Steve more creative on others' songs?

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Anonymous

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I noticed an interesting fact, when I listened chronologically all the albums starting from Number of the Beast and ending with Somewhere In time (known as golden era): Many songs featuring Steve's most distinctive, innovative, sophisticated, best bass playing are written or co-written by Adrian or Bruce!

Notice that I don't mean they are the only ones which includes that level of playing. But those songs, (co)written by others, automatically includes a distinctive bass lines for sure.


Let's look closely:

Number of the Beast: The Prisoner (especially bridge part and chorus) , 22 Acacia Avenue (outro part)
This album includes good playing in Number of the Beast and run To the hills, Harris songs.

Piece Of Mind: Revelations (nearly whole song) Flight of Icarus (that chorus! \"his eyes... are ablazed\"[!--emo&:)--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/smile.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'smile.gif\' /][!--endemo--]), Still Life (before solos)
This album has To Tame A Land which is awesome.

Powerslave: Two minutes to Midnight, Powerslave (that superb mid-section). There are also nice passages in Flash of the Blade (chorus and behind twin guitar section)

Somewhere in Time: Wasted Years (chorus) Sea of Madness, aaand this beautiful solo and nearly every single note of Stranger in a Strange Land.


I have two theories about that:

1 - pessimistic one: Harris, being the main songwriter for the Iron Maiden and core of the band, makes us feel his presence, show himself by his playing (much) better on the songs written by others.

2 - optimistic one: 'Arry has more time and energy to concentrate on his basslines when song is written by others.

Which one, I can't decide. Your opinions? Any speculations?
 
I think he always tries to write great parts but maybe Adrian and Bruce write songs that are easier for him to write a bassline to. Wasted Years is his best bass playing that you mentioned IMO.
 
Maybe when Adrian or Bruce write a song, they write the WHOLE song, (bassline and all) and that's why its different to the basslines Steve usually writes.
 
[!--QuoteBegin--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Maybe when Adrian or Bruce write a song, they write the WHOLE song, (bassline and all) and that's why its different to the basslines Steve usually writes.[/quote]

Actually, I think that it the case for the bass solo of Stranger In a Strange Land, because it is the theme of of the solo. But it is highly improbable for all the passages you find in the rest of the song, and the other songs.

Interestingly, only few Harris' songs include such passages.
 
I don't think it is that unlikely. When Bruce or Adrian write a song, I guess they wrote the song. If Steve wrote his own bassline he should be credited for it. Maybe Steve doesn't like such passages and he does not write them, or maybe if Steve does indeed write his bassline in other people's songs, they request him to play trhat ornaments.
 
Don't be an a.... Steve's bass parts are written always by him, this also goes with Dave's, Jan's, and Adrian solos. They wrote them, but beacuse it is onle like an arrengement of the song, they don't get the credit for those parts on the WRITERS PART.
My opinion is that, because when Steve writes his songs, he writes the main parts, the rhythm parts with his bass, so, the songs are based upon his bass mainlines, so he can't improvise that much. But still you can see him write great intros with his bass; Wratchild [!--emo&:rock:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/headbang.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'headbang.gif\' /][!--endemo--] and The Clairvoyant comes to mind.
Hope you understand me. [!--emo&:blush:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/blush.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'blush.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
[!--QuoteBegin-HEYDRICH+Jun 6 2003, 02:23 AM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(HEYDRICH @ Jun 6 2003, 02:23 AM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--] But still you can see him write great intros with his bass; Wratchild [!--emo&:rock:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/headbang.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'headbang.gif\' /][!--endemo--]  and The Clairvoyant comes to mind. [/quote]
Great bass intros [!--emo&:rock:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/headbang.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'headbang.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

That's why Steve is the best bassist out there.
 
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