IRON MAIDEN's Bruce Dickinson sat down with Planet Rock's Wyatt to talk about taking part in the Heavy Metal Truants charity cycle ride to Download 2021, raising money for Nordoff Robbins, Childline, Teenage Cancer Trust and Save The Children. As well as that, they discussed Bruce's rather simple requirements when it comes to phones and bikes. After showing his "brand new old Nokia" phone to Wyatt, Bruce said: "Almost a year ago now, I got this smartphone from the MAIDEN office. They said, 'Here's your smartphone.' And there's a SIM card with it and everything. And I thought, 'That's very nice.' So I put it away and never touched it again — until Truants. And they said, 'You need to do this stuff — download your every move on this app.' And I [finally] put the SIM card in. So this whole process, actually, has encouraged me to put in the SIM card, and I now have a smartphone. So, basically, my life is going to suck from now on. I'll be living my life vicariously. But it does do interesting things." Founded in 2012 by MAIDEN manager Rod Smallwood and ex-Metal Hammer magazine editor-in-chief Alexander Milas, the Heavy Metal Truants have seen tremendous support from the music industry over the years. From Download promoter Andy Copping and John Giddings who runs Isle Of Wight festival, to musicians from bands including SAXON, TRIVIUM, PARADISE LOST and more they have all joined fans to put on the lycra and pedal the miles. The 2017 event was even waved off from Alexandra Palace by the one and only Brian Blessed! To help raise even more for the kids the Heavy Metal Truants have also run auctions including memorabilia personally donated by QUEEN, METALLICA, KISS, BON JOVI, MAIDEN and many more, alongside spoken-word events with legends of the heavy rock scene and even Heavy Metal Curry Nights. It begins on May 24 and concludes on June 4, which would have been the first day of this year's Download festival. The event is open to anyone who wishes to sign up and raise funds for Save The Children, Teenage Cancer Trust, Nordoff Robbins and NSPCC/Childline by completing a designated sponsored challenge. For more information, visit heavymetaltruants.com. If you are unable to join the ride but would like to make a donation, please go to: SportsGiving - Donate to HMT 2021: Nine Lives - Virtual Challenge The Heavy Metal Truants is part of The Truants Foundation, which has raised over £4 million for children's charities over the past 10 years. It became a registered charity: No. 1191441 in November 2020.
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