Why You Should Never Ask Iron Maiden to Lip-Sync on TV

What happens when you ask one of the world's biggest metal bands to lip-sync on TV? Look no further (or is it farther?) than this vintage—and hilarious—Iron Maiden clip from 1986.

That August, a German TV show, P.I.T., asked the hard-rocking U.K. band to lip-sync along to “Wasted Years”—which, we remind you, was not all that unusual in the mid-Eighties (and long before and long after).

Things start off pretty normal—except that Steve Harris and Dave Murray have switched instruments. Then, at the 40-second mark, Bruce Dickinson grabs Harris' guitar while Harris grabs the mic. Then Dickinson pretends to play a guitar solo during the verse. Suddenly drummer Nicko McBrain leaves his kit ... he’s then handed a bass ... then Harris gets behind the drums.

There's really no point explaining the rest; you'll just have to watch. Let's just say things "sink" into madness. The motto here? Do NOT ask Iron Maiden to lip-sync.

"Wasted Years" is from the band's 1986 album, Somewhere in Time. Carry on!