It is hard to believe that it is now forty years since Iron Maiden's debut album was released. On 14th April 1980, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (often shortened to the rather unwealdy accronym NWOBHM) found its first superstars and an album of excellence to rival any of the previous decade's prog rock classics. Iron Maiden had already had numerous line-up changes in the run-up to recording their eponymous album, even as late as their 14th November BBC session recording for Tommy Vance's Friday Rock Show on 14th December 1979, Vance having promoted NWOBHM acts since his engagement a year earlier. The Metal for Muthas compilation album also recorded in November 1979 also still featured Doug Sampson, and while an excellent drummer (the BBC session version of 'Sanctuary' is still for me the best), he left at the very end of 1979 due to health issues and had to be swiftly replaced by Clive Burr in time to record the new album in January 1980.
