Rock stars including Metallica's Lars Ulrich and Public Enemy's Chuck D have praised Iron Maiden's iconic mascot Eddie in an exclusive clip from the upcoming documentary 'Burning Ambition'. The film, directed by Malcolm Venville, celebrates the band's 50th anniversary and arrives in cinemas on May 7. It features interviews with band members and famous fans like Tom Morello and Javier Bardem.
Exclusive clip highlights Eddie's enduring appeal. NME has released a preview from 'Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition', focusing on the skeletal mascot Eddie, who has graced the cover of all 17 studio albums and features in live shows. Public Enemy's Chuck D said, “The thing about Eddie is that he could transcend generations. You could always lure a new head in with a character. Eddie’s a monument.” Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich added, “It’s hard for me to think of a more recognisable mascot or imagery associated with a hard rock band than Eddie and Iron Maiden. It was just such an incredible creation.” Former Download chief Andy Copping noted, “Eddie stood out way beyond any other band that was out there, it was this really dynamic logo,” while KISS frontman Gene Simmons said, “I give credit to Maiden, they understood the flag-bearing thing that connects with the fans.”The documentary traces Iron Maiden's history from early gigs in east London to replacing original frontman Paul Di’Anno with Bruce Dickinson, described by the band as the missing “piece of the puzzle”. It also covers challenges like the grunge era, health issues, and thoughts of quitting. Directed by Malcolm Venville, the film includes archive footage and talks about the band's cultural influence.Iron Maiden's 'Run For Your Lives' tour continues, with a headline show at Knebworth Park scheduled for July 11, part of the 'EddFest' weekender honoring Eddie. Manager Rod Smallwood said Knebworth was chosen to “put together something groundbreaking for our fans by creating a Maiden World for them.” He added, “We are excited to reveal the details of this one-off event to celebrate the band’s 50 year career, which we are now calling EddFest, because, as everyone knows, Eddie is the true star of the show!”
