Best of the 'B' Sides

Best of the 'B' Sides
Compilation album by Iron Maiden
Released	4 November 2002
Recorded	1979—1999
Genre	Heavy metal
Length	2:14:10
Iron Maiden compilations chronology
Ed Hunter (1999) Eddie's Archive: BBC Archives / Beast over Hammersmith / Best of the 'B' Sides (2002) Edward the Great (2002)

Best of the 'B' Sides is a compilation of B-sides by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 4 November 2002 as part of the Eddie's Archive box set.^[1] Each track was remastered and the set came with a running commentary from Rod Smallwood.^[2] Covering all of their singles from their first (1980's "Running Free") to 2000's "Out of the Silent planet",^[3] many of the band's original B-sides were excluded from the collection: "Mission From 'Arry" (from "2 Minutes to Midnight", 1984); "Bayswater Ain't a Bad Place to Be" (from "Be Quick or Be Dead", 1992); "I Live My Way" (from "Man on the Edge", 1995); as well as their cover of Thin Lizzy's "Massacre" (from "Can I Play with Madness", 1988) and a number of live B-sides. It is described on the band's website as "a collection that not only reveals much about the band as individuals and the inherent character of the band, but also provides a real insight into who and where their influences came from."^[2]

Track listing

CD one

CD two

Personnel

Production and performance credits are adapted from the album liner notes.^[4]

Iron Maiden

• Steve Harris – bass guitar, producer (disc 2, tracks 5–7 and 9–14)
• Dave Murray – guitar
• Doug Sampson – drums (disc 1, track 1)
• Paul Di'Anno – lead vocals (disc 1, tracks 1–3)
• Dennis Stratton – guitar (disc 1, tracks 2 and 3)
• Clive Burr – drums (disc 1, tracks 1–4)
• Adrian Smith – guitar (disc 1, tracks 4–15; disc 2, tracks 15 and 16), lead vocals (disc 1, track 9)
• Bruce Dickinson – lead vocals (disc 1, tracks 4–8 and 10–15; disc 2, tracks 1–8, 15 and 16), backing vocals (disc 1, track 9)
• Nicko McBrain – drums (disc 1, tracks 5–15; disc 2)
• Janick Gers – guitar (disc 2)
• Blaze Bayley – lead vocals (disc 2, tracks 9–14)

Production

• Guy Edwards – producer (disc 1, track 1)
• Will Malone – producer (disc 1, track 2)
• "Iron Maiden" – producer (disc 1, track 3; disc 2, tracks 15 and 16)
• Martin Birch – producer (disc 1, tracks 4–15; disc 2, tracks 1–8)
• Nigel Green – producer (disc 2, tracks 9–12)
• Mark Wilkinson – cover illustration
• Nick Watson – mastering
• Rod Smallwood – management
• Andy Taylor – management
• Merck Mercuriadis – management

References