Iron Maiden’s bassist Steve Harris has spoken out in defense of the band’s Blaze Bayley era, asking fans not to dismiss those albums. In a conversation shared with Louder Sound, Harris reflected on that period, often criticized due to the change in vocalists, and stressed the value of the music created during that time.

“I said it at the time and I still believe it – those two are really strong, powerful albums and people will appreciate them later,” Harris said. “And people are going back and discovering them and realizing they’re good.”

One release he singled out was The X Factor, which, according to Harris, was shaped by deeply personal circumstances.

“The X Factor in particular is really good, but it’s a dark album,” he explained. “Probably ‘cos I was in a bit of a dark place with Bruce leaving and me going through a divorce at the time, all this stuff going on.”

Harris noted that those struggles translated directly into the creative output.

“But what came out of that was a powerful album,” he continued. “You take negative stuff and you turn it into a positive and those emotions come out, and that’s what you can do with music. Music’s such a powerful thing.”

His comments arrive as fans revisit this divisive chapter in the band’s history. Although overshadowed by Iron Maiden’s more commercially successful periods, the Bayley era is now gaining recognition for its distinct qualities.

Blaze Bayley officially joined Iron Maiden in 1994 after his previous band Wolfsbane disbanded, following extensive auditions to replace Bruce Dickinson. His arrival marked a significant stylistic shift, introducing a different vocal approach.

Commercially, the transition was difficult. Chart Masters recorded that both The X Factor and Virtual XI charted lower than any Maiden releases since 1981. Over time, however, the records have developed a loyal following, appreciated for their intensity and emotional resonance. Despite the initial setbacks, Iron Maiden has sold more than 130 million albums worldwide, and songs from the Bayley era, including “Man on the Edge” and “Futureal,” still find their way into the band’s live performances. The latter track, co-written by Bayley, has secured its place in Maiden’s legacy.

The recording of The X Factor was especially challenging, with Bayley still recovering from a serious motorcycle accident while laying down vocals. These obstacles only added to the rawness of the record—a quality Harris now highlights as one of its greatest strengths.

The post Steve Harris Reminds Fans Why the Blaze Bayley Era Still Matters appeared first on Ntertain Us!.

Steve Harris recently chatted with the Sweden Rock Festival’s YouTube channel and revealed why Bruce Dickinson was behind Iron Maiden’s touring scale-down.

Harris is currently touring with both his solo band, British Lion, and Iron Maiden, so when the host asked how he found the time and energy to do so, the bassist revealed:

“I started [British Lion] 11 years ago; I’ve been playing with them [for] 11 years. But before that, I wouldn’t have been able to do it, ’cause Maiden was too busy. In the last 10 years, Maiden’s not been so busy; we’ve not been touring as long. So, basically, it enabled me to have a bit of time to do something else.”

Then, Steve discussed why Maiden had scaled down their touring dates when the host asked whether he wanted to play live more:

“Yeah, I still enjoy playing, so, yeah, I play as much as I can. I’ll be happy to play four or five nights a week, but you can’t do it — for singers, you can’t do it. It was tough for Bruce [Dickinson] back in the day, let alone now back in the day, let alone now. I think he’s singing better than ever, but it’s quality, not quantity, with Maiden now.”

Harris’ band, British Lion, just finished up a 15-date-tour all across Europe, and the bassist continues to hit the road with Iron Maiden as their ‘scaled down’ tour dates carry on with several dates in Canada starting on September 28.

You can watch the interview below.

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