Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson helped kick-off this weekend’s San Diego Comic-Con by belting out a cover of Mott the Hoople’s “All the Young Dudes” with Green Day vocalist-guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong’s covers band, the Coverups.
The collaborative performance took place last night (July 23rd), a few songs into the Coverups’ set at the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego, California. The party was co-sponsored by fan platform Fandom and Z2 Comics (notably, the latter have teamed with Dickinson to publish his Mandrake Project graphic novels).
The song choice was apt: Dickinson had previously covered the glam anthem — famously written by David Bowie — for his 1990 solo album Tattooed Millionaire. Up above and down below, you’ll find fan-shot footage of the Air Raid Siren launching into the song with the Coverups.
The group also hit Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” later in the night, while the full covers set also included material by the Ramones, Nirvana, the Buzzcocks, Poison, the Strokes and more (per setlist.fm)
As previously reported, Dickinson is gearing up to release the The Mandrake Project: Year Two this fall. His second graphic novel — written by Dickinson and Tony Lee, and featuring interior art from John Devilman and Piotr Kowalski — follows anti-hero Dr. Necropolis and concerns “the war between magic and science for the control of immortality.” A pre-order bundle collecting Year One and Year Two is available to order in Revolver’s shop.
In related news, Armstrong will be covering even more Ramones material later this summer as part of an upcoming 50th anniversary celebration behind the latter iconic punk act. Set to take place August 30th at Los Angeles, California’s Hollywood Forever Cemetery, the night features the debut performance from the Cretin Family: Armstrong, Ramones bassist CJ Ramone, Rancid vocalist-guitarist Tim Armstrong and blink-182 drummer Travis Barker.
More info on that event can be found here.