The Soundhouse Tapes

Infobox Album
Name = The Soundhouse Tapes
Type = EP
Artist = Iron Maiden

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Released = 9 November 1979
Recorded = 31 December 1978
Genre = Heavy metal, Rock
Length = 11:28
Label = Rock Hard
Producer =
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:lwf3zf0heh4k link]
Last album =
This album = "The Soundhouse Tapes"
(1979)
Next album = "Iron Maiden"
(1980)

"The Soundhouse Tapes" is an EP by Iron Maiden. "The Soundhouse Tapes" are the very first recordings of Iron Maiden. Released on 9 November 1979, it features three songs taken from the demo tape "Spaceward". The songs were recorded by the band on New Year's Eve 1978/79. The three tracks - "Prowler", "Invasion" and "Iron Maiden" - appear in rougher form than they would later be heard on the first Iron Maiden album and subsequent singles. The fourth song from the demo - "Strange World" - would also appear on "Iron Maiden". The song was not included in "The Soundhouse Tapes" because the band wasn't happy with the recording quality. A demo of Transylvania, presumably from the same recording sessions (or at least the same era), has been floating around on the internet for some time as well.

The EP was extremely successful, selling all 5,000 copies of its initial pressing by mail order in less than a week.

"The Soundhouse Tapes" have been bootlegged several times, as well as being re-released by the band in full on the 4 LP vinyl version of the "Best of the Beast" box set, and spread over singles and the two CD version released around the same time.

"The Soundhouse Tapes"' title was taken from The Soundhouse club. This was a heavy metal disco run primarily out of the Prince of Wales pub in Kingsbury, North West London by NWOBHM pioneer Neal Kay. Iron Maiden would play regular gigs at The Soundhouse and the venue was instrumental in gaining the band a wider following.

It is the only Iron Maiden record to feature the band as a four piece (with Dave Murray as its only guitarist).

In 2002, when the band reissued its catalogue, they held a special promotion in which a fan could collect proofs of purchase from the remasters and send them in along with shipping and handling to receive a CD of these recordings (this is, to date, the ONLY time the Soundhouse Tapes recordings have (officially) been released on CD.)

Swedish death metal band Opeth released a live album in 2007 called The Roundhouse Tapes in homage to this title.

Track listing

All songs written by Steve Harris.
# "Iron Maiden" – 4:01
# "Invasion" – 3:07
# "Prowler" – 4:20

Credits

*Paul Di'Anno - Vocals
*Dave Murray - guitar
*Steve Harris - bass guitar
*Doug Sampson - drums