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

Rare French 12" Maxi-single of IRON MAIDEN's Two Minutes to Midnight.

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

Large Hires Photo

In Brief:

"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 (

Bruce Dickinson (real-name: Paul Bruce Dickinson) an English singer, songwriter, and musician, best known as the lead vocalist for the heavy metal band Iron Maiden. He was born on 7 August 1958, in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England. He first rose to prominence as the lead singer of Iron Maiden in 1981, and was with the band for over a decade, contributing to many of their most popular and critically acclaimed albums, including "The Number of the Beast," "Powerslave," and "Fear of the Dark."

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In addition to his work with Iron Maiden, Dickinson has also pursued a successful solo career, releasing several critically acclaimed albums and performing in a variety of styles, including heavy metal, hard rock, and classical music. He has been praised for his powerful and distinctive voice, as well as his versatility as a singer, songwriter, and performer.

Some of the other bands he has performed in are: Samson from 1977 to 1981, Speed late 1970s, Shots in the Dark early 1980, and solo recordings.

Aside from his musical career, Dickinson is also known for his entrepreneurial ventures and his interests in a variety of other pursuits. He is a licensed pilot, and has flown a number of historic aircraft, including the Spitfire, a World War II fighter plane. He is also an author and public speaker, and has been involved in various humanitarian and environmental causes over the years.

Overall, Bruce Dickinson is widely regarded as one of the most influential and talented musicians of his generation, and his impact on the world of heavy metal music will continue to be felt for many years to come.

) 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!'"

NWOBHM New Wave of British Heavy Metal 

Album Production Information:

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

Martin Birch Martin Birch was an English music producer and engineer who was active from the late 1960s to the early 2000s. He was born on 26th June 1948 in East Molesey, England, and began his career as a producer and engineer in the late 1960s, working with several notable British bands of the time, including Deep Purple , Iron Maiden , Rainbow and others.

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Birch's biggest contributions to music came in the 1970s and 1980s, when he worked as a producer and engineer for several of the most influential and popular heavy metal bands of the era, including Black Sabbath, Rainbow, and most notably, Iron Maiden. He was an important figure in the development of the heavy metal genre, and is widely regarded as one of the most influential and important producers of heavy metal music.

Birch's approach to production was characterized by his use of powerful and dynamic sound, which helped to define the sound of heavy metal in the 1970s and 1980s. He was known for his ability to bring out the best in the musicians he worked with, and for his willingness to experiment and take risks in the studio. He was also known for his commitment to quality and his attention to detail, which helped to ensure that the albums he produced had a timeless quality and still sound great decades after their original release.

Birch worked with Iron Maiden for over two decades, producing several of the band's most iconic and enduring albums, including "The Number of the Beast," "Powerslave," and "Somewhere in Time." He was an important part of the band's creative process, and helped to shape the band's sound and style.

Martin Birch retired from music production in the early 2000s, but his legacy lives on through the music he produced and the countless musicians he inspired and influenced. He is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of heavy metal music, and his contributions to the genre continue to be celebrated and revered.

Martin Birch's production style was known for its clarity, power and dynamic sound. He was an early adopter of using multi-track recording and employed innovative recording techniques, such as creating layered soundscapes by recording and re-recording guitar parts multiple times, to achieve his desired sound. He was also known for his use of echo and reverb to create a sense of depth and space in his recordings.

Birch was known for his ability to bring out the best in the musicians he worked with and his hands-on approach to production. He was often involved in the arrangements and would often suggest changes to the songs to enhance their impact. He was also known for his attention to detail, taking the time to get the sound just right, and his dedication to quality, always striving to make each album sound as good as it could.

Aside from his work with Iron Maiden, Birch also produced albums for several other influential heavy metal bands, including Judas Priest , Black Sabbath and Rainbow . He was also sought after by other musicians from outside of the heavy metal genre, and worked with artists such as Fleetwood Mac , The Move, and Deep Purple .

Birch was awarded with several gold and platinum records for his work, and was recognized for his contributions to the heavy metal genre with induction into the Heavy Metal Hall of Fame in 2006.

Although Martin Birch retired from music production in the early 2000s, his legacy continues to inspire and influence musicians and producers today. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential figures in the history of heavy metal music, and his work continues to be celebrated and enjoyed by fans of the genre around the world.

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'"

Bruce Dickinson (real-name: Paul Bruce Dickinson) an English singer, songwriter, and musician, best known as the lead vocalist for the heavy metal band Iron Maiden. He was born on 7 August 1958, in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England. He first rose to prominence as the lead singer of Iron Maiden in 1981, and was with the band for over a decade, contributing to many of their most popular and critically acclaimed albums, including "The Number of the Beast," "Powerslave," and "Fear of the Dark."

more...

In addition to his work with Iron Maiden, Dickinson has also pursued a successful solo career, releasing several critically acclaimed albums and performing in a variety of styles, including heavy metal, hard rock, and classical music. He has been praised for his powerful and distinctive voice, as well as his versatility as a singer, songwriter, and performer.

Some of the other bands he has performed in are: Samson from 1977 to 1981, Speed late 1970s, Shots in the Dark early 1980, and solo recordings.

Aside from his musical career, Dickinson is also known for his entrepreneurial ventures and his interests in a variety of other pursuits. He is a licensed pilot, and has flown a number of historic aircraft, including the Spitfire, a World War II fighter plane. He is also an author and public speaker, and has been involved in various humanitarian and environmental causes over the years.

Overall, Bruce Dickinson is widely regarded as one of the most influential and talented musicians of his generation, and his impact on the world of heavy metal music will continue to be felt for many years to come.

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

Ross Halfin Ross Halfin is a British rock and roll photographer who has been active in the music industry since the 1970s. He is best known for his work capturing iconic images of some of the biggest and most influential rock and heavy metal bands of all time, including Metallica, Led Zeppelin, The Who, and many others.

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Halfin was born in London, England and got his start in photography as a young man, working as an assistant to legendary rock photographer Jorgen Angel. He quickly developed a style of his own and became known for his ability to capture the energy and excitement of live rock performances in his images.

Throughout his career, Halfin has worked with many of the biggest and most influential bands in the history of rock and heavy metal music, and has published several books of his work. He is widely regarded as one of the top rock photographers of his generation, and his images have been featured in numerous magazines, books, and exhibitions.

In addition to his photography work, Halfin is also known for his close relationships with many of the musicians he has worked with over the years, and he has been able to capture behind-the-scenes images and candid moments that provide unique insights into the lives of some of the most famous musicians in the world.

Overall, Ross Halfin is a talented and accomplished rock and roll photographer who has made a significant impact on the music industry through his iconic images of some of the biggest and most influential bands of all time.

Album cover Illustration: Derek Riggs

Derek Riggs an English artist best known for creating the iconic artwork "Eddy" for the heavy metal band Iron Maiden. Born in 1958 in Portsmouth, England, Riggs showed an early talent for drawing and went on to study illustration and design.

In the late 1970s, Riggs was approached by Iron Maiden to create artwork for the band's first album, "Iron Maiden." The album's cover, which featured a zombie-like figure known as "Eddie the Head," became a defining image for the band and helped to establish their visual style. Riggs continued to create artwork for Iron Maiden throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and his distinctive and often macabre illustrations have become synonymous with the band.

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In addition to his work with Iron Maiden, Riggs has also created artwork for other musicians and bands, as well as for books, comics, and other media. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential artists in the heavy metal genre, and his work has helped to shape the visual style of the genre as a whole.

Today, Derek Riggs continues to create new artwork, and his legacy as one of the great heavy metal artists of all time remains intact. His influence can be seen in the work of countless other artists and musicians, and his iconic images continue to inspire fans and artists alike.

Derek Riggs was raised in a creative environment, with his father working as an artist and his mother as a fashion designer. This artistic background helped to lay the foundation for his later success as an artist. After completing his studies in illustration and design, Riggs worked as a freelance artist, creating illustrations and designs for various clients.

Riggs's work with Iron Maiden was groundbreaking, and he quickly became one of the most important and influential artists in the heavy metal genre. He was responsible for creating some of the most iconic images associated with the band, including Eddie the Head, who has appeared on almost every Iron Maiden album cover. Eddie has become one of the most recognizable mascots in the heavy metal genre, and is a beloved figure among fans of the band.

In addition to his work with Iron Maiden, Riggs has created artwork for a variety of other clients, including other musicians and bands, comic books, and book covers. He has also collaborated with other artists on various projects, and has continued to push the boundaries of what is possible in the world of heavy metal art.

Derek Riggs is regarded as a true innovator in the field of heavy metal art, and his impact on the genre cannot be overstated. His work continues to inspire new generations of artists and musicians, and his legacy as one of the greatest heavy metal artists of all time is secure.

Record Label: EMI 1549346  
12" Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record
Total Album (Cover+Record) weight: xxx gram  
1984 Made in France  
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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