Iron Maiden's Lowestoft roadie picks LP a day to ease lockdown

Colin Price calls himself Britain's most easterly roadie

A man who calls himself "Britain's most easterly-based roadie" has taken to sharing a record a day with his Twitter followers to get through lockdown.

Colin Price, 52, of Lowestoft, Suffolk, was due to be touring Australia and New Zealand with Iron Maiden but the gigs were postponed due to the coronavirus.

Mr Price, who has also toured with Marillion and The Darkness, has been posting images for the past four weeks.

The latest featured was the album 4 by Foreigner, from 1981.

"I've got a few hundred vinyl records to get through. Then I suppose I could buy some more," he said.

One of Mr Price's jobs is to look after the band's guitars

Mr Price has travelled around the world a number of times as a roadie, including flying on Iron Maiden's Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet Ed Force One, piloted by Bruce Dickinson, of the band.

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He said he got into working as a roadie by accident.

"I'm originally from Oxford and I was working for the Oxford University Press and I'd had enough of it and one day I handed in my notice. And one of my favourite bands, Marillion, pretty much one of the first bands to have a website, sent out an email saying they wanted staff for the studio and website," he said.

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After he got that job one of the band's guitarists who knew that Mr Price played guitar asked him if he wanted to be the roadie for him.

"My proper job title is backline technician, but roadie is fine too. My role is to be the right-hand man to the artist, to maintain the guitars and amplifiers [known in the trade as backline] and to run the show working alongside them, making sure they have everything they need to put on a concert," said Mr Price.

At one concert, Mr Price had the job of looking after Spice Girls singer Mel B's surprise birthday cake

"Tuning and changing guitars, keeping everything running smoothly but without being noticed by the audience - a bit like a golf caddy or butler."

After about eight years with Marillion he was offered work with Iron Maiden and has been involved with the band ever since.

Mr Price settled in Lowestoft after working with The Darkness, who come from the town.

Mr Price toured with The Darkness, who hail from Lowestoft

"I'd always wanted to live on the coast, and my children have grown up and I love it here," he said.

Mr Price said the lockdown was not hitting him so badly.

"I actually consider myself quite lucky. Apart from living in the house and staying indoors, this lockdown is pretty much what I do when I get home from a tour, and I'm lucky to have already travelled the world," he said.

Mr Price said it was an opportunity for people "to take their foot off the throttle".

"I used to be in a band, so I've been in touch with old band mates, via a video link. I've talked to people who for years I've been thinking I must get in touch with. Well, now there is no excuse, and we are all in the same boat," he said.

Mr Price has flown in Iron Maiden's Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet Ed Force One, piloted by Bruce Dickinson, of the band