Iron Maiden's long-serving manager Rod Smallwood has spoken about the secrets behind his near-50-year working relationship with the band, as well as the recent EDDFEST festival, fan clubs and anti-touting measures. Smallwood has managed Iron Maiden continuously since 1979, making it one of the longest-running artist-manager partnerships in music history, and the interview marks a moment of reflection as the band celebrates their 50th anniversary in 2026 with a packed schedule of touring and special events.

Under Smallwood's guidance, alongside business partner Andy Taylor, Iron Maiden have sold over 100 million records, played roughly 2,500 shows in 64 countries, and released 17 studio albums, five of which topped the UK charts. The band were named among the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 2026 inductees, and Smallwood himself received an OBE in the June 2026 King's Birthday Honours. In July 2026 the band staged EDDFEST, a bespoke two-day festival at Knebworth Park featuring a memorabilia museum, fairground rides and guest artists, alongside a newly confirmed wider partnership with Pophouse Entertainment covering publishing, masters and rights, while the band's Run For Your Lives world tour continues across Europe, Latin America and Australasia.