Former IRON MAIDEN guitarist Dennis Stratton has criticized the band's newly released documentary "Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition" for giving short shrift to the band's formative years — the period during which Stratton himself contributed to some of the band's most enduring recordings.
Speaking to the Paulieflix YouTube channel, Stratton, who performed with IRON MAIDEN from December 1979 to October 1980, noted that the film "rushed through the early days." He contributed to landmark tracks including "Phantom of the Opera" and "Running Free" before being replaced by Adrian Smith.
Stratton attended the world premiere on May 5 at Cineworld Leicester Square in London and expressed particular frustration with how the documentary handled Blaze Bayley's tenure as vocalist. "The way it was narrated, it was as if the minute Blaze joins the band, they go downhill," Stratton said. He argued this was unfair to Bayley, who delivered "three really good albums" during his time with the band.
"For me, [it's] just a little bit sad that they rushed through the early days," Stratton concluded, while expressing genuine pride in his own contribution to the band's legacy.
"Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition" premiered theatrically on May 7, 2026, directed by Malcolm Venville. The film features commentary from celebrities including Javier Bardem, Lars Ulrich, and Chuck D. Bassist Steve Harris had previously acknowledged the documentary represents an external perspective, not a band-controlled narrative.