"Steve Harris stands by The X Factor and Virtual XI, Iron Maiden's most controversially received albums, asserting that they will eventually gain recognition."
Iron Maiden's Steve Harris Reflects on Band's Career and Controversial Albums
Steve Harris, the founder of heavy metal legends Iron Maiden, has opened up about the band's career in a forthcoming interview with Metal Hammer magazine. In the interview, Harris discusses the band's less popular albums, his love for football, and future plans for the iconic group.
Harris acknowledges that not all of Iron Maiden's albums are perfect, with "The Number Of The Beast" (1982) and "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son" (1988) being standouts, but he believes that even their less appreciated albums have merit. He defends "The X Factor" (1995) and "Virtual XI" (1998), often considered the weakest in their oeuvre, stating that they are particularly strong albums despite their dark themes, which he attributes to personal struggles at the time.
During the interview, Harris also addresses the temporary disappointment he feels after his favourite football team, West Ham, loses, comparing it to the temporary setbacks faced by Iron Maiden. He reflects on the band's five-decade-long journey as they celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2025.
Harris also discusses the band's decision to disband briefly during this time, but quickly recovered and continued the band. Furthermore, he hints at further dates for the "Run For Your Lives" world tour being announced for 2026.
In the interview, Harris also shares his thoughts on the band's less popular albums, suggesting that people will come to appreciate "The X Factor" and "Virtual XI" in the future. He states that "The X Factor" debuted at number eight on the UK album charts, a drop from the number one position achieved by its predecessor "Fear Of The Dark" (1992), and "Virtual XI" only reached number 16 on the UK album charts.
The full interview with Steve Harris will be available in Metal Hammer issue 405, coming out on September 18. Additionally, a special issue of Metal Hammer is available through the Louder webstore, looking back on 40 years of Iron Maiden's "Powerslave" album, featuring an exclusive cover and a "Powerslave"-inspired t-shirt.
Last week, a video interview with Bruce Dickinson was published, discussing his solo career and the remix and reissue of his 1994 album "Balls To Picasso". Bruce Dickinson returned to Iron Maiden in 1999, replacing Blaze Bayley, who sang on "The X Factor" and "Virtual XI", the only Iron Maiden albums to feature him as the vocalist. Steve Harris believes that Iron Maiden has never made a "perfect" album, but he remains optimistic about the band's future.
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