 live concert recorded at the Town and Country Club, Los Angeles, two dates on the 'Skunkworks' tour in Pamplona and Gerona, Spain on May 31st and June 1st 1996, 'Scream For Me Brazil' 1999 footage, all of Dickinson's promotional videos and even a SAMSON promotional film entitled 'Biceps Of Steel'.