What Does This Button Do? by Bruce Dickinson @IronMaiden @HarperCollinsUK #WhatDoesThisButtonDo

‘I was spotty, wore an anorak, had biro-engraved flared blue jeans with “purple” and “Sabbath” written on the thighs, and rode an ear-splittingly uncool moped. Oh yes, and I wanted to be a drummer…’

Bruce Dickinson – Iron Maiden’s legendary front man – is one of the world’s most iconic singers and songwriters. But there are many strings to Bruce’s bow, of which larger-than-life lead vocalist is just one. He is also an airline captain, aviation entrepreneur, motivational speaker, beer brewer, novelist, radio presenter, film scriptwriter and an international fencer: truly one of the most unique and interesting men in the world.

In What Does this Button Do? Bruce contemplates the rollercoaster of life. He recounts – in his uniquely anarchic voice – the explosive exploits of his eccentric British childhood, the meteoric rise of Maiden, summoning the powers of darkness, the philosophy of fencing, brutishly beautiful Boeings and firmly dismissing cancer like an uninvited guest.

Bold, honest, intelligent and funny, this long-awaited memoir captures the life, heart and mind of a true rock icon, and is guaranteed to inspire curious souls and hard-core fans alike.

What Does This Button Do? by Bruce Dickinson was published in paperback by Harper Collins on 3 May 2018.

We are huge Iron Maiden fans in this house. We've seen them live many times and the bloke has a fine collection of vinyl picture discs dating back many years.

I was just about to leave school in 1982 when Number of the Beast was released. I remember the excitement we all felt in our rural Nottinghamshire comprehensive when we learned that the long-haired, screaming lead singer of Iron Maiden originally came from Worksop; a market town just up the road from us.

Iron Maiden are still one of the biggest rock bands in the UK. They can sell out an arena gig in no time and their concerts are a glory; with fire and puppets and of course, Eddie!

What Does This Button Do? is not the story of Iron Maiden, or even the story of Bruce Dickinson's personal relationships. It's the story of his successes and how he got there. From those early days, living in the pit area of Manton in Worksop with his grandparents, to the dangerous Bosnia gig. Along the way he became a qualified pilot and a world class fencer and overcame cancer.

This book is intelligently written, it is entertaining and full of fascinating facts that I certainly had no idea about. With each chapter, I found out more about this quite extraordinary man. Whilst I've always been a fan, I now have such huge admiration for what he's done with is life. I honestly had no idea about most of his achievements; his business ventures; his other life as a pilot and how poorly he was during his treatment for cancer.

One of the best autobiographies that I've read for a long time. Highly recommended, especially if you are an Iron Maiden fan.




Bruce Dickinson has been the lead singer of Iron Maiden for more than thirty years, and has pursued a successful solo career, as well as a host of interests beyond music. 

Iron Maiden has sold over 90 million albums & performed over 2000 shows world-wide, making them one of the most successful rock acts of all time. 

He lives in London, England.