Theatrics has become an Iron Maiden trademark over the years. In the early years of the band they tried hard to make an impact with their stage presentation. Due to the bands financial limitations they used home-made smoke- and bubble machines. A former vocalist called Dennis Wilcockthen slashed the blade across his had this stunt were he waved a sword and mouth and blood would come out.

When Dennis left Iron Maiden, a fellow named Dave Beasly took over the stage act arrangements. He was given the name Dave Lights 'cause he could make a stage act by using things like gun powder, vacuum cleaner parts and lights.

Dave came up with this theatrical mask which he found at an art academy. An aquarium air-pump was used to pump all kinds of liquid through the mouth of this head and it would drool all over the drummer. The mask was given the name Eddie The 'Ead and it came from a joke that was circulating at that time.

A woman had given birth to just a head, the doctor told her she needn't worry since he would come up with a suitable body for good old Eddie within a year or five. Five years later Eddie's father entered the room on Eddie's birthday and said: "Well, today's your birthday, and boy do we have a surprise for you!", after which Eddie replied: "Oh no!, not another bloody hat!"

The first Eddie had been born. Soon after Iron Maiden had been signed to EMI Records, they met illustrator Derek Riggs, who gave Eddie his long awaited body. It was on the "Running Free" single that Eddie first appeared with his new body. Eddie is standing in the shadows so you can´t see his face, and he´s also missing an arm which appears in front of a guy (who look´s like Bruce Dickinson) running away from Eddie. Iron Maiden had desided to keep Eddie´s face a secret until the first album.

The first Eddie had been born. Soon after Iron Maiden had been signed to EMI Records, they met illustrator Derek Riggs, who gave Eddie his long awaited body. It was on the "Running Free" single that Eddie first appeared with his new body. Eddie is standing in the shadows so you can´t see his face, and he´s also missing an arm which appears in front of a guy (who look´s like Bruce Dickinson) running away from Eddie. Iron Maiden had desided to keep Eddie´s face a secret until the first album.

The debut album came, and Eddie´s face with it. He still looked a little weird but Riggsy had him fixed right in time for the "Sanctuary" single release. On this sleeve Eddie has stabbed Margaret Thatcher to death because she had torn an Iron Maiden poster off a wall. This sleeve was not appreciated by the authorities so all the later releases had to be cencored (only the UK releases). A black bar was drawn over Thatchers eyes.

Of good will, Iron Maiden let Maggie have her revenge on the next single, "Women In Uniform". On the sleeve, Maggie is waiting for Eddie in an ambush with a machine gun. But this time a group of angry feminists accused Iron Maiden of sexism, since Eddie was walking arm in arm with a nurse and a schoolgirl. This protest wasn´t taken very serious though.

Eddie´s final controversy was on the picture, where he had bitten the head of Ozzy Osbourne's head. This was a joke, since Ozzy had bitten off the head of a bat on stage once. The Osbourne camp didn´t appreciate this joke so Iron Maiden had to withdraw that picture.

Eddie´s appearance has changed a lot over the years. During the "Piece Of Mind" era, Eddie got lobotomized. Eddie´s whole brain was taken out. And on the following sleeves his scalp was being hold together by a metall plate. On the "Powerslave" album, Eddie had taken the form of a mummy, and in the "Somewhere In Time" period, he looked more or less like a Cyborg. These changes were topped when the "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son" album was released. On these sleeves only the upper part of Eddie´s body remained.

Apparently Iron Maiden was starting to get dissapointed with Derek´s drawings as the next cover, on the "Fear Of The Dark" album was made by a different artist called Melvyn Grant. He didn´t stay very long though and Derek returned to the drawing desk to do the covers for the live albums, "A Real Live One" and "A Real Dead One".

Things didn't exactly improve when "The X Factor" was released. These sleeves featured a computer drawn Eddie made by Hugh Syme. On these pictures, Eddie is being tortured and if you look at the "Man On The Edge" single, he´s being exposed for another lobotomy. Iron Maiden´s latest release "Best Of The Beast" marks the return of Derek Riggs, Amd the good news are. That Derek Riggs has also dione the sleeve illustration for there next "Virtual XI".

Well, if you have purchased Bruce Dickinson´s new album "Accident Of Birth", you have probably noticed that Derek Riggs stand credit for the Sleeve... His new creation is named Edison (think about it, Eddie´s son). Well, one never knows, maybe Derek will be back on the next release.