In a new cover feature with Kerrang!, Bruce Dickinson has shared his views on mortality, revealing whether he would take the opportunity to live for another 50 years if medical technology advanced to a point where it could be possible.
The question arose off the back of a discussion about one of the Iron Maiden frontman's upcoming solo tracks, Resurrection Men, lifted from forthcoming album The Mandrake Project, which is set to coincide with an expansive comic book story.
Describing the material as a "very personal journey", The Mandrake Project marries sci-fi with the occult via a collection of sonic stories and inspired concepts.
The aforementioned track Resurrection Men focuses on the idea of artificially prolonging life, as he explains: “The [song is] about the extraction of the human soul and storage of it, and it can only occur at the point of death. If you’re not on the slab at the moment when you die, it’s too late. It’s a momentary thing and you have to be there to harvest it. Of course, the idea of living forever, people are gonna pay a lot of money for that.”
When asked by interviewer/Kerrang! editor Luke Morton whether he would pay for such an opportunity - specifically, whether he would pay to live for another 50 years if human technology allowed it - Dickinson answers: "I’d do it if you were going to be in good condition when you were doing it."
Quoting James Bond, the vocalist continues, "I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them", adding: "I think that life is such a great thing, if you can live it then why wouldn’t you want to? We’re all living way longer than we were designed to and way longer in terms of activity."
Referencing his cancer battle in 2014 and two hip replacement procedures, Dickinson adds: "Medical technology has meant that I’m alive. Cancer diagnosis would have been basically a death sentence but now it’s not. Both of my hips wore out and I’ve got new ones.
"Technology is advancing to the point for many things where we are all living longer and more effective lives. Which is great – as long as you do something with it.”
The Mandrake Project is due out on March 1 via BMG. Watch the video for the album's recently-released single Afterglow Of Ragnarok below.
To promote The Mandrake Project, Dickinson will hit the road for an extensive tour across Europe in the spring and summer, kicking off on May 18 in Glasgow.
Dickinson will then continue the Future Past tour with Iron Maiden, playing a run of North American shows. Check out the dates below:
Bruce Dickinson – The Mandrake Project European Tour
May 18: Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom, UK
May 19: Manchester O2 Academy, UK
May 21: Swansea Arena, UK
May 23: Nottingham Rock City, UK
May 24: London O2 Forum Kentish Town, UK
May 26: Paris L’Olympia, France
May 28: Tilburg 013, Netherlands
May 29: Groningen De Oosterport, Netherlands
Jun 01: Budapest Barba Negra, Hungary
Jun 03: Bucharest Arenale Romane, Romania
Jun 05-08: Gdansk Mystic Festival, Poland
Jun 05-08: Solvesborg Sweden Rock Festival, Sweden
Jun 09: Oslo Rockefeller, Norway
Jun 16: Berlin Huxleys Neue Welt, Norway
Jun 17: Hamburg Grosse Freiheit 36, Germany
Jun 19-22: Copenhagen Copenhell, Denmark
Jun 24: Mannheim Zeltfestival Rhein-Neckar, Germany
Jun 25: Munich Circus Krone, Germany
Jun 27-30: Clisson Hellfest, France
Jun 30: Esch-Sur-Alzette Rockhal, Luxembourg
Jul 03-06: Ballenstedt Rockharz Open Air, Germany
Jul 05: Rome Ippodrome Delle Capannelle, Italy
Jul 06: Vincenza Bassano Del Grappa Metal Park, Italy
Jul 09: Koln E-Werk, Germany
Jul 13: Zagreb Hala, Croatia
Jul 16: Sofia Kolodrum Arena, Bulgaria
Jul 19: Istanbul Kucukciftlik Park, Turkey
Iron Maiden Future Past Tour North America dates 2024
Oct 04: San Diego North Island Credit Union Ampitheatre, CA
Oct 05: Las Vegas Michelob Ultra Arena, NV
Oct 08: Los Angeles Kia Forum, CA
Oct 12: Sacramento Aftershock Festival, CA
Oct 14: Portland Moda Center, OR
Oct 16: Tacoma Dome, WA
Oct 18: Salt Lake City Delta Center, UT
Oct 19: Denver Ball Arena, CO
Oct 22: St Paul Xcel Energy Center, MN
Oct 24: Rosemont Allstate Arena, IL
Oct 26: Toronto Scotiabank Arena, ON
Oct 27: Quebec Videotron Arena, QC
Oct 30: Montreal Centre Bell, QC
Nov 01: Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center, PA
Nov 02: Brooklyn Barclays Center, NY
Nov 06: Worcester DCU Center, MA
Nov 08: Pittsburgh PPG Paints Arena, PA
Nov 09: Newark Prudential Center, NJ
Nov 12: Baltimore CFG Bank Arena, MA
Nov 13: Charlotte Spectrum Center, NC
Nov 16: Fort Worth Dickies Arena, TX
Nov 17: San Antonio Frost Bank Center, TX
