Steve Harris, founding bassist of Iron Maiden, has spoken out in defense of the band’s controversial Blaze Bayley era, urging fans to give those albums a second chance. In a new interview with MusicRadar, Harris addressed long-standing criticism of ‘The X Factor’ (1995) and ‘Virtual XI’ (1998) — the two albums recorded during Bayley’s tenure as lead vocalist.
“I think some of the best songs I’ve written were on those two albums,” Harris stated, reinforcing his long-held belief in the material’s quality.
Harris Says Albums Are Being Reappraised
While many fans initially rejected the Blaze-fronted records, Harris believes public opinion has begun to shift.
“And I always said at the time – and it’s been proved to a certain degree later – that people would go back and revisit those albums [and] appreciate them a lot more,” he said. “Some people didn’t ever give those albums a chance, but then later on they’ve gone back to them and realized there’s some really good stuff on them.”
A Re-Evaluation in Progress
The Blaze Bayley years remain one of the most debated chapters in Iron Maiden’s history. However, as Harris points out, time may be softening that initial backlash, with more fans now recognizing the musical and lyrical depth of the albums.
His comments come amid a broader reassessment of Maiden’s legacy and catalog, as newer generations of fans explore the band’s discography beyond the Bruce Dickinson-dominated classics.
1 comment
I’ll admit I approached both albums with a quiet skepticism. But having said that I owned both albums, got rid of them and then sought them out again.
I’d been with Maiden since Powerslave but tuned out during the No Prayer era.
I drifted away. During the blaze era both of the albums collected dust and I wasn’t aware that Brave New World even existed till I saw it on the shelf ( it was a turbulent , challenging time in my life.)
In the years since I realised all I’d wanted was a band I recognised. A constant , something I recognised and when it wasn’t there I looked elsewhere.
There are terrible albums, and there are TERRIBLE albums.
The X-Factor and Virtual XI are neither.