The Metal Voice’s Jimmy Kay  talks to legendary DJ Neal Kay  (Part 2) of an exclusive live interview. Topics covered in the chat: Blaze Bayley; Clive Burr’s Exit; Dennis Stratton; Iron Maiden songwriting court case; joining Rush on the Hemispheres tour and his thoughts on Iron Maiden continuing without Steve Harris.

Neal Kay’s new official biography will be released Sept 2022 by author Stjepan Juras with a forward by Iron Maiden Steve Harris.

Neal Kay was asked to confirm if there was indeed a second guitarist who played (rumour Paul Cairns played guitar and was uncredited) on the legendary Iron Maiden Soundhouse tapes or was it just Dave Murray who did all the guitar work, Neal Kay said,” Dave Murray unquestionably, Dave Murray played on it. When I met the band there was only one guitarist in the band. Paul Di’anno was singing, Doug Sampson was on the drums, Steve Harris was playing Bass and Dave Murray was the guitarist. .”

Neal Kay continued,” I have also been involved in some crazy court case about all this recently.  I got a letter from a lawyer who said listen we want to borrow your Soundhouse tape Cassette because we want to check it out more precisely. The London lawyer left a phone number and I was really annoyed. These guys (the people the lawyer represented) were claiming that they wrote some of the chord structures to some of the songs and some of the lyrics. I got this letter that kind of said if would I help them and basically I just wanted to tell them to F-off. I phoned them up and said listen you, whoever you are,  I hope you got the deepest pockets on the planet if you think you are going to tackle Iron Maiden in the court of law. Not only is this stuff you are telling me  rubbish but I never knew any of these guys when I first met the band (Iron Maiden). None of them were there, there was only Dave Murray and I have been repeatedly told that Dave played on the recordings at Spaceward studios. They came to me out of desperation thinking I would back them, I don’t know where these people get off, they must be damaged psychologically “

The Soundhouse Tapes is the debut E.P. by Iron Maiden, and features the first recordings by the band. Released on 9 November 1979, it features three songs taken from the demo tape recorded at Spaceward Studios on 30 and 31 December 1978. The three tracks (“Iron Maiden”, “Invasion” and “Prowler”) appear in a rougher form than they would on the band’s eponymous debut studio album and subsequent singles, as they were all recorded in one session.

Pre-order book here.

Neal Kay is a NOWBHM legend for whose biographical book the legendary bass guitarist and founder of the band Iron Maiden Steve Harris decided to write foreword. That fact alone speaks to how crucial Neal Kay was to Iron Maiden’s early success, and in this book we’ll find out everything that hasn’t been talked about to date! Strictly limited to 333 copies, hardcover, full color edition, with a special certificate signed and dedicated by Neal Kay, is called the ‘Soundhouse Premium’ edition and will be a gem in any serious book collection.

The special, luxurious, hardcover, full color edition of this book with the cover page printed in gold print is a unique edition that only the first 333 fans will be able to buy and which will never be on sale again. What makes this edition special? In addition to being a very heavy, large format book, printed on the highest quality paper, every customer of the ‘Soundhouse Premium’ edition will receive a special A4 hard paper certificate of authenticity of this edition of the book as a gift with the original ‘The Soundhouse Tapes’ sleeve text written by NEAL KAY back in 1979. NEAL KAY will sign each original text with a personalized dedication to each customer in a way that this classic document that witnessed the rise of the IRON MAIDEN will be perfect for framing. Each certificate will be numbered and protected by holographic printing. A special addition to this edition (in case the buyer is the owner of the original EP ‘The Soundhouse Tapes’), will be a very special gift that will put a ‘dot on and on’ to their collector’s treasure.