Unlike his admirer Brendon Small, Robin Williams was a comedian with no direct connection to the hard-rock and metal community (although Bicentennial Man felt like hell). But when he died in 2014, many members of the Loud Music community paid tribute to him, including Motörhead and Testament’s Alex Skolnick, who tweeted, “Wow. Very sad news. RIP to a comic genius.”
That fondness will continue on Iron Maiden’s upcoming video game-indebted double album, The Book of Souls, their first in five years. In an interview with an Italian newspaper, lead singer Bruce Dickinson announced that a new song was dedicated to Williams.
“My favorite song is one I didn’t write” [Dickinson said.] “It’s ‘Tears of a Clown,’ which talks about Robin Williams. I ask myself how could he be so depressed when he always seemed to be so happy.” (Via Corriere Della Sera)
At 4:59 minutes, it’s the shortest song on the album. That’s how much time Williams spent riffing on an audience member’s bow tie every set. A more accurate tribute would’ve been the 18-minute “Empire of the Clouds,” which sounds like the alternate title for What Dreams May Come.
The Book of Souls comes out on Sept. 4, exactly a year since Joan Rivers passed away. No word on whether Judas Priest is working on something for her.
(Via Consequence of Sound)
