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!

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Damian Fanelli
Editor-in-Chief, Guitar World

Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.