Attention all you headbangers! Instead of spending pots of money on Tshirts and the like, ageing heavy metallers can now invest directly in their favourite band. Yes, Iron Maiden have embraced the capitalist ideal and are launching a bond based on the royalty income from their back catalogue.
Previously, bond issues by rockers have been confined to the Strolling Bones (sorry Rolling Stones) and David Bowie, resulting in terms like Jaggerbonds and Ziggybonds entering the financial lexicon. Now Iron Maiden, whose hits have included such priceless gems as Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter and The Number of the Beast plan to raise £20 million in a bond issue secured on these worthy titles.
Whatever happened to the days when rockers smashed up hotel rooms? And what's next? Can we expect Paul McGuinness to launch a Bonobond for our famous four, or The Corrs to launch a Babebond?