“I’m glad it’s happened so the Americans will stop banging on about it” Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris doesn’t seem too excited about their Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction
A Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction five decades after your debut might sound like the kind of milestone that leaves a band celebrating. But don’t expect Iron Maiden to make too much of a fuss about it.
Speaking in the latest issue of Metal Hammer, bassist Steve Harris and frontman Bruce Dickinson make it clear that while they’re grateful for the recognition, it’s never been something they’ve spent much time thinking about.
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Asked whether the band ever discussed turning down this year’s induction, Harris says there was never much of a conversation to begin with.
“No, there have only been comments from a couple of members of the band here and there,” he says. “Bruce has his own strong feelings about it, which is his opinion.”
In fact, the bassist says the honour has never meant all that much to him.
“It’s never really bothered me one way or the other, because awards aren’t what we do this for,” he explains. “But in a weird way I’m glad it’s happened so the Americans will stop banging on about it. To me, if you get offered something, you say, ‘Thank you very much.’ But did I lose sleep over getting it or not getting it? No.”
Dickinson – who famously said he didn’t “give a monkey’s” about the Rock Hall or its approval after the band missed out on induction in 2023 – sounds equally unfazed.
“I can’t even summon the energy to be vitriolic about it,” he says. “I appreciate that a significant number of people are happy for us. That’s nice. It’s not something we’re bothered about.”
The members, who won’t be attending the ceremony due to Iron Maiden’s Australia tour, say they probably wouldn’t have gone anyway.
“I don’t do those sort of things,” Harris says. “I didn’t even go to the recent red carpet thing for the documentary. It’s not me.”
And for anyone hoping the occasion might spark a Live Aid-style reunion featuring every current and former member, the band has already shut down the idea.
“No. That’d just be cheesy,” says Harris.
Dickinson agrees, arguing that those kinds of all-star performances rarely make for great music: “Those kind of things make some people feel, ‘Oh great, what an event’, but musically usually it’s a mess,” he says.
“I absolutely don’t have any problem with Blaze [Bayley, former vocalist] or any of those other guys on the bill – I love Blaze, he’s a fantastic guy. But we’re not planning on having Nicko [McBrain, former drummer] playing three drums during the show or anything like that. No, people have paid money to see this incarnation of Iron Maiden. It will be an Iron Maiden set. This is the band, this is what you get.”
Iron Maiden first became eligible for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, but weren’t nominated until 2021 and 2023 before finally making this year’s class. The 2026 inductees also include Oasis, Billy Idol, Wu-Tang Clan, Joy Division/ New Order and Phil Collins.
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