Blaze (1999-2007)
Following Blaze Bayley's departure from Iron Maiden in 1999, he formed his own band, BLAZE, in March that year. Bayley recruited guitarist Steve Wray, guitarist John Slater, bassist Rob Naylor, and drummer Jeff Singer, and signed a deal with German label SPV, releasing the band's debut studio album in 2000, Silicon Messiah. The album was followed up by Tenth Dimension in 2002 and the band's first live album in 2003, As Live As It Gets.
After recording the live album, Jeff Singer announced he was leaving the band. Three months later, Rob Naylor was also leaving. Session drummer Phil Greenhouse and bassist Wayne Banks were hired for the rest of the Tenth Dimension tour until permanent replacements could be found. Guitarist Jason Banks was drafted in for a few gigs at the end of 2003 to cover for John Slater.
At the end of 2003, Blaze began writing material for their third studio album, Blood & Belief. Phil Greenhouse was replaced on drums by Jason Bowld for recording and Dave Knight for touring. The band began to tour for the album shortly after it was released in 2004, but were set back again by the news that John Slater could not perform a large section of the tour. Despite rejoining the band later in the year, Slater eventually left the band in September with Steve Wray to form the band Rise To Addiction. Bassist Wayne Banks and drummer Dave Knight left the band to join the Robin Gibb band in September 2004.
Blaze performed a number of shows in 2004 and 2005 with the lineup of Bayley, guitarist Oliver Palotai, guitarist Luca Princiotta, bassist Nick Douglas, and drummer Daniel Löble. The two guitarists were eventually kept on as full members. The band's lineup shifted once again when Löble quit to join German power metal band Helloween early in 2005 and when Douglas returned to another German heavy metal band, Doro. The two were replaced by unknown German musicians Daniel Schild and Christian Ammann respectively. With the new line up, Blaze began to work on a fourth studio album for a release in 2007, but in January that year it was announced the entire line-up had to part ways with Bayley due to serious financial matters. Following the lineup change, Bayley opted to rename the band under his name, Blaze Bayley.
Blaze Bayley Band (2007-2011)
In February 2007, Blaze Bayley Band (also known as BBB) added guitarists Nicolas Bermudez and Rich Newport, bassist Dave Bermudez, and drummer Rico Banderra to the band and recorded the live DVD album Alive in Poland, released later on that year. Bayley announced that Rich Newport had left the band to pursue a career as a guitar teacher later on that year, and Jay Walsh would replace him onstage for the remainder of the tour. Jay was made a full member of the band in November 2007. Bayley also announced the addition of drummer Lawrence Paterson, formerly of British metal bands Chokehold and Shadowkeep at the same time.
In July 2008, Blaze Bayley Band (BBB) released their debut studio album, The Man Who Would Not Die. The album also contained the band's first single, "Robot", despite only being available digitally. It is sometimes regarded as a mini-compilation as it includes many bonus tracks. The band recorded another DVD live at Z7, The Night That Will Not Die, which was released in March 2009. Blaze Bayley announced that the band started recording for their new album on 28 September 2009. A contest was run on the band's forum.The two first people who guessed the title of the new album received a free signed copy. The title was revealed to be Promise and Terror a few days later.
The 2nd album Promise and Terror was released on 1 February 2010. Professional reviews have generally been very positive about the album. The album was produced by Jason Edwards.
On 6 February 2010 BBB started their 2010 world tour in Dudley UK. They spent the next months playing the UK, France, Italy, Germany before leaving for the South American leg of the tour. They then returned to Europe later in the year.
In May 2010 Larry Paterson, the drummer for the band left due to personal and professional reasons, although none were specified. Their manager, Anna, announced her departure from the band. She claimed that the band's idea of where to go next and hers were not in the same direction.
Following the departure of Larry Paterson the Blaze Bayley Band engaged Claudio Tirincanti to continue the Promise and Terror tour.
On 10 July 2010 Blaze Blayley claimed live on stage that his current album was his best-selling as a solo-artist shedding some light on the recent changes in his line-up and management.
On 18 December 2010 they played a Big Bash at JB'S in Dudley Birmingham. Despite the snowy weather the band made it back from mainland Europe to play the show.
The BBB embarked on a short European tour in early 2011 and were supposed to follow that up in May 2011 with more dates in the UK, however on 29 March via his official channels, Blaze Bayley stated that he had to part ways with the band due to both health and financial reasons.
Solo career (2011 - present)
On 31 March 2011, Blaze announced that he would continue as a solo performer working with different musicians. The new official line-up for live gigs features the confirmed Claudio Tirincanti on the drums, old occasional touring member "Deputy Dave" Andrews on the guitar, and two Belgian musicians (Steve Deleu and Nick Meganck) respectively on the other guitar and the bass. Later in the year, it has been announced that the same musicians will tour also with former Judas Priest singer Tim "Ripper" Owens.
Alongside the reunion and new recordings of Wolfsbane, Bayley has played a two-week acoustic solo tour in the UK in Sept 2011 with fellow Wolfsbane guitarist Jase Edwards plus a few unplugged gigs in Italy with Andrea Neri on the guitar. Footage of the acoustic shows with Jase Edwards can be seen on the Official Blaze Bayley YouTube Page.
Then the singer hit the stages of some summer festivals and after that has been travelling to the USA in October/November 2011 for his first full US Headline tour since his days with Iron Maiden, supported by North-American musicians of the Canadian band Man the Destroyer plus American guitarist Rick Plester, of international fame, who will work with Bayley in the near future. Blaze will finish the Promise and Terror world tour in December 2011 before beginning to write new material.
On 19 August 2011 Blaze announced that recording of a live DVD filmed at his show in Antwerp, Belgium on 23 September 2011, in which he presented also the first new song with the renewed line-up, called "Black Country". In February Bayley 2012 he toured Russia with the other former Iron Maiden singer, Paul Di'Anno.
On 18 December 2011 the last show of the Promise and Terror world tour took place at De Rots In Antwerp Belgium. High Definition footage from the penulitmate UK show on 15 December is available on the Official Blaze Bayley YouTube channel.
On 26 December 2011 in a personal Christmas message on his website Blaze announced that his new album The King of Metal would be released on 8 March 2012. On the same day Blaze officially announced the first two legs of the King of Metal world tour on the official Blaze Bayley Facebook Page. The new line-up for the making of The King of Metal album (recorded between Italy and Holland, mixed by Tony Newton at Steve Harris home studio, Rick Plester in the Usa and Raoul Soentken in Holland) consists of 3 Italians: the confirmed drummer Claudio Tirincanti, bassist Lehmann (Matteo Grazzini), guitarist Andrea Neri. Other guitarist is young Dutch Thomas Zwijsen, who co-wrote most of the music of the new cd. The same line-up who recorded the album will be the next live band for Blaze Bayley in the King of Metal European Tour, which counts more than 60 gigs. The busy schedule of 2012 sees also an acoustic tour with Zwijsen (July), a North American tour (September), a few gigs with Wolfsbane (October), a second co-headlining tour with Paul Di'Anno in Eastern Europe, Australia and New Zealand (November), and the prosecution of the King of Metal Tour in Scandinavia (December).
Ghost in the Machine
Blaze Bayley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where the answer's digital
And the solutions are all silicon
The questions, all what can be done
Never what is right or wrong
There's a virtual wave to surf along
Question the validity
A page says superseding God
And they take all major cards
Now you too can laugh and live forever
Is the answer deep inside
The ghost, ghost in the machine
Entitiy or dream, it matters not to me
The ghost, ghost in the machine
Silent and unseen
Ghost in the machine
Do you want to live forever
Do you want to live
Terabyte of memory
Holding consciousness complete
A solid state of immortality
Saint of all technology
Bless us in our infancy
For they know not
What they did to me
it's me
The lyrics of Blaze Bayley's song "Ghost in the Machine" are a commentary on the impact of technology on our lives and our perceptions of mortality. The first verse sets the scene of a digital world where everything is possible, and the focus is on what can be done rather than what is right or wrong. It highlights the obsession with technology that often comes at the cost of ethical considerations. The chorus questions the existence of an entity or dream in the machine- a ghost. It asks whether there is a deep essence, a ghost, or whether it's all just an algorithm, a machine, an entity? It is a reflection on our quest for immortality and whether it is something that technology will help us achieve.
The second verse talks about the temptation of immortality and the trade-offs that come with it. The lyrics refer to a page that promises to supersede God and allows you to live forever by taking all major cards, addressing the seductive allure of the notion of eternal life which often comes with a price. The third verse mentions a terabyte of memory that holds complete consciousness, suggesting that we can attain something close to immortality by creating an embodiment of ourselves in the form of a machine. The final part of the song offers a personal perspective, suggesting that the singer has undergone some transformation into a machine or a ghost, and that they don't know what they did to him.
Line by Line Meaning
Right on the edge of the world
At a place with advanced technology that seems like the end of civilization
Where the answer's digital
Where solutions are provided through technology
And the solutions are all silicon
All solutions come from computer technology that runs on silicon chips
The questions, all what can be done
The focus is on what can be achieved rather than what is morally right or wrong
Never what is right or wrong
There is no consideration given to what actions are moral or just
There's a virtual wave to surf along
People are encouraged to immerse themselves in the virtual world
Question the validity
Doubt the truth of
Of human mortality
The fact that humans are mortal and will eventually die
A page says superseding God
A website claims to be more powerful than God Himself
And they take all major cards
They accept payment through all major credit cards
Now you too can laugh and live forever
By buying into their product or idea, people can feel invincible and immortal
Is the answer deep inside
Could the solution be within us all along
The ghost, ghost in the machine
The idea of a disembodied entity controlling technology
Entity or dream, it matters not to me
Whether the entity controlling technology is real or just an idea does not concern me
The ghost, ghost in the machine
The idea of a disembodied entity controlling technology
Silent and unseen
The entity is not visible or heard, but could still be manipulating everything
Ghost in the machine
The idea that there is an entity controlling technology
Do you want to live forever
Would you like to be immortal
Terabyte of memory
A massive amount of computer storage space
Holding consciousness complete
Containing all of a person's thoughts and experiences
A solid state of immortality
A way to live forever through technology
Saint of all technology
Someone or something that is highly regarded and revered for their knowledge and power over technology
Bless us in our infancy
Help us navigate this new and unfamiliar technological era
For they know not
People are not fully aware of the consequences of their actions
What they did to me
Unknown or unintended outcome of living forever through technology
it's me
Blaze Bayley as the singer or protagonist of the song
Contributed by Luke A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Margot Tania Valle Bravo
A real musician. A real frontman,singer,songwriter and artist. Blaze Bayley is a fighter and winner.
Mike Calak
Blaze really became one of the most amazing singers song writers as time went on
Marcos Barbosa
Fantástico Blaze Bayley!
Dylan Carlson
why do i live on an earth for 16 years and not listen to blaze bayley?!?!?! This is what deserves the hundred million views!
Dylan Carlson
I Am Who I Am life's good. Yeah there are still some blaze tracks in my various playlists. Thanks for the throwback haha
DANY DEAïBESS
This is one of the best METAL songs I ever heard :o amazing blaze amazing Just amazing \m/
JUAN MANUEL GAUTO COLONNA
This Song is Perfect.
Faiq Sham
the riffs are awesome....rly nice....blaze can be talented at everything...amazing
Edu Terra
this album is fucking awesome!!
Frank
One of my favourites from Sillicon Messiah.