1/12 resin bust. Sculpted by Michael Kontraros. Boxart by Ivan Del Bene. Kit includes 9 kit parts. (Wooden plinth (base) is not included)
Live After Death is a live album by Iron Maiden, originally released in October 1985 on EMI in Europe and its sister label Capitol Records in the US (it was re-released by Sanctuary/Columbia Records in the US in 2002 on CD and by Universal Music Group/Sony BMG Music Entertainment on DVD). It was recorded at Long Beach Arena, California and Hammersmith Odeon, London during the band's World Slavery Tour.
The cover art, by Derek Riggs, pictures the band's mascot, Eddie, rising from a grave. Engraved on his tombstone is a misquote from fantasy and horror fiction author H. P. Lovecraft's The Nameless City:
"That is not dead which can eternal lie
Yet*with strange aeons even death may die."
*The original Lovecraft text has an "and" instead of a "yet".
Also engraved on the headstone is what appears to be Eddie's full name, "Edward T H--", the remainder of which (his supposed surname, "Head") is obscured by a clump of sod.
The depiction of Eddie follows continuity from previous artworks. His long hair is restored and he sports the metal screw cartouche from his Piece of Mind lobotomy, which is being struck by lightning. He is also bound by metal cuffs connected by an electrical surge, as seen in Powerslave tour promotional artwork.
The back cover depicts the rest of the graveyard and a city being destroyed by lightning, which Riggs states was inspired by John Martin's painting, The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Death appears in the clouds above the destroyed city; the character is a regular feature of Riggs' covers (such as "Twilight Zone", "The Trooper", “Powerslave” and “Somewhere in Time”).
On the back side of the cover near Eddie's grave is a black cat with a halo, which also features in the “Somewhere in Time” and "Twilight Zone" artworks. This, said Riggs, was "not about anything really" and was added "to get people's attention". To the cat's left is a tombstone engraved with "Here lies Derek Riggs". Riggs also included gravestones that state "Live With Pride", added at the band's request to show opposition to lip-synched performances, "Here Lies Faust In Body Only", the German legend who sold his soul to the Devil (hence "in body only"), and a stone that simply reads "Thank You", representing the Grateful Dead.
The video version of the concert only contains footage from the Long Beach shows. It was initially released though Sony as a "Video LP" on VHS hi-fi stereo and Beta hi-fi stereo with 14 songs and no special features and was reissued on DVD on 4 February 2008, which coincided with the start of the band's Somewhere Back in Time World Tour. In addition to the complete concert, the DVD features Part 2 of The History of Iron Maiden documentary series, which began with 2004's The Early Days and continued with 2013's Maiden England '88, documenting the recording of the Powerslave album and the following World Slavery Tour.
Text Courtesy of Micheal Kontraros Collectables
