BRUCE DICKINSON Is Already Working On The Follow-Up To The Mandrake Project

Bruce Dickinson, the iconic frontman of Iron Maiden, is gearing up for an action-packed 2024. The anticipation revolves around the impending release of his new solo album, The Mandrake Project, scheduled for March 1. Dickinson’s schedule is nothing short of a whirlwind, encompassing a bustling tour, the launch of a comic book series, and ambitious plans for fresh musical endeavors.

In a recent candid interview with Loudwire Nights, the 65-year-old maestro shared insights into how the pandemic influenced his creative process. “We all got locked up for three years, so in that time, it gives you a lot of things — perspective, a chance to let ideas breathe, and a chance to discriminate against what’s truly important and what’s really not important. Now, of course, the world is back and we are just crazy busy.”

With the world reopening its doors, Dickinson is immersing himself in a calendar brimming with activity. A staggering 90 shows await him, split between his solo tour, concluding in July, and the highly anticipated Iron Maiden tour set to kick off in September.

“This year is gonna be nuts for me, which I don’t have a problem with. As long as my legs stay attached to the rest of my body, I’m gonna be okay. Don’t go swimming with sharks. I’ve got basically 90 shows this year, just under, between the solo tour, which goes up to 21 of July, and then the Maiden tour that starts at the beginning of September and goes right the way through to just two weeks before Christmas.”

Acknowledging the intensity of the schedule, Dickinson remains enthusiastic, even with a mere three-week break in between. “So that’s full-on. There’s like a three-week break in the middle, but that’s it, during which time we’ll be doing absolutely nothing — lying down somewhere going, ‘Okay.’ Recharge the batteries and off we go for round two. But it’s really exciting, the intensity of it all.”

Beyond the realm of music, Dickinson is delving into the world of comics with the release of his 12-issue series, The Mandrake Project. However, his creative endeavors don’t end there. Dickinson tantalizingly hints at a forthcoming album with his longtime collaborator, Roy Z.

“The comic’s gonna go on for three years, just under. And in terms of music, obviously The Mandrake Project, the album is done, out March the 1st, and then we’ll see how people take to it. But I’m going to be writing music in two or three weeks, I hope, with Roy again, because we’ve got more stuff we wanna do. So, yeah, there’ll be another album, because we already have 10 or 12 different ideas for it.” Dickinson’s boundless energy and creative fervor promise an exciting chapter for fans in the coming months.