Session 9 - Cassette-a-ron

Session 9

Different country and only the music we brought with us, we had planned the music part of this listen-a-ron well in advance. The beer section developed out of interesting beers we picked up over the week staying in Melbourne.

We had planned to start this session at 2 P.M. AEST.
We spent the morning at the historic Luna Park, which is a fantastic mix of creepy kitsch which only a park started in 1912 could offer. We followed this up with a beer and burger at Brothers Burger in South Yarra

Maiden Japan

5:15 P.M. We started later than planned with Side 1 of Maiden Japan and a James Squire - One Fifty Lashes
The beer was fine but nothing special and not a match for this great early live offering from Maiden with Paul DiAnno kicking this listen-a-roo off nicely.

Number of the Beast

5:36 P.M.

Switching from Paul to Bruce with Number of the Beast.
This was matched with Stone and Wood - The Forager.

5:58 P.M. - Side 2

Live After Death

6:18 P.M. - Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier - Weizen

The Weizen was a very tasty smokey beer that was going along nicely with the “legacy” Maiden as Bruce Dickinson likes to refer to the older material.

6:45 P.M. - Side 2

7:00 P.M. - Sierra Nevada - Tropical IPA

This IPA was nice, reminded me of another Sierra Nevada we had the night before, I find the American IPAs have more of a hoppy resin taste and less flowery flavour.

7:12 P.M. - Side 3

This is where we started discussing the next album and the repetitive lyrics.
We wanted to know if they were overly repeated or if this had always been the case and we just ignored it.

Terry set about counting the number of times Running Free is repeated, this is probably unfair as the live version has the call and echo with the crowd, total count was 41.

7:28 P.M. Stone - IPA

7:37 P.M. Side 4
7:48 P.M. Exit - IPA

I really enjoyed the Exit - IPA, nice citrus flavours.

Virtual XI

8:23 P.M. - Left Coast Brewing - Trestles IPA

The Trestles might have been an older bottle, it was the worst IPA of the day and tasted oxidised.

We both really enjoyed the music and I like Blaze’s singing but the count was on.
It was like Blaze was mocking Terry as we were noting the number of times “Don’t Look into the Eyes of a Stranger” was sung, the chorus kicked into full swing with “Don’t Look, Don’t Look, Don’t Look into the Eyes of a Stranger” leaving Terry on edge as he noted each full sentence.

Don’t Look into the Eyes of a Stranger was sung 27 times and Don’t Look into the Eyes of a Fool was sung 6 times. We will note the number of times “Don’t Look” is sung next time Virtual XI makes it out.

Maiden Japan

9:01 P.M. - Side 2
Boatrocker - Banshee

Really nice barley wine, with some good oak flavours, not the depth of an aged Thomas Hardy’s Ale but this was only a 2014.
A great way to round off the session.

The Tally of the Day

Listened To

Maiden Japan
Number of the Beast
Live After Death
Virtual XI

Imbibed

James Squire - One Fifty Lashes
Stone and Wood - The Forager
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier - Weizen
Sierra Nevada - Tropical IPA
Stone - IPA
Exit - IPA
Left Coast Brewing - Trestles IPA
Boatrocker - Banshee

The Aftermath

Bruce Dickinson - Tattooed Millionaire

It took me ages to locate a Maiden related cassette, I believe I went to 4 stores I knew sold cassettes and found this filed under J in the last store. We had been looking as far afield as other bands produced by Martin Burch.

This album has dated a fair amount but is still an enjoyable late 80’s early 90’s hard rock/metal album.

We finished up the Barley Wine and had a taster of Dr Pilkington’s - Miracle Cider.

Update on my neck, it was only a muscle strain causing a pinched nerve and not as bad as the doctor feared.

We are off to see Iron Maiden in Melbourne tonight!