(Photo courtesy of Mike Meals)
The SFPD officer in the picture was working security at the show... but in his youth, that SFPD officer was a member of the San Francisco Metal Scene. Back in The Day, he was nicknamed "James Maiden" because his favorite band was... Iron Maiden.Umlaut has a vivid memory of the teenage Officer Maiden dropping a tab of acid for Iron Maiden at the Oakland Coliseum Arena on September 4, 1982; Maiden were the middle band at a show headlined by the Scorpions (on the Blackout Tour) and opening act Girlschool.
The last time Umlaut saw Officer Maiden was in the late-80's on the campus of SFSU. Over the years I heard about his career in the SFPD and also that he had eventually moved up the ranks to become a detective in his hometown... Just like Harry Callahan!
If anyone knows where Officer Maiden is these days please let Umlaut know... Go ahead, make my day. Otherwise I'm sure he's protecting innocent citizens somewhere... and I'd like to think he's wearing a bullet belt while doing it.
To quote Iron Maiden: "Murders in the Rue Morgue, someone call the gendarmes..."
Big Wayne remembers Officer Maiden: He would always greet us by saying "Boys, boys, boys!" One of my fondest memories was when he was schooling all of us that GBH was complete bullshit and the one true music was Discharge and that we were ignorant posers for thinking otherwise. I would love the drunken band debates in the parking lots surrounding Ruthie's Inn.
Old Metal Erik remembers Officer Maiden: OK...I have some clarification for you... The other people pictured are Old Metal J.D., Old Metal Hajek, and Old Metal Myself.
That Motörhead show was at The Haze Theater (16th Street / Harrison) circa-1993 and Officer Maiden was not working security at the show but was actually on duty with his black and white double parked in front of the venue with its yellow lights-a-flashin'. Abuse of power? Discuss amongst yourself.
I was DJing the show that night and I vividly remember someone offering Lemmy a "bump" from a small bag of powder. Lemmy promptly accepted and poured the entire contents straight down his gullet, followed immediately by a huge swig from a bottle of Jack Daniels. The man is legendary for a reason!
I digress... Officer Maiden's career is highly ironic, as I remember ditching a keg and running from the cops with him, on acid, through Lincoln Park in S.F.'s Richmond District. At the time he was wearing his original uniform of an Iron Maiden t-shirt and camouflage vest, hence his other nickname: "Flage".
Amazing where life has taken some of the old S.F. Metal Alumni, isn't it??!!?? Bang on, brother!
Old Metal Hiro remembers Officer Maiden:
Mike Meals remembers Officer Maiden: Officer Maiden was on duty watching Motörhead when that photo was taken, and my first glimpse of him was while the rest of us were smoking a big fatty and I remember saying "Holy shit! There's a cop standing right next to us!", to which someone said "Relax... That's not a cop. That's The Flage!". Great night.
