DEREKRIGGS.COM
The official Derek Riggs website and online portfolio.
Eddie or Iron Maiden Trivia
Here is some trivia about the creation of Eddie.
I first put this onto my facebook page and the Maiden fans enjoyed it.
So I thought I would make this a permanent feature of my website.
This is probably only of interest to Iron Maiden fans but it's the kind of stuff that even Iron Maiden don't know about.
Have fun folks.
Click on one of these pictures to get a new subject.
This is the official website of Derek Riggs. Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror artist. Inventor of Eddie the Head.
Derek Riggs is the Iron Maiden Artist. He is a science fiction and horror illustrator. working mostly in the music industry, best known for his horror pictures of Eddie the Head which were used by Iron Maiden. He has worked with many heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson, Stratovarius and Gamma Ray for CD music covers and Iron Maiden with Bruce Dickinson. Derek Riggs illustrated all of the early Iron Maiden heavy metal albums, with Bruce Dickinson and Eddie the head, Derek Riggs illustrates Iron Maiden style science fiction and horror and other fantasy art. with Eddie the Head and Bruce Dickinson on music CD using Eddie the Head. with Iron Maiden character Eddie the head for Iron Maiden starring Bruce Dickinson and science fiction and horror and Eddie the Head which Derek Riggs invented. iron maiden used Eddie the head on the Iron Maiden CD covers with Bruce Dickinson in the music business for CD covers for iron maiden and science fiction and horror and Derek Riggs.
This is rubbish by Derek Riggs, but the search engines need this kind of thing to find the website of Derek Riggs but not Bruce Dickinson or Iron Maiden or Eddie the Head.
I hope this is clear...
THE
LAMPPOST
THE
BACKGROUND
THE FIRST CHRISTMAS CARD
THE EASEL
IN 1985
P.O.M. V1
THE TORN-UP EDDIE PICTURE
THE BOX IN THE SKY
THE GLOVE
THE FACE ON THE LABEL
I was talking to a friend about when I used to live in Finsbury Park in London in the mid 1970's, and how run down it was back then. Well I went to look on Google Earth to see if it was still there and how much it had changed, and then I realized that I could get a street view. So this is a picture of the railway bridge and the wall and the houses in the background that inspired the background of the first Iron Maiden album cover. Of course it was night, there was a big moon in the sky and the trees weren't there then (it was over thirty years ago).
The one remaining old curvy lamppost is the one that I used on the first Maiden cover. It seems that it has become famous in it's own right.
it even has it's own facebook page;
https://www.facebook.com/Ironmaidenslamppost/
NB.
You will have to copy and paste the address,
I tried to make it a link but it didn't work
For those who wish to know, this is Endymion Road N4, in London UK. it is the North Western exit from Finsbury Park N4. The house I rented a room in was just around the corner in Oakfield Road (down to the end and turn to the right)
Thanks to Google Earth for the photos.
This is the official website of Derek Riggs. Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror artist. Inventor of Eddie the Head.
Derek Riggs is the Iron Maiden Artist. He is a science fiction and horror illustrator. working mostly in the music industry, best known for his horror pictures of Eddie the Head which were used by Iron Maiden. He has worked with many heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson, Stratovarius and Gamma Ray for CD music covers and Iron Maiden with Bruce Dickinson. Derek Riggs illustrated all of the early Iron Maiden heavy metal albums, with Bruce Dickinson and Eddie the head, Derek Riggs illustrates Iron Maiden style science fiction and horror and other fantasy art. with Eddie the Head and Bruce Dickinson on music CD using Eddie the Head. with Iron Maiden character Eddie the head for Iron Maiden starring Bruce Dickinson and science fiction and horror and Eddie the Head which Derek Riggs invented. iron maiden used Eddie the head on the Iron Maiden CD covers with Bruce Dickinson in the music business for CD covers for iron maiden and science fiction and horror and Derek Riggs.
This is rubbish by Derek Riggs, but the search engines need this kind of thing to find the website of Derek Riggs but not Bruce Dickinson or Iron Maiden or Eddie the Head.
I hope this is clear...
When I moved away from Oakfield Road in London, I ended up living in this block of appartments in Finchley, North London. It's called Etchingham Court.
Back in the late 1970's it was very run down and surrounded by huge trees and gardens that had run wild. The facade of the building was just bare bricks then, and the windows were original 1920's steel frame windows (very cold in winter).
They were rental apartments and the top floors had holes in the roof, so when it rained or snowed it would land on the floor and drip through the ceiling of the ground floor.
Also it was rife with cockroaches.
It was horrible and most of my friends were unemployed, as was most of England, but we had some good times here.
It is here that I invented Eddie and painted the first three album covers.
There is some text on the photo, to read it you must enlarge the picture (click on it)
Thanks to Google Earth for the photos.
This is the official website of Derek Riggs. Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror artist. Inventor of Eddie the Head.
Derek Riggs is the Iron Maiden Artist. He is a science fiction and horror illustrator. working mostly in the music industry, best known for his horror pictures of Eddie the Head which were used by Iron Maiden. He has worked with many heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson, Stratovarius and Gamma Ray for CD music covers and Iron Maiden with Bruce Dickinson. Derek Riggs illustrated all of the early Iron Maiden heavy metal albums, with Bruce Dickinson and Eddie the head, Derek Riggs illustrates Iron Maiden style science fiction and horror and other fantasy art. with Eddie the Head and Bruce Dickinson on music CD using Eddie the Head. with Iron Maiden character Eddie the head for Iron Maiden starring Bruce Dickinson and science fiction and horror and Eddie the Head which Derek Riggs invented. iron maiden used Eddie the head on the Iron Maiden CD covers with Bruce Dickinson in the music business for CD covers for iron maiden and science fiction and horror and Derek Riggs.
This is rubbish by Derek Riggs, but the search engines need this kind of thing to find the website of Derek Riggs but not Bruce Dickinson or Iron Maiden or Eddie the Head.
I hope this is clear...
EDDIE KILLS SANTA CLAUS
Here is a small version of the very first Christmas card that I painted for Maiden back in about 1980 I think.
It's actually the apartment I used to live in in North London. It's the same block of apartments that you can see on the Killers album, but this is the inside of it.
That's my couch and my cat hiding behind it. His name was "Magus Matterguru, master of the universe." and he had a sister, she was called "Catblack the wizard's hat" but she isn't in the picture. They are both long dead now, but the picture remains. Have fun guys.
all the best
D
This is the official website of Derek Riggs. Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror artist. Inventor of Eddie the Head.
Derek Riggs is the Iron Maiden Artist. He is a science fiction and horror illustrator. working mostly in the music industry, best known for his horror pictures of Eddie the Head which were used by Iron Maiden. He has worked with many heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson, Stratovarius and Gamma Ray for CD music covers and Iron Maiden with Bruce Dickinson. Derek Riggs illustrated all of the early Iron Maiden heavy metal albums, with Bruce Dickinson and Eddie the head, Derek Riggs illustrates Iron Maiden style science fiction and horror and other fantasy art. with Eddie the Head and Bruce Dickinson on music CD using Eddie the Head. with Iron Maiden character Eddie the head for Iron Maiden starring Bruce Dickinson and science fiction and horror and Eddie the Head which Derek Riggs invented. iron maiden used Eddie the head on the Iron Maiden CD covers with Bruce Dickinson in the music business for CD covers for iron maiden and science fiction and horror and Derek Riggs.
This is rubbish by Derek Riggs, but the search engines need this kind of thing to find the website of Derek Riggs but not Bruce Dickinson or Iron Maiden or Eddie the Head.
I hope this is clear...
THE EASEL
That's a photo of me back in about 1985. On my red couch in the apartment I owned in Finchley, North London. It's not the Etchingham Court Apartment, it's a different one just around the corner. Whilst Etchingham Court was very run down, Finchley it'self was quite nice. This time I lived almost opposite a park.
I was busy painting the "Somewhere in Time" cover for Iron Maiden.
Below are two photos of my painting studio back then. On the easel is the original, half finished painting of "Somewhere in Time"
I tried to zoom in so you could see it better, but there was not much detail.
The big red easel was designed by me and built by a friend I had then called Ron. He could make almost anything.
The drawing board itself is made from glass with lights behind it. This makes it very good for tracing things.
This is the official website of Derek Riggs. Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror artist. Inventor of Eddie the Head.
Derek Riggs is the Iron Maiden Artist. He is a science fiction and horror illustrator. working mostly in the music industry, best known for his horror pictures of Eddie the Head which were used by Iron Maiden. He has worked with many heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson, Stratovarius and Gamma Ray for CD music covers and Iron Maiden with Bruce Dickinson. Derek Riggs illustrated all of the early Iron Maiden heavy metal albums, with Bruce Dickinson and Eddie the head, Derek Riggs illustrates Iron Maiden style science fiction and horror and other fantasy art. with Eddie the Head and Bruce Dickinson on music CD using Eddie the Head. with Iron Maiden character Eddie the head for Iron Maiden starring Bruce Dickinson and science fiction and horror and Eddie the Head which Derek Riggs invented. iron maiden used Eddie the head on the Iron Maiden CD covers with Bruce Dickinson in the music business for CD covers for iron maiden and science fiction and horror and Derek Riggs.
This is rubbish by Derek Riggs, but the search engines need this kind of thing to find the website of Derek Riggs but not Bruce Dickinson or Iron Maiden or Eddie the Head.
I hope this is clear...
A Friend of mine, Michael Kenny. Who some of you may know has been Steve Harris' roadie for many, many years. Came over for dinner with some other friends not too long ago. He bought along this old, unfinished painting of mine.
This is the first version of the "Piece of Mind" cover.
The story behind it goes like this;
Steve Harris had the original idea for this picture and he kept saying to me that he wanted Eddie "Sitting in the corner of a padded cell and looking really mad." So that is what I painted. But it's his idea and so it's a bad composition. Because non-artists cannot compose pictures properly. They always think they can, but they can't. This composition is not the way it should be done. But he was so emphatic about it that I did it anyway.
When it got to this stage they saw it and realized that is wasn't really looking great. So then they asked me to stop and do it my way. which is the cover you now have on the CD.
So then Michael asked me if he could have this unfinished version. So I gave it to him.
This is what I ended up with.
This is the official website of Derek Riggs. Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror artist. Inventor of Eddie the Head.
Derek Riggs is the Iron Maiden Artist. He is a science fiction and horror illustrator. working mostly in the music industry, best known for his horror pictures of Eddie the Head which were used by Iron Maiden. He has worked with many heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson, Stratovarius and Gamma Ray for CD music covers and Iron Maiden with Bruce Dickinson. Derek Riggs illustrated all of the early Iron Maiden heavy metal albums, with Bruce Dickinson and Eddie the head, Derek Riggs illustrates Iron Maiden style science fiction and horror and other fantasy art. with Eddie the Head and Bruce Dickinson on music CD using Eddie the Head. with Iron Maiden character Eddie the head for Iron Maiden starring Bruce Dickinson and science fiction and horror and Eddie the Head which Derek Riggs invented. iron maiden used Eddie the head on the Iron Maiden CD covers with Bruce Dickinson in the music business for CD covers for iron maiden and science fiction and horror and Derek Riggs.
This is rubbish by Derek Riggs, but the search engines need this kind of thing to find the website of Derek Riggs but not Bruce Dickinson or Iron Maiden or Eddie the Head.
I hope this is clear...
THE TORN-UP
EDDIE PICTURE
I was trying out some drawing inks with a view to coloring in some Eddie drawings. So I drew an Eddie, (not a very good one) and colored it in with some inks to see if it would work and how it would look. I didn't like the end result very much so I tore it up and threw it in the trash.
My wife Kim found it and pulled it out of the bin.
She said "ho no, somebody will want that." Then she sold it to a fan who framed it as you see it here.
This is the official website of Derek Riggs. Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror artist. Inventor of Eddie the Head.
Derek Riggs is the Iron Maiden Artist. He is a science fiction and horror illustrator. working mostly in the music industry, best known for his horror pictures of Eddie the Head which were used by Iron Maiden. He has worked with many heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson, Stratovarius and Gamma Ray for CD music covers and Iron Maiden with Bruce Dickinson. Derek Riggs illustrated all of the early Iron Maiden heavy metal albums, with Bruce Dickinson and Eddie the head, Derek Riggs illustrates Iron Maiden style science fiction and horror and other fantasy art. with Eddie the Head and Bruce Dickinson on music CD using Eddie the Head. with Iron Maiden character Eddie the head for Iron Maiden starring Bruce Dickinson and science fiction and horror and Eddie the Head which Derek Riggs invented. iron maiden used Eddie the head on the Iron Maiden CD covers with Bruce Dickinson in the music business for CD covers for iron maiden and science fiction and horror and Derek Riggs.
This is rubbish by Derek Riggs, but the search engines need this kind of thing to find the website of Derek Riggs but not Bruce Dickinson or Iron Maiden or Eddie the Head.
I hope this is clear...
WHAT IS THE BOX IN THE SKY?
Who cares? Well you do, or you wouldn't be here...
If you look at the "Flight of Icarus" cover there is a tiny box up in the clouds. If you never noticed it before, don't feel bad, nobody else did either.
The box is supposed to be the padded cell that Eddie is in on the "piece of Mind" album cover. "The Flight of Icarus" was originally the second single for that album. There isn't really a lot to paint in the song idea, that is why the picture is rather empty.
Led Zepplin Label is copyright by Swansong records.
As I was painting the cover some news came over the radio that the band Led Zepplin had just decided to call it quits and retire. (It didn't last). So anyway, I made Icarus as a take on the Led Zepplin Logo. which is actually a take on a 17th century wood engraving of a falling Angel, Which just happened to look a lot like Robert Plant. I had to do all this with no reference material because I was stuck on an island in the English Channel with Iron Maiden when they were rehearsing for the album.
I tried to find a picture of the original engraving for you, but I couldn't find it.
(I only found it by accident the first time)
This is the official website of Derek Riggs. Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror artist. Inventor of Eddie the Head.
Derek Riggs is the Iron Maiden Artist. He is a science fiction and horror illustrator. working mostly in the music industry, best known for his horror pictures of Eddie the Head which were used by Iron Maiden. He has worked with many heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson, Stratovarius and Gamma Ray for CD music covers and Iron Maiden with Bruce Dickinson. Derek Riggs illustrated all of the early Iron Maiden heavy metal albums, with Bruce Dickinson and Eddie the head, Derek Riggs illustrates Iron Maiden style science fiction and horror and other fantasy art. with Eddie the Head and Bruce Dickinson on music CD using Eddie the Head. with Iron Maiden character Eddie the head for Iron Maiden starring Bruce Dickinson and science fiction and horror and Eddie the Head which Derek Riggs invented. iron maiden used Eddie the head on the Iron Maiden CD covers with Bruce Dickinson in the music business for CD covers for iron maiden and science fiction and horror and Derek Riggs.
This is rubbish by Derek Riggs, but the search engines need this kind of thing to find the website of Derek Riggs but not Bruce Dickinson or Iron Maiden or Eddie the Head.
I hope this is clear...
THE GLOVE
It's a glove floating around on the back cover of Piece of Mind. As well as holding my Logo as a necklace pendant. it is also a reference back to a comic character I used to like when I was about five or six. He was called "Lewis Randell, the Steel Claw" and he had a steel hand which, if he stuck his fingers into an electrical outlet, would make him invisible. I do not recommend trying this at home, it won't work and you might die.
See? Lewis Randell, the Steel Claw.
an intrepid hero and sci-fi detective.
I do not know who owns the rights to this character but it isn't me.
One last thing...
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES STICK YOUR FINGERS INTO ANY ELECTRICAL SOCKET.
IT IS A VERY STUPID THING TO DO,
IT MIGHT KILL YOU...
OK?
This is the official website of Derek Riggs. Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror artist. Inventor of Eddie the Head.
Derek Riggs is the Iron Maiden Artist. He is a science fiction and horror illustrator. working mostly in the music industry, best known for his horror pictures of Eddie the Head which were used by Iron Maiden. He has worked with many heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson, Stratovarius and Gamma Ray for CD music covers and Iron Maiden with Bruce Dickinson. Derek Riggs illustrated all of the early Iron Maiden heavy metal albums, with Bruce Dickinson and Eddie the head, Derek Riggs illustrates Iron Maiden style science fiction and horror and other fantasy art. with Eddie the Head and Bruce Dickinson on music CD using Eddie the Head. with Iron Maiden character Eddie the head for Iron Maiden starring Bruce Dickinson and science fiction and horror and Eddie the Head which Derek Riggs invented. iron maiden used Eddie the head on the Iron Maiden CD covers with Bruce Dickinson in the music business for CD covers for iron maiden and science fiction and horror and Derek Riggs.
This is rubbish by Derek Riggs, but the search engines need this kind of thing to find the website of Derek Riggs but not Bruce Dickinson or Iron Maiden or Eddie the Head.
I hope this is clear...
I PAINTED THIS ORIGINALLY FOR THE IRON MAIDEN RECORD LABEL.
DOES IT LOOK FAMILIAR FROM ANYWHERE ELSE?
Lady Gaga, born this way. Lady Gaga Iron Maiden Fan.
Lady Gaga Copied the Eddie the Head painting by Derek Riggs for her album "Born this Way"
Lady Gaga, born this way. Lady Gaga Iron Maiden Fan.
Lady Gaga Copied the Eddie the Head painting by Derek Riggs for her album "Born this Way"
DOES IT LOOK FAMILIAR YET?
They say she is a Maiden fan
So I guess she was born this way
Just like you were...
OK, Maybe not quite like you...
This is the official website of Derek Riggs. Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror artist. Inventor of Eddie the Head.
Derek Riggs is the Iron Maiden Artist. He is a science fiction and horror illustrator. working mostly in the music industry, best known for his horror pictures of Eddie the Head which were used by Iron Maiden. He has worked with many heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden, Bruce Dickinson, Stratovarius and Gamma Ray for CD music covers and Iron Maiden with Bruce Dickinson. Derek Riggs illustrated all of the early Iron Maiden heavy metal albums, with Bruce Dickinson and Eddie the head, Derek Riggs illustrates Iron Maiden style science fiction and horror and other fantasy art. with Eddie the Head and Bruce Dickinson on music CD using Eddie the Head. with Iron Maiden character Eddie the head for Iron Maiden starring Bruce Dickinson and science fiction and horror and Eddie the Head which Derek Riggs invented. iron maiden used Eddie the head on the Iron Maiden CD covers with Bruce Dickinson in the music business for CD covers for iron maiden and science fiction and horror and Derek Riggs.
This is rubbish by Derek Riggs, but the search engines need this kind of thing to find the website of Derek Riggs but not Bruce Dickinson or Iron Maiden or Eddie the Head.
I hope this is clear...