Iron Maiden released their first album in
1980. To celebrate their 10 years of releasing
albums and
singles around the world (not including their self-financed
Soundhouse Tapes from 1979, because they weren't signed to any
record company yet), they decided to re-
release all the singles they had released over the years. By doing this, they gave the fans the
opportunity to finally get every b-side in their collection, even those that were on the earliest singles. The project was called
The First Ten Years, and within ten weeks, all the singles Iron Maiden released from
1980 to
1989 were released on
cd and double
12" vinyl. Each cd would contain two singles, with the original
b-sides. The double 12" vinyl releases would have one single on each vinyl disc. Each release also included a new track,
Listen With Nicko, in which Iron Maiden drummer
Nicko McBrain tells Iron Maiden stories from when the singles were released.
Each release also included a voucher. If you got all ten releases and sent in the vouchers, you would receive a special box in which you could store the discs. These days, the box is one of the most sought-after Iron Maiden collectibles, and is not very easy to find if you're not willing to spend a lot of money.
The First Ten Years Part I
Released on February 12, 1990.
Tracklisting: Running Free, Burning Ambition, Sanctuary, Drifter (live), I've Got The Fire (live) and Listen With Nicko! part I.
The front cover was the artwork for the Running Free single, with the uncensored art for the Sanctuary single on the back.
The First Ten Years Part II
Released on February 19, 1990.
Tracklisting: Women In Uniform, Invasion, Phantom Of The Opera (live), Twilight Zone, Wrathchild and Listen With Nicko! part II.
The Women In Uniform artwork was on the front, with the cover for Twilight Zone on the back.
The First Ten Years Part III
Released on February 26, 1990.
Tracklisting: Purgatory, Genghis Khan, Running Free (live), Remember Tomorrow (live), Killers (live), Innocent Exile (live) and Listen With Nicko! part III.
Part III had the Purgatory artwork on the front, and the art for Maiden Japan on the back. The live tracks are all taken from the Maiden Japan EP.
The First Ten Years Part IV
Released on March 5, 1990.
Tracklisting: Run To The Hills, Total Eclipse, The Number Of The Beast, Remember Tomorrow (live) and Listen With Nicko! part IV.
Run To The Hills art on the front, and the artwork for the single of The Number Of The Beast on the back.
The First Ten Years Part V
Released on March 12, 1990.
Tracklisting: Flight Of Icarus, I've Got The Fire, The Trooper, Cross-Eyed Mary and Listen With Nicko! part V.
The cover from the Flight Of Icarus single was on the front, with The Trooper on the back.
The First Ten Years Part VI
Released on March 19, 1990.
Tracklisting: 2 Minutes To Midnight, Rainbow's Gold, Mission From 'Arry, Aces High, The Number Of The Beast (live) and Listen With Nicko! part VI.
2 Minutes To Midnight artwork on the front, and Aces High artwork on the back.
The First Ten Years Part VII
Released on March 26, 1990.
Tracklisting: Running Free (live), Murders In The Rue Morgue (live), Run To The Hills (live), Phantom Of The Opera (live), Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) (live) and Listen With Nicko! part VII.
On the front was the coverart of the Run To The Hills live single, with the photo that was on the cover of the Running Free live single on the back.
The First Ten Years Part VIII
Released on April 2, 1990.
Tracklisting: Wasted Years, Reach Out, Sheriff Of Huddersfield, Stranger In A Strange Land, That Girl, Juanita and Listen With Nicko! part VIII.
Wasted Years art on the front, Stranger In A Strange Land art on the back.
The First Ten Years Part IX
Released on April 9, 1990.
Tracklisting: Can I Play With Madness, Black Bart Blues, Massacre, The Evil That Men Do, Prowler '88, Charlotte The Harlot '88 and Listen With Nicko! part IX.
The artwork for Can I Play With Madness was on the front, with The Evil That Men Do on the back.
The First Ten Years Part X
Released on April 16, 1990.
Tracklisting: The Clairvoyant (live), The Prisoner (live), Heaven Can Wait (live), Infinite Dreams (live), Killers (live), Still Life (live) and Listen With Nicko! part X.
The front cover was the same as the artwork for The Clairvoyant single, with on the back the artwork from the Maiden England video which was also used for the Infinite Dreams single.
In November 1990, a videotape, The First Ten Years - The Videos, was released. It contained all the videoclips Iron Maiden made during their career. As an bonus, the video for the Holy Smoke single was also included, even though that single was released in 1990, after they had released the First Ten Years discs. The tracklisting of the videotape is Women In Uniform, Wrathchild, Run To The Hills, The Number Of The Beast, Flight Of Icarus, The Trooper, 2 Minutes To Midnight, Aces High, Running Free (live), Wasted Years, Stranger In A Strange Land, Can I Play With Madness, The Evil That Men Do, The Clairvoyant, Infinite Dreams and Holy Smoke.