IRON MAIDEN - 2 Minutes To Midnight 12" Vinyl Maxi-Single

- French Release from 1984

A rare 1984 French twist on Iron Maiden's "2 Minutes To Midnight." This 12-inch single pressed in France offered the title track, a staple from their "Powerslave" album. But the real intrigue lies on the B-side. Did it include the face-melting "Aces High" or something else? This mystery adds to the collectability for Iron Maiden fans. Classic Maiden with a unique twist, perfect for cranking up in French style.

The album back cover lists the detailed tour dates of IRON MAIDEN 1984 Tour in France 

Large Hires Photo

2 Minutes to Midnight Album Description:

"2 Minutes to Midnight" is the second track from British h eavy metal band Iron Maiden's fifth album Powerslave. It was released as the band's tenth single on August 6, 1984 and rose to number 11 in the UK Singles Chart and number 25 on Billboard Top Album Tracks. The song was written by Adrian Smith and Bruce Dickinson. The song has references to the Doomsday Clock, the symbolic clock used by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. In September 1953 the clock reached 23:58, the closest the clock ever got to midnight. This occurred when the United States and Soviet Union tested H-bombs within nine months of one another. The first guitar solo is played by Dave Murray followed by a guitar solo played by Adrian Smith. The first B-side is a cover of British progressive rock band Beckett's "Rainbow's Gold". Another B-side, titled "Mission from 'Arry", is a recording of an argument between bassist Steve Harris and drummer Nicko McBrain. The argument happened after a show in Allentown, Pennsylvania during the band's World Piece Tour, and occurred due to a misunderstanding on stage between the two due to technical issues with Harris' bass, which had led to McBrain's drum solo going wrong. Vocalist Bruce Dickinson (

From humble beginnings to a heavy metal icon, Bruce Dickinson's journey is filled with powerful vocals, epic stage performances, and a passion for flight. Discover the life of a true renaissance man. Read it Here

) was recording the argument with a concealed tape recorder. Because Harris' bass was not working, he asked a light rigger to tell McBrain to extend the solo. Rather than following proper procedure, the man started shouting to McBrain. Angry that he messed up his solo, McBrain had a confrontation with the man (it is unclear if anything physical happened) that Harris felt was unnecessary. Allegedly the argument had calmed down before Dickinson started recording it and riled the two men up again by asking Nicko what he would have wanted the man to do had he been trying to tell him that the lighting truss above his drum kit was about to fall down, to which he replied "Well, I guess someone would've had to pull me out the fucking way or I'm dead!". The video of the song is featured on the 2003 video collection Visions of the Beast. On the bonus disc of the 2008 DVD release of Live After Death, Bruce Dickinson said of the scene in the video of the soldiers in the apartment, "They came to us with the location and said, 'We've got the perfect location. It's this dingy, grotty East End tenement on the Isle of Dogs. It's all boarded up and there's cat piss everywhere and it's just really foul'. And I looked at this thing and I'm like 'That's Roffy House, on the Isle of Dogs. I used to live there!'"

Watch: IRON MAIDEN - 2 MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT:

In Brief:

NWOBHM New Wave of British Heavy Metal 

Album Production Information:

The album: "IRON MAIDEN - 2 Minutes 2 Midnight" was produced by: Martin "Jah" Birch

The man behind the soundboard, shaping iconic rock and metal anthems. Martin Birch's journey from sound engineer to legendary producer is a testament to passion and innovation. Read on his career

Sound/Recording Engineer(s): Frankie Gibson, Bruce Dickinson

Frankie Gibson one of the sound engineer's of the "Iron Maiden" albums "Piece of Mind" and "Powerslave".

Bruce Dickinson was responsible for the engineering of the track "Mission from 'Arry'"

From humble beginnings to a heavy metal icon, Bruce Dickinson's journey is filled with powerful vocals, epic stage performances, and a passion for flight. Discover the life of a true renaissance man. Read it Here

George Marion - Mastering Engineer

George Marino: legendary mastering engineer behind iconic albums by Metallica, AC/DC, and more. Explore his life and groundbreaking career in music.

Album cover Photo: Ross Halfin

Dive into the world of rock photography with Ross Halfin. Discover iconic images, behind-the-scenes stories, and the essence of rock and roll captured through his lens. Read it Here

Album cover Illustration: Derek Riggs

Discover the man behind the monster: Derek Riggs, the artist who brought Iron Maiden's Eddie to life. Explore his artistic journey beyond heavy metal. Read it Here

Record Label: EMI 1549346  
12" Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record
Total Album (Cover+Record) weight: xxx gram  
1984 Made in France  
Complete Track Listing of: IRON MAIDEN 2 Minutes to Midnight 12" Maxi-Single

The Song/tracks on "IRON MAIDEN 2 Minutes to Midnight 12" Maxi-Single" are

    Side One:
  • 2 Minutes to Midnight
    Side Two:
  • Rainbow's Gold
  • Mission From 'Arry'
Album cover photos of : IRON MAIDEN 2 Minutes to Midnight France 12" Maxi-Single

Album cover photos of : IRON MAIDEN 2 Minutes to Midnight France 12" Maxi-Single

Back cover of 2 Minutes 2 Midnight with a photo of the blind-folded band-members. 

Back cover of 2 Minutes 2 Midnight with a photo of the blind-folded band-members. 

Close-up photo of the 45T Record Label "2 Minutes 2 Midnight" 

Close-up photo of the 45T Record Label "2 Minutes 2 Midnight"   

Note: the above pictures are actual photos of the album and allow you to judge the quality of cover. Slight differences in color may exist due to the use of the camera's flash.

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