Iron Maiden / Pro-Shot Live Collection 1990-1991 Vol.2

“NO PRAYER ON THE ROAD,” which has been completely overlooked in official reissue projects, is finally getting a release of a collection of extremely rare pro-shot footage that allows you to witness this hidden stage. This release contains five TV broadcasts (plus a few more) from the “NO PRAYER FOR THE DYING” era. “NO PRAYER ON THE ROAD” is known as one of the biggest dark horses in Maiden’s history, with no full-length official live works produced, and no full soundboard or pro-shot footage. This is a stark contrast to the “FEAR OF THE DARK” era, which has a vast amount of live footage. However, even though there is no full footage, there is pro-shot footage of individual songs, and it is even quite abundant in documentary-style specials. This release is a compilation of all those “NO PRAYER specials.” In fact, this release was also popular as part of the four-disc epic “WORLD PRAYER 1990-1991.” While this four-disc set was a huge hit with collectors who managed to overcome its hurdle, the ease of viewing the pro-shot footage and the enjoyment of the compilation make it more accessible to everyone. Now, let’s introduce each program individually. First up is the Japanese special program “NO PRAYER ON THE ROAD ’90/’91 (approx. 38 minutes),” the main feature of this release. While many Maiden specials reuse footage from overseas programs, this program is an original Japanese production. A familiar critic serves as the host, and they interview Maiden just as they begin their first tour in two years. It consists of four pro-shot tracks from the fifth show of the tour, the “September 24, 1990 Belfast performance,” and interviews with the band members (incidentally, the day before Belfast they played in Dublin, which was Maiden’s first performance in Ireland). Some of the live performances are incomplete, but it is incredibly valuable. In particular, the pro-shot footage of “Public Enema Number One,” a song exclusive to “NO PRAYER ON THE ROAD,” is extremely rare and features a complete, uncut performance. It’s absolutely spine-chilling. Then there’s the exclusive interview. As it’s a Japanese program, it’s fully subtitled, and the members of the newly reformed IRON MAIDEN, with Yannick Gers joining the band, speak with excitement (though Steve Harris is more into soccer than music). The atmosphere of “NO PRAYER FOR THE DYING,” which prioritized live performance over meticulous production, is realistically portrayed. Next up is a special program of a secret gig, “THE HOLY SMOKERS” (approximately 9 and a half minutes). This program goes back a bit to the “Milton Keynes performance on September 19, 1990.” This show was the first day of the tour… or rather, a warm-up gig by the band under a different name, “THE HOLY SMOKERS.” Although it’s in black and white and only features two songs, they also perform “Public Enema Number One.” Of course, this is its world premiere. The third MTV tour report is “HEADBANGERS BALL (approx. 20 minutes),” a familiar MTV classic. However, this report is not about the US tour, but rather a report from the opening UK leg of the tour (Cambridge performance on October 8th / Sheffield performance on October 9th). It’s a documentary style report that includes interviews with the stage crew, and you can also see live pro-shot footage of songs such as “Wrathchild,” “Tailgunner,” “Hooks In You,” “No Prayer For The Dying,” and “The Trooper.” It’s a shame that the live footage is only fragmented, but in terms of the variety of rare songs that appear, this program is the best. The fourth is a German tour special, “BREMEN TV 1990 (approx. 11 minutes),” a special program about the “Bremen performance on December 7th, 1990.” This is the most unique… or rather, surreal program in this collection. Historical footage of Bremen plays as a boys’ and girls’ choir sings “Santa Lucia,” and suddenly live footage of Iron Maiden is inserted (more like abruptly inserted than a simple insertion). When the choir returns, Nico McBrain is inexplicably crouching on the stairs, looking up at the boys and girls and applauding. Presumably, the intention was to contrast the beauty of the choir with the aggression of heavy metal, but it just ends up being a “weird video.” After that, like the other programs, there is an interview interspersed with live pro-shot footage. Unfortunately, there is no full performance, so it’s not very meaningful… Or so you might think! Inserted during Nico’s interview are giant Eddie McBrain and Eddie on stilts from the “NO PRAYER ON THE ROAD” version! Both are only a few seconds long, but they are quite a treasure trove of footage. The standard pro-shot “ROSKILDE FESTIVAL 1991 (approximately 16 minutes)” Up until now, these have been documentary programs produced early on to promote the tour, but the fifth one is a pure concert broadcast. This is a pro-shot recording from their performance at the Roskilde Festival on June 29, 1991, towards the end of the tour. This footage is the most famous and classic from “NO PRAYER ON THE ROAD,” and this release features it in superb quality, sourced from the best master. There are no rare new songs, only two tracks, “Run To The Hills” and “Sanctuary,” but “Run To The Hills,” known to fans as “the hidden gem of NO PRAYER ON THE ROAD,” is a highlight. The high notes in the chorus, which were masked by screaming until the “Seventh Tour of a Seventh Tour,” are now fully extended, showcasing the return of the blues. Various bonus footage (approximately 3 minutes) The end is a collection of bonus footage. Five short TV clips, including news and commercials, are included. Particularly interesting is an interview with Steve broadcast in Spain, where you can see a giant Eddie Van Halen from the “World Peace Tour” displayed in his garden. And the absolute must-see is the tour commercial at the end. Behind Bruce singing, there’s a giant Eddie Van Halen from the “NO PRAYER ON THE ROAD” era! This is the only commercial where you can see his entrance scene, where he bursts out of a tomb, in pro-shot footage. This is a collection of five (plus more) treasure trove videos. From Japanese specials that are enjoyable even for Japanese people, to the extremely rare giant Eddie Van Halen from the “NO PRAYER ON THE ROAD” era. Not only is it a must-have for any pro-shot collection, but it’s also a video masterpiece that becomes more interesting the more you learn about it. “NO PRAYER ON THE ROAD” is a tour that remains largely unknown in Maiden’s history. A collection of extremely rare pro-shot footage from the “NO PRAYER ON THE ROAD” era has been released. This definitive edition includes five tour specials, including a rare Japanese-produced special, as well as detailed footage such as the commercial featuring the giant Eddie Van Halen. IRON MAIDEN – PRO-SHOT COLLECTION 1990-1991 IRON MAIDEN SPECIAL NO PRAYER ON THE ROAD ’90/’91 1. Intro. 2. Tailgunner 3. Interviews #1 4. Wrathchild 5. Documentary/Interviews #2 6. Public Enema Number One 7. Hallowed Be Thy Name THE HOLY SMOKERS (SECRET GIG TV SPECIAL) 8. Intro. 9. Wrathchild/Interviews 10. Public Enema Number One/Interviews MTV HEADBANGERS BALL 11. Intro. 12. Road Crew Interviews 13. Member Interviews & Live #1 14. Intro. 15. Member Interviews & Live #2 BREMEN TV 1990 16. Intro. 17. Interviews & Live ROSKILDE FESTIVAL 1991 18. Member Introduction 19. Run To The Hills 20. Sanctuary 21. Bruce Interview BONUS FOOTAGE 22. Bruce Interview (Swing Shift) 23. Steve Harris Accepts Award (Spanish TV) 24. Camelot Music Commercial 25. Kemp Mill Music Commercial 26. MTV Tour Comercial PRO-SHOT COLOR NTSC Approx. 97min. Bruce Dickinson – Vocals Steve Harris – Bass Dave Murray – Guitar Janick Gers – Guitar Nicko McBrain – Drums