Iron Maiden stamps: Royal Mail immortalises ‘bona fide rock legends’ in post – along with mascot Eddie
They’re one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time, with more than 100 million albums sold and 2,500 live shows across 64 countries under their belts.
And now Iron Maiden have their own set of stamps, too.
Joining the likes of The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Queen, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Elton John and Paul McCartney, the “bona fide rock legends” have been immortalised in post by the Royal Mail.
Twelve Iron Maiden stamps have been created, with eight featuring all current members of the band.
Guitarists Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, Janick Gers and lead singer Bruce Dickinson, drummer Nicko McBrain and bassist Steve Harris all appear in the commemorative project.
Four stamps also pay homage to the band’s mascot Eddie, including him as a samurai warrior from their 17th album, Senjutsu, which charted at number two in the UK in 2021.
Harris said he and his bandmates are “very proud” to be honoured by the Royal Mail.
“We were all absolutely astounded – in a good way – when we heard first about the commemorative project, and equally pretty much speechless when we saw the stamps for the very first time,” he said.
“They look superb and I think they really capture the essence and energy of Maiden.”
Iron Maiden’s mascot, Eddie, also makes an appearance
‘A band who have never played by anyone else’s rules’
Formed by Harris in London in 1975, Iron Maiden have had 35 songs in the top 40, according to Official Charts Company – including one number one, the 1988 single Bring Your Daughter… To The Slaughter.
They have also had five number-one albums including Fear Of The Dark, The Book Of Souls, The Final Frontier, Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son and The Number Of The Beast.
Rod Smallwood, the band’s manager, said: “As a band who have never played by anyone else’s rules for over 40 years, it’s very gratifying to see them honoured in their home country in this way.
“We’re proud to show how these six band members are still appealing to more and more fans every year with their music and their legendary shows – which I think these stamps really capture well.”
The Rolling Stones (pictured), Queen and The Beatles are among the other British acts to have featured on Royal Mail stamps
The stamps also feature the Queen’s silhouette, having been created before the move to feature the King.
“It’s also fantastic that Eddie has been honoured too – it’s incredible to think that Her Majesty, may she rest in peace, saw these and lent her iconic silhouette to them too,” Smallwood added.
David Gold, director of external public affairs and policy at Royal Mail, said: “Few bands in the history of rock music can be called bona fide rock legends – but Iron Maiden are just that – and more.”
The Royal Mail stamps are available to order from Thursday 5 January and are on sale from 12 January.
Iron Maiden will embark on The Future Past tour in May 2023, with shows in the UK and Ireland in June and July.
As well as music acts, commemorative stamps have previously been released to celebrate everything and everyone from COVID pandemic heroes and Pride, to Transformers and the FA Cup.
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John David Washington says he felt like he had to conceal his desire to act because of the external expectations of him being the child of Denzel and Pauletta Washington.
He tells Sky News it took some time for him to pursue an acting career, choosing football instead to assert his “independence” and create his own “identity” separate from his famous family.
“I’ve been wanting to do this my whole life… but I was hiding it,” he said.
“I had to conceal that passion based on my relationship to the world and more specifically, my folks being in the industry, so I chose ball.
“I loved ball, but I was sort of hiding my love for the arts under a helmet – literally an American football helmet – and so when I wanted to become an actor, when I decided to pursue it, that was a big shock to some people.”
The 40-year-old actor says when he decided to pursue an acting career, he kept the decision quiet.
“Some people didn’t know I was even pursuing it professionally until I got a job,” he said.
John David with fellow actor Danielle Deadwyler. Pic: David Lee/ Netflix
Since switching to acting, John David has starred in a number of notable roles including the protagonist in Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, Ron Stallworth in BlacKkKlansman and Joshua in The Creator.
He also led the stage revival of the 2022 Tony-nominated play The Piano Lesson on Broadway alongside Samuel L Jackson.
“He [Jackson] originated the role [I play] in 1987 at Yale with Lloyd Richards and August Wilson,” John David said.
“So it was of great importance for us to learn from both he and Michael Potts about August Wilson. It was a great blessing for me, I think, for all of us to have him present on set.”
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The Piano Lesson is the third August Wilson play to be adapted for the screen by Denzel Washington’s production company Mundy Lane Entertainment.
It is part of a pledge made by the Gladiator II actor to make all 10 of the playwright’s works into films.
The Netflix project is directed by another Washington family member, Malcolm, and stars most of the cast from the Broadway revival.
The Piano Lesson is Malcolm Washington’s directorial debut. Pic: Katia Washington/ Netflix
Set in 1936 Pittsburgh in the aftermath of the Great Depression, the film centres on a family heirloom, a piano, that is etched with the carvings of their family history made by their enslaved ancestor.
Malcolm says he started reading the play for the first time during the pandemic and immediately wanted to be involved in the film adaptation.
“I think with this movie, reclamation of story and identity is so central to the theme and it’s something that’s central to my life where I both acknowledge the fertile ground that I was raised on and who I am today.
“That’s what Wining Boy [played by Michael Potts] really is trying to do, he’s trying to build on that legacy, so that’s a story that really resonated with me.”
The filmmaker added: “I take all the gifts that my ancestors laid in front of me, and I’m trying to build something for the next generation to pass down – all of their gifts, plus mine to the next generation and let them build on it.”
Malcolm has dedicated his directorial debut to his mother, Pauletta Washington. Pic: David Lee/Netflix
Malcolm says his goal was to put family at the forefront of the production. By dedicating his feature debut to “Mama”, he is acknowledging the dedication and sacrifices that mothers make for the growth of their families.
“There’s so much pointing to my mother in particular, who inspired this adaptation so much. I see so much of her life in Berniece’s character [played by Danielle Deadwyler] – and that became a guiding light for me in this adaptation,” he said.
“As we made this thing and started reconnecting with our ancestors, my mum became like a kind of representative of them.
“She’s the matriarch of our family. She tells me about my grandparents and great-grandparents and the line that I come from, and I see them in her.
“And when the movie ends, I want people to kind of have that moment of reflection for their own lives. So in dedicating it to her, I was trying to dedicate it to all mums everywhere.”
The Piano Lesson is now available on Netflix.
Blockbuster Wicked has landed the largest opening weekend of 2024 at Vue International.
The film, starring Oscar-nominated actress Cynthia Erivo and Grammy-winning pop star Ariana Grande as Elphaba and Glinda, surpassed both Gladiator II and Paddington In Peru.
It has also had the largest opening weekend for a stage musical adaptation in the cinema chain’s history.
A boss for Vue International said it had seen a “sea of pink and green” over the weekend.
Ariana Grande (left) as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in the film. Pic: PA
Pic: PA
Pic: PA
Released on Friday, Wicked is up 60% on Les Miserables’ opening weekend in 2012 and three times larger than the 2022 film adaptation of Matilda.
Founder and chief executive of Vue International Tim Richards said: “Vue has seen a sea of pink and green over the opening weekend of Wicked, which has shown continued high demand for the big screen experience.
“We saw record-breaking pre-sales for Wicked, followed by a chart-topping opening weekend – the biggest for 2024.”
The film is the first of two parts, with the second expected in November next year.
Wicked and Gladiator II – known together as Glicked – have reportedly failed to beat out Barbenheimer, Barbie and Oppenheimer, in its own opening weekend last summer.
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Glicked brought in £215m in worldwide ticket sales – with Wicked making the majority of that.
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