Legendary Steve Harris On Touring Iron Maiden And British Lion

British Lion is Iron Maiden founder Steve Harris’ first-ever side project. Their eponymous ten song debut album was released in 2012 and pronounced both “brilliant” and “a big hearted ferocious triumph” by the music press who also commented that although it’s stamped with Steve’s inimitable style, it’s also very different to Iron Maiden so fans will be in for a whole new experience seeing and hearing the songs live – a trademark that was continued to glorious effect with the release of The Burning in 2020, which was spearheaded by three epic singles: Spit Fire, Lightning, and The Burning.

The band has undertaken a relentless touring schedule since, including shows in Canada, North and South America and the Far East, and are now due to return to Japan as well as undertake their first-ever tour of Australia, New Zealand, and the US West Coast. Steve Harris talks to Hi Fi Way about the tour.

Not long to go now but touring two bands in Iron Maiden and British Lion is no mean feat. How do you how do you prepare for something like that?
We’ve been rehearsing Maiden and with British Lion, we’ve played a few shows during the summer, recently we played a festival in Faro, Portugal and then the following night we did a club gig in Saville, Spain so we have played fairly recently. With Maiden we haven’t played since last year, so we’ve been rehearsing.

Bringing British Lion to another country must be exciting?
Oh definitely, yeah! I’ve played in Australia many times with Maiden but the lads in British Lion have never been here before to play or even as a tourist. They’re really excited to do it. Also, for me I’ve never played clubs here in Australia, so it is good for me as well. All round I am very lucky and get to do everything. It’s good!

How have you found going back and playing smaller clubs?
I’m very lucky that I get to play both. I’ll get match fit for Maiden doing shows with British Lion the night before.

For Australian fans new to the music of British Lion how did it all come about?
I’ve known the Leslie since the nineties, and I was sort of helping him out, managing him, doing stuff for them and all kinds of stuff really. I did actually get off the stage from one night in Portugal, and it’s sort of imploded. I just thought the songs were too good not to see the light of day and the only way to do it is to get in to it myself. We have been together and had a strong line-up now for twelve years even though we have only had a couple of albums out. We’ve done a lot of gigs now and it really feels good. It’s a really good band that is getting better and better.

Sonically, do you see much difference between both bands?
I get to play clubs now which I can no longer do with Maiden so it does take me back to the early days where the challenge was going to places for the first time and never knowing how many people we’re going to get, not knowing what tickets are worth until you get there. It’s going to be good. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s exciting.

Are there plans for new music for British Lion?
Yeah, we’ve got two new songs in the set already. So, we’ll be doing those on this tour and we’ve got other ideas. Gradually we’ll try and stuff in to the live set because that’s what worked well with the second album, we did a lot of that stuff live before we recorded it and it felt really good to do it like that.

Is it challenging going between two bands night in night out and forgetting which band you are in?
Ha! I don’t play the wrong songs or anything if that’s what you mean! It’s a whole different thing playing British Lion one night and Iron Maiden on the next, that’s it really!

Is it a buzz playing these smaller venues with British Lion?
Yeah, that’s the thing, I just love playing! We play longer with Maiden at two hours and hour and a half with British Lion. The Maiden set is a bit more intricate playing wise but it’s a different type of challenge. It’s just having your wits about you each night. I really enjoy playing both of them.

I guess it puts a different perspective on making the most of your free time on tour?
Well, that’s the thing? I mean, I wouldn’t have been added to a few years ago because Maiden was playing five nights a week or whatever and touring months on end, tour on tour for many years there just wasn’t time. Now there’s more time in between, so I’m able to in Australia playing Perth and Adelaide where there is a travel day, I’m still able to do a British Lion show. There are a couple where the travel day is the day of the British Lion show where you have to get up early and get down there for load in. I just love playing, every gig is sacred these days, which is the way I look at it.

2025 is the fiftieth anniversary for Iron Maiden, are there any special plans?
Well, we’re not really thinking about that too much because we just have to get through this one first. We go through to Christmas with this one then we’ll break and do something. I’m sure we’ll do something next year, probably next summer, but I’m not sure.

With everything that you have achieved in your career what’s the one thing left you would like to do?
I would like to write a book at some point, but I know how much time it takes because I wrote a few forwards for other people people’s books and that takes a while. I thought oh my god it will take me ages to do a book. I would like to at some point maybe when I find time to fit it in. At the moment I’m concentrating on playing live shows.

Interview By Rob Lyon

Catch British Lion on the following dates, tickets from Hardline Media…

Iron Maiden on tour on the following dates, tickets from TEG Dainty…