Description
2019 reissue on gold vinyl. Limited 150 copies
Women in Uniform is a 1978 song originally recorded by the Australian band Skyhooks; it was written by the band’s bass player, Greg Macainsh. It appeared on their fourth album, Guilty Until Proven Insane, and was a top 10 single in Australia. Iron Maiden’s cover of the Skyhooks’ song “Women in Uniform” was the band’s third single and their last recorded work to feature guitarist Dennis Stratton. It was released as a single in Europen on 27th of October 1980 in order to promote the second British leg of their Iron Maiden Tour. The idea to cover the song was suggested by the band’s publishing company, Zomba, who set them up with studio time at Battery Studios with Ac/dc producer Tony Platt. Although sceptical at first about recording a song that was so different to the band’s style, bassist Steve Harris conceded when Platt was hired, surmising that “as he worked with Ac/dc and that, I thought, ‘Oh, you know, fine. He’s not gonna pull us in any commercial direction'”. After trying to create their own “heavy” version of the song, to Harris’ dismay he found out that Platt, with help from Stratton, had been tampering with the song’s mix as he had been briefed by Zomba to “Try and get a hit single.” As a result, Platt was dismissed and Harris remixed the track himself. Although the intended mix was restored, the band have routinely mentioned their dislike of the single, with Harris vowing “never, ever, ever to allow anyone outside to fuck around with our music again”. Most single version included a live version of Phantom Of The Opera recorded at the Marquee on July 4th 1980 but the Greek and Japanese chosed to release a complete mini album with material form that Marquee show. This Greece and Japan only release has now been re-issued in Europe
Track listing:
1. Sanctuary-live
2. Phantom Of The Opera-live
3. Drifter-live
4. Women In Uniform
5. Innocent Exile-live
6. Sanctuary-live
7. Prowler-live
8. Running Free-live
9. Remember Tomorrow-live
10. Ivet Got The Fire-live