''Best of the 'B' Sides'' is a compilation of

B-sides The A-side and B-side are the two sides of vinyl records and cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a single usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or ...

by the English heavy metal band

Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris (musician), Steve Harris. Although fluid in the early years of the band, the line-up for most ...

, released on 4 November 2002 as part of the

Eddie's Archive ''Eddie's Archive'' is a box set by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 16 November 2002. The box, an embossed metal casket featuring the face of mascot Eddie, contains three double CDs, the Iron Maiden family tree and a shot g ...

box set. Each track was remastered and the set came with a running commentary from

Rod Smallwood Roderick Charles Smallwood (born 17 February 1950) is an English music manager, best known as the co-manager of the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. With his business partner, Andy Taylor, whom he met while studying at Trinity College, Cam ...

. It covers all of their singles from their first (1980's "

Running Free "Running Free" is the debut single by Iron Maiden, released on 8 February 1980 on the 7" 45 rpm vinyl record format. It was written by Steve Harris and Paul Di'Anno. The song appears as the third track on the band's debut album ''Iron Maiden'' ...

") to 2000's "

Out of the Silent Planet ''Out of the Silent Planet'' is a science fiction novel by the British author C. S. Lewis, first published in 1938 by John Lane, The Bodley Head. Two sequels were published in 1943 and 1945, completing the '' Space Trilogy''. Plot While on ...

", although several of the band's original B-sides were excluded from the collection: "Total Eclipse" (from "

Run to the Hills "Run to the Hills" is a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was released as their sixth single and the first from the band's third studio album, '' The Number of the Beast'' (1982). It is their first single with Bruce Dickinson ...

", 1982, although this has been added to the album '' The Number of the Beast'' from 1998 onwards), "Mission From 'Arry" (from "

2 Minutes to Midnight "2 Minutes to Midnight" is a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, featured on their fifth studio album, '' Powerslave'' (1984). It was released as the band's tenth single, and first from the album on 6 August 1984. It rose to num ...

", 1984); "Bayswater Ain't a Bad Place to Be" (from " Be Quick or Be Dead", 1992); and "I Live My Way" (from "

Man on the Edge "Man on the Edge" is a single from the Iron Maiden album ''The X Factor'' released in 1995. The song is based on the film ''Falling Down'', starring Michael Douglas. It was the first single the band released with Blaze Bayley on vocals. Synopsis ...

", 1995). Also missing are the band's cover of

Thin Lizzy Thin Lizzy are an Irish rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. The band initially consisted of bass guitarist, lead vocalist and principal songwriter Phil Lynott, drummer Brian Downey, guitarist Eric Bell and organist Eric Wrixon although Wr ...

's "Massacre" (from "

Can I Play with Madness "Can I Play with Madness" is a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. The song is the sixteenth single released by the band. Released in 1988, it was the first single from their seventh studio album, ''Seventh Son of a Seventh Son'' ...

", 1988) and a number of live B-sides. The album is described on the band's website as "a collection that not only reveals much about the band as individuals and the inherent character of the band, but also provides a real insight into who and where their influences came from."

Track listing

Disc One

Disc Two

Personnel

Production and performance credits are adapted from the album liner notes. ;Iron Maiden *

Steve Harris Steve Harris may refer to: * Steve Harris (musician) (born 1956), founder member and bassist of the band Iron Maiden * Steve Harris (actor) (born 1965), American film and TV actor * Steve Harris (basketball) (1963–2016), American basketball playe ...

– bass guitar, producer (disc 2, tracks 5–7 and 9–14) * Dave Murray – guitar *

Doug Sampson Douglas William Sampson (born 30 June 1957) is an English musician. He was the drummer for Iron Maiden from 1978 to 1979. Biography Prior to joining Iron Maiden, Sampson was a member of one of Steve Harris' previous groups, Smiler, along wit ...

– drums (disc 1, track 1) *

Paul Di'Anno Paul Andrews (17 May 1958 – 21 October 2024), better known by his stage name Paul Di'Anno, was an English Heavy metal music, heavy metal singer who was the lead vocalist for Iron Maiden from 1978 to 1981. In his post-Maiden career, Di'Anno ...

– lead vocals (disc 1, tracks 1–3) *

Dennis Stratton Dennis Stratton (born 9 October 1952) is an English guitarist best known as a member of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden from December 1979 to October 1980. He was also the lead guitarist and occasional lead vocalist of Praying Mantis from 1990 ...

– guitar (disc 1, tracks 2 and 3) *

Clive Burr Clive Ronald Burr (8 March 1956 – 12 March 2013) was an English musician. He was the drummer of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden from 1979 to 1982. Together with fellow Iron Maiden member Dennis Stratton, he joined Praying Mantis for the r ...

– drums (disc 1, tracks 2–4) *

Adrian Smith Adrian Smith may refer to: * Adrian Smith (basketball) (born 1936), American basketball player *Adrian Smith (architect) (born 1944), American architect *Sir Adrian Smith (statistician) (born 1946), English statistician and academic *Adrian Smith (m ...

– guitar (disc 1, tracks 4–15; disc 2, tracks 15 and 16), lead vocals (disc 1, track 9) *

Bruce Dickinson Paul Bruce Dickinson (born 7 August 1958) is an English singer who is best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden. Dickinson has performed in the band across two stints, from 1981 to 1993 and from 1999 to the present d ...

– lead vocals (disc 1, tracks 4–8 and 10–15; disc 2, tracks 1–8, 15 and 16), backing vocals (disc 1, track 9) *

Nicko McBrain Michael Henry "Nicko" McBrain (born 5 June 1952) is an English musician, best known as the drummer of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden since 1982. He is the third-longest serving member of the band, having appeared on each Iron Maiden album sin ...

– drums (disc 1, tracks 5–15; disc 2) *

Janick Gers Janick Robert Gers (; born 27 January 1957) is an English musician who is best known as one of the three guitarists in Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Iron Maiden since 1990. He initially joined to replace Adrian Smith (musician) , Adrian ...

– guitar (disc 2) *

Blaze Bayley Blaze Bayley (born Bayley Alexander Cooke, 29 May 1963) is an English heavy metal singer. He was the lead singer of Wolfsbane from 1984 to 1994 (and currently since 2010, following reunions in 2007 and 2009). He was also the lead singer of I ...

– lead vocals (disc 2, tracks 9–14) ;Production *Guy Edwards – producer (disc 1, track 1) *

Will Malone Wil Malone (born Peter Wilson, 29 July 1942, Hornsey, North London) is a British music producer and arranger, who has worked with artists including The Who, Rick Wakeman, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Todd Rundgren, The Verve, Massive Attack, Depe ...

– producer (disc 1, track 2) *"Iron Maiden" – producer (disc 1, track 3; disc 2, tracks 15 and 16) *

Martin Birch Martin Phillip Birch (27 December 19489 August 2020) was a British music producer and sound engineer. He became renowned for engineering and producing albums recorded predominantly by British rock and metal bands, including Deep Purple, Rainbow ...

– producer (disc 1, tracks 4–15; disc 2, tracks 1–8) *Nigel Green – producer (disc 2, tracks 9–12) *

Mark Wilkinson Mark Wilkinson (born 3 October 1952) is an English illustrator. He is best known for the detailed surrealistic cover art he created for a number of British bands. Wilkinson's breakthrough came through his association with the neo-prog band Mar ...

– cover illustration *Nick Watson – mastering *

– management *Andy Taylor – management *Merck Mercuriadis – management

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Best Of The 'B' Sides B-side compilation albums Iron Maiden compilation albums 2002 compilation albums Heavy metal compilation albums