The black bar is only present in the UK edition, the European releases do not have it. Rod Smallwood (the bands manager) had decided the black bar that was put on the cover to censor it was good publicity. This was censored out and widely believed to have been banned by Magaret Thatcher herself which is false. (Margaret Thatcher was the British Prime Minister at the time). The Sanctuary cover depicted the Iron Maiden mascot having stabbed Margaret Thatcher to death. It also only showed the top half of his torso.Įddie caused much controversy for the band on the Sanctuary and Women In Uniform single covers.

In 1980 the body was revealed, with the first incarnation of Eddie looking remarkably different from other Eddies since. The band subsequently decided to keep this body secret until their first album 'Iron Maiden' was released. So five years later Eddie's father entered the room on Eddie's birthday and said: 'well today's your birthday, and boy do we have a surprise for you!' after which Eddie replied: 'Oh no!, not another bloody hat!''Įddie did not have a body until Iron Maiden met Derek Riggs, who designed a body to accompany the head. 'A woman had given birth to just a head, the doctor told her she needn't worry since he would come up with a suitable body for good 'ole Eddie within a year or five.

All eddie iron maiden