Thames & Hudson are delighted to release the publication of Iron Maiden: Infinite Dreams – The Official Visual History, published globally in hardback. A magnificent visual celebration of the first 50 years of Iron Maiden, this new book chronicles the evolution of heavy metal’s most prestigious band, with unparalleled input from band members and management.
A truly spectacular and beautiful book, featuring never-before-seen items and photographs, which have been curated with enormous attention to detail over a number of years, it celebrates one of Britain’s most influential and biggest-selling bands, who have become arguably the biggest metal band in the world.
Organized chronologically, Iron Maiden: Infinite Dreams tells the story of the band from their first pub gigs in 1975 and their first record deal in 1979, through the recording and reception of groundbreaking albums, including their self-titled debut, 1982’s global breakthrough The Number of the Beast and the stadium-conquering Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son, to 2021’s hugely acclaimed double-album Senjutsu and the forthcoming Run For Your Lives World Tour.
The book traces the evolution of their iconic Eddie mascot, alongside exclusive comments from his creator Derek Riggs, and documents the band’s spectacular and complex stage productions and extensive live tours, including the Somewhere Back in Time World Tour of 2008, which made international headlines as Bruce Dickinson piloted the band’s very own Ed Force One 757.
Presenting iconic album and single artworks, photographs of the band’s instruments past and present, stage props, hand-written lyrics and artefacts from the archive and the band’s personal collections, as well as landmark photographs by Ross Halfin, John McMurtrie and more, Iron Maiden: Infinite Dreams is rife with revelatory stories and intriguing insights from pivotal band members and management. It is bookended by a foreword from band founder Steve Harris and an afterword by vocalist Bruce Dickinson.
Steve Harris says, “I’ve been pleasantly surprised at some of the stuff that I’ve managed to unearth for this book. I knew I had kept a lot of things from the early days but they have lasted really well and the photography has brought them back to life. I hope the fans are going to love looking at all the stuff presented like this! It’s the right time to bring it all together for part of our 50th celebrations.”
Tristan de Lancey, Creative Director at Thames & Hudson, commented: “Iron Maiden is an institution. Hailed as pioneers of British heavy metal in the 1980s, the band has come to embody a spirit of fearless creative independence and ferocious dedication to their fans that has won them a huge following around the world and across generations. With astonishing archival access and more meticulous, hands-on participation from the band than I ever thought possible, we have been gifted the tools to create something beautiful, comprehensive and unique which, I have no doubt, raises the bar for illustrated books in this music genre. Every page will surprise and delight its audience – just don’t expect metal fans to be the only ones who buy it…!”
