August 4, 1979: Iron Maiden, an unknown British heavy metal band, place an ad in Melody Maker to find a second guitarist.
Tony Parsons auditioned for Maiden after seeing and advert in the Melody Maker dated Saturday 4 August 1979 although the paper came out on the Thursday before that. The audtions were held at Hollywood Studios possibly on the Sunday 5 August and around 20-30 people turned up. The first gig I know Tony participated was the Music Machine on 10 September 1979. The bootleg exists and Tony features on the last couple of tracks Iron Maiden and Drifter. Paul Dianno confirms that they had been looking for a new guitarist at that time. Obviously Tony had not learnt all the songs yet to perform the full gig. A sounds review of a gig at the Bandwagon on the 14 September 1979 also confirms that Tony played on the last few numbers. Tony is fully playing with band possibly by the Double Six gig of 27 September 1979 and definitely at the Ruskin Arms gig of 5 October 1979. I think the Soundhouse Tapes were released around the Marquee gig of 19 October 1979 (Note Tony Parsons does not feature on the cover, although he had been in the band for a short while now) The Running Free book shows the contract for the Metal For Muthas with "have performed" listing Tony Parsons as part of the band and was dated 24 October 1979. So the Metal for Muthas was recorded on or around the 24 October. On the 29 October Brian Shepherd watches the band at the Bandwagon the Running Free book however states that Tony did not take part in the BBC sessions. But we know he did. These took place on 14 November 1979. Tony was fired from Iron Maiden by Rod Smallwood at Paddington Station on his 24th Birthday. I think his last gig was the Lion at Warrington on 24 November 1979. The band later wanted Tony reinstated but Rod was having none of it.