Former IRON MAIDEN frontman Blaze Bayley has announced the end of pre-show meet-and-greet and signing sessions at his live performances, citing the physical toll these events have taken on his voice and overall health.
In a new interview with Dales Rock Interviews and Metalliville-zine, Bayley explained: "The first thing is my health, because I've got bigger and more popular, and so it's gone from meeting 30, 40, even 50 fans to a hundred fans each time. So what happens is I can't talk. I can't use my voice. I've gotta sign on 'I can't talk.' Especially if we've got two or three, four, five, six gigs in a row."
Bayley also disclosed a diabetes diagnosis that came alongside his previously known heart surgery: "I've got diabetes as well. I didn't put that in the press release. But at the time of my heart attack, they tested me. I'm diabetic. I didn't know that before, so I've gotta watch that as well."
The decision is rooted in performance quality: "Normally I would want 45 minutes to warm up before going on stage. Well, I wasn't getting that. I wasn't getting the time to warm up, I can't check in with myself — is my diabetes okay? Is my heart okay?" Bayley confirmed he undergone a quadruple bypass heart operation, which still affects his energy levels.
Bayley, who fronted IRON MAIDEN from 1994 to 1999 across two studio albums — 'The X Factor' and 'Virtual XI' — remains one of the most committed performers on the club circuit. He emphasized that the change reflects his dedication to delivering the best possible show rather than compromising performance quality for pre-show interaction.