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)Ed Hunter1999 Eddie's Archive: BBC Archives / Beast over Hammersmith / Best of the 'B' Sides (2002) Edward the Great (2002)Edward the Great2002

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] It covers all of their singles from their first (1980's "Running Free") to 2000's "Out of the Silent Planet",^[3] although several of the band's original B-sides were excluded from the collection: "Total Eclipse" (from "Run to the Hills", 1982, although this has been added to the album The Number of the Beast from 1998 onwards), "Mission From 'Arry" (from "2 Minutes to Midnight", 1984); "Bayswater Ain't a Bad Place to Be" (from "Be Quick or Be Dead", 1992); and "I Live My Way" (from "Man on the Edge", 1995). Also missing are the band's cover of Thin Lizzy's "Massacre" (from "Can I Play with Madness", 1988) and a number of live B-sides.

The album 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 2–4)
• 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