During a recent appearance on Talk Is Jericho, Iron Maiden bassist/bandleader Steve Harris sang praises of the band’s 1994-1999 era with Blaze Bayley on vocals, which spawned 1995’s “The X Factor” and 1998’s “Virtual XI.”
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After the host said “The X Factor” is one of his two favorite Maiden records, Harris replied (via Blabbermouth):
“I really like that album. It’s very personal to me. I remember saying at the time that those albums that we did with Blaze, that people would in the future come to appreciate them a lot more, later on.
“And they are – they are starting to do that now. They definitely are appreciating them a lot more now. They were bloody good albums, in my opinion.
“It was just a point in time where, whatever we were going through at the time, I think it brought out some really good stuff.
“I really like that album, and that era as well. We were fighting – everyone was kind of fighting at the time, because everyone thought metal was going down and all this. And it was, to a certain degree – but it makes you fight, makes you change and fight harder.
“I like that. There’s an element to it, a fire in it, that’s very important. It’s an important part of our career. Every career has highs and lows and ups and downs, whether Bruce [Dickinson] is in the band or not, and it is what it is.
“You just ride the waves, really. At the moment, we’re on the crest of a wave, which is fantastic. You take it all day long, but you never know what’s around the corner, really.”