When Iron Maiden first started out they used a papier-mâché prop that would spew fake blood from its mouth on stage to give their performances some theatrical flair, a prop that would become the mighty metal icon Eddie.
Well, that's not exactly true since the original prop was just a ghostly mask that looked nothing like Eddie. But the prop was a solid concept that would become an integral part of Iron Maiden's stage show after a chance meeting with the man who would give life to Eddie, artist Derek Riggs.
Riggs created the character Eddie and served as the band's sole cover artist from their first self-titled album in 1980 until the 1992 release Fear Of The Dark, and as the character grew so did his presence on stage.
Now fans can't imagine an Iron Maiden stage show without Eddie sharing the stage with the band, and in the last 38 years Eddie has gone from a novel idea to the grim face of heavy metal.
See Iron Maiden's Eddie: Nearly 40 Years Of Metal's Best Mascot here