Well my usual hunting ground for autographs is the Airport, but when Iron Maiden visited my town several years ago I knew this was likely gonna be fruitless since they have their own private jet…

I decided that my best chance was to maintain a vigil outside the hotel. It was well after midnight and I was cold and hungry but not yet ready to give up, when a long haired figure came strolling out the front door. He walked straight up to me and asked if I had a spare cigarette – it was guitarist Dave Murray!

I fumbled around in my pocket and produced my pack of cigarettes – whilst he was lighting the smoke I whipped out my LP and asked if he’d mind signing it for me. He laughed and said “I suppose I have to now, don’t I?”

We engaged in some small talk about the concert and I asked him what my chances of catching the rest of the band were. He suggested I come back at 10am when they were scheduled to check out of the hotel, which I did.

Right on cue at 10am, Iron Maiden appeared from inside the hotel, and began to get into their awaiting limos – it was a bit chaotic trying to get all 6 members of the band before they departed, but I was pretty successful. All except for singer Bruce Dickinson, who seemed in no mood for signing autographs and initially refused my request.

Now I am usually polite and respectful toward people but this was a desperate situation – he was about to leave and I had an incomplete set of signatures, which threatened to haunt me forever! I began feverishly knocking on the window of his car, pleading with him to sign. At first he tried to ignore me until drummer Nicko McBrain (who was in the same car) gave Bruce a playful shove.

To my amazement, Bruce conceded and put the window down, reaching out and signing my both my LPs!!