Bruce Dickinson says singers with weak voices aren't legends

Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson has offered a blunt critique of fellow singers who continue to perform after their vocal abilities have declined, stating that an artist's legendary status is contingent upon their current ability to deliver. Dickinson made the comments in an interview with Kerrang! magazine published this week, while the band is currently on its 50th-anniversary "Run for Your Lives" world tour.

The singer described a recent argument with a journalist who suggested he should continue performing even if his voice deteriorated. Dickinson rejected that premise, asserting that singers with damaged voices are no longer legends, regardless of their past achievements. He said he could not take the stage if he did not believe he could perform at the required level, calling it a "brutal truth." Dickinson added that he is not personally worried about the possibility of his own voice failing, viewing it as a simple fact of life. His philosophy, he said, is to approach each performance as an opportunity to give the best of his life.

Dickinson's remarks came in the context of discussing longevity and retirement, a topic brought to the fore by the departure of Iron...