The title of this post says it all. There are many reasons I love my favorite daughter and here’s a little story so you’ll understand why.

Last month I went to Metal Jam 2013 hosted by my high school buddy Jeff Fahnstock. The event kicked ass and there was a lot of loud music and many talented musicians giving up their Saturday to come and play a show for Autism. The artwork provided for the t-shirts and the show was Derek Riggs who is famous for doing all of the Iron Maiden artwork (well, all the good Iron Maiden artwork) over the years. The t-shirts were awesome and I bought one to bring home to my favorite daughter.

She. Loved. It!

She hasn’t worn it yet because it’s signed, but she really dug the shirt. I was happy as the artwork was my gateway drug into Iron Maiden and Heavy Metal in general. I was tired of pop songs and needed something more.

Fast forward to a couple weeks ago shortly before we moved. We went to a store where my favorite daughter HAD to buy a shirt from. I waited in the car and was surprised when she came out with the Iron Maiden shirt for Killers. Very surprised. I asked, without telling her, what made her pick out that shirt. She explained that she really liked the guy on the shirt and couldn’t remember where she’d see that guy. I explained that connection to the shirt I got her and that shirt. Obviously from Killers to present day, Iron Eddie has evolved quite a bit. That made her even happier with her shirt.

Fast forward to today. My favorite daughter is listening to some terrible music video and I casually say “You should listen to some Iron Maiden” and continued to walk on by. I didn’t think she’d actually take me seriously. She stopped me in my tracks when she said “What song?”

My brain starts a spinning. There’s so many good songs. Do I start her off with the Killers album and the rougher vocals? Do I take her to Number of the Beast with all the satanic overtones that many bands experimented with in the 80s? Do we go to Powerslave? Further along in their catalog? Post-Dickenson? When the band got back together. SO many songs spanning so many years. Where does one start?

“Aces High. See if you can find the live version.”

[youtube=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XoWwHRUGPg”%5D

She taps on her phone and pulls up the 1985 Aces High at the Live After Death concert in Long Beach. PERFECT! I’ve attached the video. It starts, as many of their live shoes did at that time, with the Winston Churchill speech from WWII. Her first reaction: Hey! I’ve heard this speech before.

Good! I think. She’s already engaged. This is perfect.

The music starts and she jumps a little as the band runs onto the stage. Her second reaction: These guys are scary!

NO! I’m losing her. She’s got to stick with it. I will ween her off of One Direction and Justin Beiber! I WILL!

Her third reaction as the song keeps playing has me a little perplexed. Hey! I love those pants! I want those pants!

Yes, she was caught by the 80s fashion of Steve Harris in his black and white striped tights. I quietly roll my eyes (as loudly as I can) All I can think it just please keep watching the video. Please! For the love of Eddie just watch the video.

About the 2/3 mark in the song she asks “Does all their music sound like this?”

Oh, how to answer this. They’ve got the distinct Iron Maiden sound, but they have such a wide catalog of music. Its once again difficult to tell her where to start. I inform her that I have that entire concert on video and we can watch it some time. She smiles and said that sounded like fun.

I know I won’t have her watching the Big 4 concert (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax) anytime soon,but it’s a start. Maybe I’ll be able to start listening to my music in the car once in a while now 🙂

Until Next Time!

WOO WOO!