The Art Of Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden - The Angel & The Gambler (Single)

This is the cover for the Part 2 of the two part single release. Again, Derek Riggs returns to Maiden artwork duties for this seemingly more jovial than usual cover. There's plenty of detail in there, though. Take a closer look at each of those characters on board the Captain Edward Casino

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A serious return to form for Maiden's art. Tim Bradstreet is the one responsible for this classic cover

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Fans practically rioted over this one. A CGI disaster that was created by David Patchett, who later revealed that this was a prototype version of what he wanted to create. He has apparently asked for his name not to be associated with the artwork. Just see how many mistakes you can spot on there.

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A throwback to their Rock In Rio album with Eddie looming large over the stage on which the band are playing

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The first cover not designed by Derek Riggs (this one was by Melvyn Grant) also saw a little controversy over the new Eddie. This was also the first Maiden album to have a vertical logo on the cover.

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Alright, it's not a classic in Maiden terms but it has immortalised their plane, Ed Force One

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The debut album and the debut of Eddie The Head. This is the original album art. For later reissues Eddie has been given a strange makeover. This is the original and the best.

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Based on a block of flats in which Riggs lived at the time, it contains several references to the band, such as the Ruskin Arms and Charlotte the Harlot

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This cover was based on Mark Wilkinson's poster for Monsters Of Rock 1992

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This cover would later be amended to remove the old man and have just Eddie emerging from the tomb. Again, sometimes these things are best left alone.

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The story goes that this was originally designed to be the cover of the Purgatory single but manager Rod Smallwood apparently held it back for their next album because it was too good

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This one contains WAY too many in-jokes and references to be listed here. Suffice to say that if you get the proper vinyl version of the record you could easily spend a couple of hours just finding new things - look out for the Indiana Jones and Mickey Mouse references, plus a couple of cheeky swear words

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Riggs apparently was tired of drawing Eddie by this point and so he only drew a partial version of the iconic character. The head on fire bit is a tribute to Arthur Brown.

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This was originally supposed to be the cover of a book about the band and as such it has dozens of tiny references to Maiden's past - you need the full gatefold version of the album to fully appreciate how intricate this one is.

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Controversial amongst fans as artist Melvyn Grant has claimed that the alien is NOT Eddie - which would make this album the first to not feature the band's trusted mascot. Fortunately the band disagree with Grant and say that it is.

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Heresy in the Maiden world - this was the first album cover to not feature an illustration of Eddie, and instead featured a diorama by Hugh Syme. This was, interestingly, the first Maiden cover to incur the wrath of censors who insisted upon an alternative, safer, less gruesome cover

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Melvyn Grant's artwork features a football match taking place and this is a clear reference to the football World Cup which was taking place in 1998

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Bruce Dickinson's comeback coincided with a return to the more intricate stylings of their earlier artwork. Interestingly the top half of the cover was designed by Derek Riggs while the bottom half was by digital artist Steve Stone. This was the last Maiden album on which Riggs worked.

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These beautiful comic book strips were sent to radio stations when the band were promoting the singles from Final Frontier. Though not traditional artwork, they're really fun

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Being a Best Of, this one clearly features references to the band's previous albums. It was also a return to the Maiden fold for Derek Riggs after a four year absence.

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Eddie attacks Robert Maxwell!

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The Paradise Club, outside of which Eddie is standing, was a TV show that Bruce Dickinson once appeared in. There was an alternative version of this single cover featuring Eddie as a grim reaper, but this is the best.

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This single came out before the Somewhere In Time album and the band did not want to give away the look of the new Eddie so he appears only as a reflection. Note the time of the clock on the right hand side - these in jokes never stop coming.

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See that tiny box falling from the sky just below the letter 'O'? That is the padded cell in which Eddie is trapped on the cover of the Piece Of Mind album. It's the small things which make these albums so damn cool.

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The decapitated head of the devil was apparently supposed to look a little like Salvador Dali

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This cover is actually the second one to be released. The first featured a decapitated Paul Di'Anno but the band were already thinking of replacing him, so they had a second cover made.

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Riggs has apparently described this as a companion piece to the Sanctuary cover, and this one shows Maggie about to get her own back on Eddie

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Maiden have largely steered clear of overt political messages but that lady lying on the floor there is supposed to be Margaret Thatcher. You don't get much more political than that.

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This was the first piece of artwork for which Derek Riggs was commissioned. Some nice references to other bands in the background.

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created by Melvyn Grant, shows three different incarnations: the Wicker Man Eddie from the Wicker Man single, the tank-riding Eddie from the A Matter of Life and Death album cover and a cross between the Dance of Death, Fear of the Dark and The Final Frontier Eddies

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It looks very much like a Riggs style design but this one's by Mark Wilkinson.

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The album cover features the Pharaoh Eddie monument from Powerslave and Cyborg Eddie from Somewhere in Time. In addition, the Iron Maiden logo is colored blue with a gold outline - the same colours used on the cover of Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

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This is the cover for the Part 2 of the two part single release. Again, Derek Riggs returns to Maiden artwork duties for this seemingly more jovial than usual cover. There's plenty of detail in there, though. Take a closer look at each of those characters on board the Captain Edward Casino

undefined

A serious return to form for Maiden's art. Tim Bradstreet is the one responsible for this classic cover

undefined

Fans practically rioted over this one. A CGI disaster that was created by David Patchett, who later revealed that this was a prototype version of what he wanted to create. He has apparently asked for his name not to be associated with the artwork. Just see how many mistakes you can spot on there.

undefined

A throwback to their Rock In Rio album with Eddie looming large over the stage on which the band are playing

undefined

The first cover not designed by Derek Riggs (this one was by Melvyn Grant) also saw a little controversy over the new Eddie. This was also the first Maiden album to have a vertical logo on the cover.

undefined

Alright, it's not a classic in Maiden terms but it has immortalised their plane, Ed Force One

undefined

The debut album and the debut of Eddie The Head. This is the original album art. For later reissues Eddie has been given a strange makeover. This is the original and the best.

undefined

Based on a block of flats in which Riggs lived at the time, it contains several references to the band, such as the Ruskin Arms and Charlotte the Harlot

undefined

This cover was based on Mark Wilkinson's poster for Monsters Of Rock 1992

undefined

This cover would later be amended to remove the old man and have just Eddie emerging from the tomb. Again, sometimes these things are best left alone.

undefined

The story goes that this was originally designed to be the cover of the Purgatory single but manager Rod Smallwood apparently held it back for their next album because it was too good

undefined

This one contains WAY too many in-jokes and references to be listed here. Suffice to say that if you get the proper vinyl version of the record you could easily spend a couple of hours just finding new things - look out for the Indiana Jones and Mickey Mouse references, plus a couple of cheeky swear words

undefined

Riggs apparently was tired of drawing Eddie by this point and so he only drew a partial version of the iconic character. The head on fire bit is a tribute to Arthur Brown.

undefined

This was originally supposed to be the cover of a book about the band and as such it has dozens of tiny references to Maiden's past - you need the full gatefold version of the album to fully appreciate how intricate this one is.

undefined

Controversial amongst fans as artist Melvyn Grant has claimed that the alien is NOT Eddie - which would make this album the first to not feature the band's trusted mascot. Fortunately the band disagree with Grant and say that it is.

undefined

Heresy in the Maiden world - this was the first album cover to not feature an illustration of Eddie, and instead featured a diorama by Hugh Syme. This was, interestingly, the first Maiden cover to incur the wrath of censors who insisted upon an alternative, safer, less gruesome cover

undefined

Melvyn Grant's artwork features a football match taking place and this is a clear reference to the football World Cup which was taking place in 1998

undefined

Bruce Dickinson's comeback coincided with a return to the more intricate stylings of their earlier artwork. Interestingly the top half of the cover was designed by Derek Riggs while the bottom half was by digital artist Steve Stone. This was the last Maiden album on which Riggs worked.

undefined

These beautiful comic book strips were sent to radio stations when the band were promoting the singles from Final Frontier. Though not traditional artwork, they're really fun

undefined

Being a Best Of, this one clearly features references to the band's previous albums. It was also a return to the Maiden fold for Derek Riggs after a four year absence.

undefined

Eddie attacks Robert Maxwell!

undefined

The Paradise Club, outside of which Eddie is standing, was a TV show that Bruce Dickinson once appeared in. There was an alternative version of this single cover featuring Eddie as a grim reaper, but this is the best.

undefined

This single came out before the Somewhere In Time album and the band did not want to give away the look of the new Eddie so he appears only as a reflection. Note the time of the clock on the right hand side - these in jokes never stop coming.

undefined

See that tiny box falling from the sky just below the letter 'O'? That is the padded cell in which Eddie is trapped on the cover of the Piece Of Mind album. It's the small things which make these albums so damn cool.

undefined

The decapitated head of the devil was apparently supposed to look a little like Salvador Dali

undefined

This cover is actually the second one to be released. The first featured a decapitated Paul Di'Anno but the band were already thinking of replacing him, so they had a second cover made.

undefined

Riggs has apparently described this as a companion piece to the Sanctuary cover, and this one shows Maggie about to get her own back on Eddie

undefined

Maiden have largely steered clear of overt political messages but that lady lying on the floor there is supposed to be Margaret Thatcher. You don't get much more political than that.

undefined

This was the first piece of artwork for which Derek Riggs was commissioned. Some nice references to other bands in the background.

undefined

created by Melvyn Grant, shows three different incarnations: the Wicker Man Eddie from the Wicker Man single, the tank-riding Eddie from the A Matter of Life and Death album cover and a cross between the Dance of Death, Fear of the Dark and The Final Frontier Eddies

undefined

It looks very much like a Riggs style design but this one's by Mark Wilkinson.

undefined

The album cover features the Pharaoh Eddie monument from Powerslave and Cyborg Eddie from Somewhere in Time. In addition, the Iron Maiden logo is colored blue with a gold outline - the same colours used on the cover of Seventh Son of a Seventh Son

undefined

This is the cover for the Part 2 of the two part single release. Again, Derek Riggs returns to Maiden artwork duties for this seemingly more jovial than usual cover. There's plenty of detail in there, though. Take a closer look at each of those characters on board the Captain Edward Casino

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