Young and old alike turning up for Iron Maiden China shows

The UK heavy metal band Iron Maiden plays in Beijing and Shanghai as part of its The Book of Souls tour.[Photo provided to China Daily]

The Book of Souls was recorded in Paris in 2014 after Dickinson's recovery from cancer. For the album, the frontman also wrote the band's longest ever song, Empire of the Clouds, which runs for 18 minutes and was inspired by a plane crash in France in 1930.

Calling Iron Maiden "old-school", Smith, who grew up listening to Deep Purple and the '70s music, says the way they make music is not affected by new technology or the internet, which brings them young fans.

"Nowadays music is made by computer. The vocals are computerized, not very organic anymore. With the drum machine, computers and programed music, they are not actually playing. Then what's the magic in that? When kids come to see us, they think we are different," he says.

"When we make the sound, we try to make a statement, something substantial. Fans buy the album, read the lyrics and they don't just download and skip it soon," he adds.

Guitarist Janick Gers agrees.

"I didn't really have a goal to win a Grammy. That's just a present people give you. It's nice to get them (the awards) but I am not in the business to get a Grammy, or to become somebody in the Rock and Roll Hall (of Fame). It doesn't interest me at all. But I do want to play good music and I do believe (in) it. I am pretty sure the rest of the guys want the same thing," says Gers, 59, who joined the band in 1989.

Though the band is not nostalgic, the musicians sometimes look back in wonder about their own success.

"We started with little cars and little vans, and now here we are traveling around in this big plane with 15 crew (members) and all the equipment. It's important to remember where you come from," says Smith.