"Usually at conferences, it's a room full of suits, and I'm in my Iron Maiden T-shirt, " said Dr. Snell, who holds a doctorate in social psychology.

WSJ: Heady Metal: Scholars Celebrate a Rock Genre's Cultural Bang

The band released two albums -- "Iron Maiden" (1980) and "Killers" (1981) -- before Bruce Dickinson replaced Paul Di'Anno as lead singer.

CNN: Hands up, I'm an Iron Maiden fan

Bruce Moran, who books CIE's international talent from New York, has learned that older, harder-edged bands like Iron Maiden and the Scorpions play well in Mexico.

FORBES: Rock'n'Roll en Espaol

Over the years, the gritty neighbourhood has bred talent from glam rocker Marc Bolan to members of metal overlords Iron Maiden and Def Leppard to Brit Award-winning rapper Plan B.

BBC: A massive UK music fest in Hackney

Bruce Moran, who books CIE's international talent from New York, has learned that older, harder-edged bands, such as Iron Maiden and the Scorpions, play well in Mexico.

FORBES: Rock 'n' roll en Espaol

The helmet he designed was an orange-and-yellow number featuring Eddie, the angry-looking skeleton mascot of metal band Iron Maiden, in racing goggles.

WSJ: Petrol Heads

Tributes have been paid by musicians including one-time Deep Purple bandmate Joe Satriani, Iron Maiden and Anthrax.

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The rock emphasis of the final day is a nod to Reading's past in the late 1970s and 1980s - when bands like Uriah Heep, Whitesnake and Iron Maiden could be found on the festival's stages.

BBC: News | Entertainment | Reading goes north