#Balls to Picasso

[beforethepoison]

Bruce Dickinson performing on stage at The Marquee, London 18 October 1994. (Photo by Ian Dickson/Redferns)

[dickinson-devotee]

Kerrang Archives: Live Reviews

[metalsongoftheday]

Friday, May 10: Bruce Dickinson, "Cyclops"

Balls to Picasso had a difficult birth, and “Cyclops” reflected this despite being one of the later songs written for Bruce Dickinson’s second solo album.  The record’s opening track tried to nod towards alternative metal, with Dave Ingraham’s drums seemingly aiming for groove but coming off a bit stiff and Roy Z.’s crunching riff similarly going for something grimy but sounding processed and slick due to Shay Baby’s production.  Dickinson himself sounded similarly lost: he was all over the place vocally, but didn’t always seem to have a clear grasp of what he was really aiming for, and his lyrics tried too hard to be “streetwise” and “dark”.  Things picked up a bit with the chorus, but it wasn’t until the final minutes of an unnecessarily lengthy tune that both Bruce and Roy truly locked in and took flight, and not at all coincidentally, that was when Roy busted out a noodly and spidery melodic (and very Maiden-ish) lead over which Bruce resurrected his gale force howl.  It was understandable that someone as creative and thoughtful as Dickinson would look for inspiration in new sounds, but the end result was somehow both overthought and underbaked, and while “Cyclops” had its moments, especially that aforementioned bit towards the end, it was ultimately more of a tentative step for both Bruce and Roy rather than an early flowering of their later success as collaborators.

[silly-cl0wne]

I got so bored that I became Picasso ⭐️

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

Bruce Dickinson - Tears of the Dragon

[ghostreapersoul]

For too long now

There were secrets in my mind

For too long now

There were things I should have said

In the darkness

I was stumbling for the door

To find a reason

To find the time, the place, the hour

Waiting for the winter sun

And the cold light of day

The misty ghosts of childhood fears

The pressure is building and I can't stay away

I throw myself into the sea

Release the wave, let it wash over me

To face the fear I once believed

The tears of the dragon for you and for me

Where I was

I had wings that couldn't fly

Where I was

I had tears I couldn't cry

My emotions

Frozen in an icy lake

I couldn't feel them

Until the ice began to break

I have no power over this

You know I'm afraid

The walls I built are crumbling

The water is moving, I'm slipping away

I throw myself into the sea

Release the wave, let it wash over me

To face the fear I once believed

The tears of the dragon for you and for me

Slowly I awake, slowly I rise

The walls I built are crumbling

The water is moving, I'm slipping away

I throw myself into the sea

Release the wave, let it wash over me

To face the fear I once believed

The tears of the dragon for you and for me

[musicmags]

[sea-of-machines]

Alex and Bruce on their acoustic promo tour for balls to picasso

[randgugotur-6]

𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟑𝐫𝐝 𝟏𝟗𝟗𝟒 #𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐃𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐛𝐮𝐦 “𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨” #𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐎𝐟𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧 #𝐆𝐨𝐝𝐬𝐎𝐟𝐖𝐚𝐫 #𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐎𝐟𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 #𝐂𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐬 #𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐑𝐨𝐜𝐤

𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰...

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧'𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐑𝐨𝐲 𝐙, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧'𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐛𝐮𝐦𝐬.

[incorrect-tmnt2012-quotes]

Mona Lisa, running in holding Chompy: Where is he?! Where's my baby?!

April: You're holding him, Mona.

Mona Lisa: No, the big baby!

April: Oh, Raph’s right over there.

[dickinson-devotee]

September 3, 1994 — KERRANG!

[metalsongoftheday]

Friday, March 31: Bruce Dickinson, “The Breeding House”

“The Breeding House” was one of the earlier tracks written and recorded for what would eventually become Balls to Picasso, eventually emerging as a B-side on the “Tears of the Dragon” single.  It made sense that Bruce Dickinson didn’t include it on the album proper, since the directness of the riff and overall straightforwardness of its approach reflected its origins, having come from the first set of recordings with producer Chris Tsangerides and members of Jagged Edge and Skin as his backing band: Dickinson aborted these sessions out of concern that the material was too much like Tattooed Millionaire, and he wasn’t entirely wrong even if his lyrics were far more cryptic than the mostly lighthearted puns on his solo debut.  Musically, “The Breeding House” was in line with early ‘90s British hard rock, which no doubt was part of the problem for Bruce, but overall the tune actually held up better than a lot of the more ponderous and weighty material that ended up on Balls to Picasso.  Myke Gray’s guitar was fast and fleet without shredding, there was an appealing dryness to the recording and Dickinson not only sang with conviction but brought back the bellowing and elasticity that he pivoted away from on his previous two records with Iron Maiden.  This was a confused time for Bruce, and “The Breeding House” reflected that, but it still rocked with vigor and showed the frontman was still creative and restless.

[tooshnado]

if you have any helluva boss related headcanons please drop them because you're always correct <3

hcs abt hobbies:

that moxxie crochets things.

blitz draws on mspaint.

millies on a bowling team. yes a bowling team.

fizz watches cartoons on saturday mornings like straight white men go to church on sundays. also a film snob and WILL judge you based on your taste. … hes also on a bowling team but like… a rival one to millie

asmodeus paints. idk he just does. and for whatever reason i think he’d be good at acrylic. man does not have the patience for oil

octavia and loona go to the mall all the time as well as bully little kids on whatever the fuck the equivalent to roblox is. hellblox??

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

Bruce Dickinson - Change of Heart

[tenthousandxl]

Man on Fire (2004) directed by Tony Scott

Girl on a Ball (1905) by Pablo Picasso

[hardrockshrimp]

Shivering in his boots