...Before The Exile!
Tracks 1-13 - Live Rainbow Theatre, London, UK, Dec. 21, 1980
Track 14 - Top of the Pops appearance 1980 (Nov.?)
Track 15 - unknown Paul Di'Anno live recording
Robespierre RBCD 003
75:39
1. The Ides Of March (1:36)
2. Sanctuary (4:29)
3. Wrathchild (3:16)
4. Remember Tomorrow (5:53)
5. Charlotte The Harlot (4:49)
6. Killers (5:18)
7. Another Life (incl. drum solo) (6:43)
8. Prowler (5:29)
9. Innocent Exile (5:11)
10. Phantom Of The Opera (8:09)
11. Iron Maiden (4:39)
12. Running Free (3:34)
13. Drifter (10:16)
14. Women In Uniform (Skyhooks cover) (3:34)
15. I've Got A Fire [sic] (Montrose cover) (2:43)

No recording information given beyond "Planet Earth 1981 Tour" in the booklet.

This was the night Maiden was recording their "Live at the Rainbow" video--Paul mentions that in the stage banter before "Killers." After "Drifter" he also mentions there's been a "technical hitch" and they'll have to play most of the set over for the video.

There's an edit at the end of track 5 after "Charlotte..."

"Killers" is a working version of sorts with entirely different lyrics from the album version.

There's an edit at the end of track 7, after Adrian Smith is introduced.

After "Iron Maiden," the audio begins to fade out at 3:59 of track 11, starts again, and right after it starts back up, there's an edit.

There's an audio hiccup at 0:18 of "Running Free."

"Women in Uniform" is from the band's Top of the Pops appearance, which I think was November. It's sometimes incorrectly mentioned as being earlier in 1980, though it would have to have been later in the year since Adrian Smith was already in the band for their appearance. There's some narration from a BBC announcer at the beginning and end of the track.

I'm not sure where "I've Got the Fire" is from. It seems to be a studio mixed live version, as the production is excellent, and the crowd noise at the beginning and end artificially falls off. Although Paul's "thank you" stage banter at the end sounds nearly identical to the live b-side version on the "Sanctuary" single (from the Marquee Club, Apr. 3, 1980), if you listen carefully to the end, Paul's vocals are totally different, particularly his final scream on the bootleg's version. And obviously, since it does seem studio mixed, they could have easily thrown together a cleaned-up live performance with crowd noise and stage banter from any gig (This track also appears on the "The Metal Years: 1978-1983" bootleg). This may be from the Greek press of "Live!! + One." Anyone out there with more info?

Back