The Metal Voice
- Mar 3

Roy Z Interview: Talks Musical Differences Between Iron Maiden & Bruce Dickinson Solo Material

Metal Hammer recently interviewed Bruce Dickinson's guitarist/ producer/ co-songwriter Roy Z to discuss Bruce's new solo album 'The Mandrake Project'. Metal Hammer full chat here

Roy Z photo by William Hames

Iron Maiden photo by Fernando Bonenfant

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT MEETING BRUCE FOR THE FIRST TIME?

“It was 1993 and we were working in the same studio - him in the day, me [with the band Tribe Of Gypsies] at night. I’d told my engineer that I didn’t want anyone to hear my music, no exceptions. One day I came in and there was this guy at the desk, listening to my shit, long hair flying everywhere.

I was ready to kill somebody. But then he turned around and went, ‘Hey, I’m Bruce, I love your band, who are you?’ He asked if I wanted to come to the UK and write with him. That fall, he announced he was leaving Maiden and it just went from there.”

WHEN DID BRUCE SEND UP THE BAT SIGNAL ABOUT MAKING A NEW ALBUM THIS TIME?

“We were originally set to go in 2012. That’s when we did the first batch of demos. Maiden were going to have some time off, so it was like, ‘Let’s get this done!’ The plan was to release it in 2013 and possibly do some shows. But that all kind of changed. We did 12-14 songs, so a few of them didn’t come out on this record. Hopefully they’ll see the light of day.”

HAVE YOU EVER WRITTEN A SONG THAT SOUNDS LIKE IRON MAIDEN AND THEN THOUGHT, ‘NO, WE CAN’T DO THAT’?

“When we first started, he did not want anything to sound like Iron Maiden. But we like a lot of the same bands. I’m really into old Sabbath, old Deep Purple, Rainbow, and Bruce is as well. So we have a great foundation of influences.”

Read full interview here on Metal Hammer

The Mandrake Project is the seventh solo studio album by Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson that will be released on March 1, 2024. Surprisingly it has been 18 years since Bruce's last solo album with writing partner/producer/guitarist Roy Z.

Order Album Here

https://www.themandrakeproject.com/album/

The Metal Voice Full Video Review

The Mandrake Project is a concept album. It's a dark story about power, abuse and a struggle for identity, set against the backdrop of scientific and occult genius...Ok. Accompanying the album is a comic book that was created by Bruce Dickinson, scripted by Tony Lee with stunning illustrations by Staz Johnson for Z2 Comics. The series features 12 episodes that collect into three graphic novels and was launched on Jan 2024.