The Garlon
Educated Fool
A Tyranny of Balls?
Starblind
Ancient Mariner
There is also this part on that interview:
www.loudersound.com
“I didn’t realise Steve was having his physio in the room next door. And he came out and he went, ‘Is that your new stuff?’ I went, ‘Yeah.’ He goes, ‘That’s the best stuff you’ve ever done. That’s the best stuff I’ve ever heard from you!’ I went, ‘Well, thank you very much, boss!’”
This part really excited me. On the other hand, if Steve liked it so much, I wondered why he didn't transfer 1-2 songs to Maiden. ... And Bruce calling Steve, "boss"
Bruce Dickinson reveals 2027 solo album plans, says Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris loves it: “He told me, ‘That’s the best stuff you've ever done!’”
Iron Maiden have plenty of things planned for 2026, but their singer is already looking even further into the future
“I didn’t realise Steve was having his physio in the room next door. And he came out and he went, ‘Is that your new stuff?’ I went, ‘Yeah.’ He goes, ‘That’s the best stuff you’ve ever done. That’s the best stuff I’ve ever heard from you!’ I went, ‘Well, thank you very much, boss!’”
This part really excited me. On the other hand, if Steve liked it so much, I wondered why he didn't transfer 1-2 songs to Maiden. ... And Bruce calling Steve, "boss"
Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
So Bruce's description is like TMP, probably heavier like TCW (which would be good and cool), but not TCW 2 overall. More like BTP meets TCW. If the material is faster, then BTP meets TOS.Do you want heavy? Bruce Dickinson gives you heavy, baby!
"Bruce went on to say that his new solo material will include "bone-crushingly heavy" songs as well as moments that "are just like tugging at the heartstrings". "If it's heavy, it's heavy," he added, "but if it just happens to be acoustic, it's acoustic. That's the deal, you know? It's whatever the song dictates, whatever the story is you're trying to tell, but it's really exciting. I'm so stoked about these tracks. I played the demos to a few people in the record label and stuff, and everybody is like, 'Wow!'"
IRON MAIDEN Singer BRUCE DICKINSON Says His Next Solo Album Will Include Some 'Bone-Crushingly Heavy' Songs
In a new interview with Metal Hammer, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson spoke about his plans for more new solo music following the release of his latest solo album, "The Mandrake Project", which arrived in March 2024. Bruce said: "We've got, like, 18 tracks demoed, which I did in April. We're...blabbermouth.net
It's really great to hear Bruce so stoked about the material, but iirc he made the same comments about the record label and the heavy/acoustic parts about TMP too.
Steve liking the material so much, now that's really exciting. Like Eternity and Nightmares (if we ever hear it). He likes to hype, but it's Steve, so.There is also this part on that interview:
Bruce Dickinson reveals 2027 solo album plans, says Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris loves it: “He told me, ‘That’s the best stuff you've ever done!’”
Iron Maiden have plenty of things planned for 2026, but their singer is already looking even further into the future
“I didn’t realise Steve was having his physio in the room next door. And he came out and he went, ‘Is that your new stuff?’ I went, ‘Yeah.’ He goes, ‘That’s the best stuff you’ve ever done. That’s the best stuff I’ve ever heard from you!’ I went, ‘Well, thank you very much, boss!’”
This part really excited me. On the other hand, if Steve liked it so much, I wondered why he didn't transfer 1-2 songs to Maiden. ... And Bruce calling Steve, "boss"
It seems Bruce can't get away from Steve.
Calling him ''the boss''! 
Jokes aside, he doesn't seem to have a problem playing the material to the band and the management, we know that. If a song is not co-written with his band, Steve might ask him to use it again for Maiden, it's possible. He called it the best stuff he ever heard from him - and Bruce wrote songs like Eternity, Empire, Powerslave and Revelations. Quite the praise.This is also kind of curious: ''We’re busy next year with other things, obviously Maiden things and everything, which is great, but ’27 that’s when it will come out.'' Maiden things and everything...
Is that the whole interview?
Azas
Eastern Front
Having read that, I want to say that I’m stoked, but at the same time, a little worried. Maybe Steve likes it because Bruce’s new stuff has long intros and outros… Also, if I remember correctly, in the past Steve sorta praised Metallica’s Load, saying something like, “I like it much more than your earlier stuff.” And while Load isn’t bad per se, it’s definitely not better than the first four albums. So… I’m excited but also a bit scared. On a redeeming note, Steve called Bruce’s AOB “surprisingly starke Scheibe.” The jury’s still out.
Starblind
Ancient Mariner
Load-era has a lot of Thin Lizzy influence, so I understand Steve on that.
And now I wonder what will Roy Z write on his facebook now...
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
“I didn’t realise Steve was having his physio in the room next door. And he came out and he went, ‘Is that your new stuff?’ I went, ‘Yeah.’ He goes, ‘That’s the best stuff you’ve ever done. That’s the best stuff I’ve ever heard from you!’ I went, ‘Well, thank you very much, boss!’”
This part really excited me. On the other hand, if Steve liked it so much, I wondered why he didn't transfer 1-2 songs to Maiden. ... And Bruce calling Steve, "boss"
It might mean the material is like British Lion if Steve liked it so much!
Starblind
Ancient Mariner
Probably because I've (and we've) been following him closely for years—almost like an ex-lover P)—I can easily tell the difference between genuine excitement and excitement that feels more like a formality. For instance, when he mentioned that Maiden could play Senjutsu from start to finish, it felt more like marketing talk. Similarly, his praise for Mandrake seemed off because the whole process was riddled with problems, almost like a film that got messed up in editing. But his enthusiasm in this interview feels authentic to me. Like with Skunkworks, he probably left most of the songwriting to the band (or mostly to one person). Philip and Chris are both very productive musicians in that sense. He probably took more of a guiding role, like a conductor, setting the direction, giving the concepts, and then taking over the lyrics and vocal melodies (That's probably why Steve didn't transfer any song to Maiden, because all songs may be "co-written"). At least, that’s my guess.
P)—I can easily tell the difference between genuine excitement and excitement that feels more like a formality. For instance, when he mentioned that Maiden could play Senjutsu from start to finish, it felt more like marketing talk. Similarly, his praise for Mandrake seemed off because the whole process was riddled with problems, almost like a film that got messed up in editing. But his enthusiasm in this interview feels authentic to me. Like with Skunkworks, he probably left most of the songwriting to the band (or mostly to one person). Philip and Chris are both very productive musicians in that sense. He probably took more of a guiding role, like a conductor, setting the direction, giving the concepts, and then taking over the lyrics and vocal melodies (That's probably why Steve didn't transfer any song to Maiden, because all songs may be "co-written"). At least, that’s my guess.
FearOfTheLark
Trooper
I can't take quotes like that too seriously. Proper hyperbole. I hope it'll be better from the last one at least
Has Steve heard CW? Hmm
Has Steve heard CW? Hmm
Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
Bruce likes to hype a lot, we know that and should take that into account, he was very enthusiastic about TMP and SJ (and all the time really), but only the latter was true in all aspects imo. Maybe Steve have in mind within the context of his solo stuff. Steve can always add more parts to shorter songs of his without being credited. Like Eternity, which is one of Bruce's very best, both versions. Steve likes AOB and TCW, and said in an interview from the BNW era about the latter that the album is great, but the style isn't for Maiden, which is true. All in all, Bruce rarely say stuff like ''the best material, can't wait to record'', so this time his enthusiasm should be authentic, at least more than before. If he's really happy with the songs, I mean why not.
Bruce moved on, so. I hope for good and strong performances, interesting, classic (please, more metal than rock) and faster (hope so) ideas, and full songs. That's it. Better than the last one is enough.
Also, I hope Dave's drumming is better and more interesting, he's a better drummer than what's in TMP.
I doubt he left most of the songwriting to the band, the two guitarists. Solos and some riffs, yes, but the rest, incl. arrangement will be all Bruce's. How we know they're productive? Bruce also wrote a lot of demos with Roy in a short period of time. He is a more capable songwriter than back then.
We will find out about Steve and a solo song again when the Maiden album is released. Maybe some of the material is more metal and Maiden-esque, like Eternity. I hope so. But Bruce won't abandon TMP style/approach/experiments.
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Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
I’ll give Steve the benefit of the doubt. Look, it’s always nice when your friend/boss/coworker gets excited over something you made. Maybe it’s not the bee’s knees but it’s cool that they still take an interest in each other’s careers.
dickinson1978
Ancient Mariner
Where did he say that steve like it?
dickinson1978
Ancient Mariner
Ah here. ThanksThere is also this part on that interview:
Bruce Dickinson reveals 2027 solo album plans, says Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris loves it: “He told me, ‘That’s the best stuff you've ever done!’”
Iron Maiden have plenty of things planned for 2026, but their singer is already looking even further into the future
“I didn’t realise Steve was having his physio in the room next door. And he came out and he went, ‘Is that your new stuff?’ I went, ‘Yeah.’ He goes, ‘That’s the best stuff you’ve ever done. That’s the best stuff I’ve ever heard from you!’ I went, ‘Well, thank you very much, boss!’”
This part really excited me. On the other hand, if Steve liked it so much, I wondered why he didn't transfer 1-2 songs to Maiden. ... And Bruce calling Steve, "boss"
Black Abyss Babe
Slava Ukraini!
Bruce compares very unfavourably to Richard Taylor: I'm not sure how well he'd cope with a British Lion-type song ...
redandtheblack92
Time to meet your maker
Steve liking it? Well maybe we have something far more metallic and melodic on our hands next year. Something maidenesque. Cannot wait
redandtheblack92
Time to meet your maker
Shit like this comes out and I get over excited. So no we wait 1.5 years for album which may seem better than TMP
Starblind
Ancient Mariner
Well, he wrote great songs by himself but we know he isn't a guitar player. So he probably puts down simple riff ideas here and there and puts them together but still gets some help. Usually he works with a guitar player (Smith when it's Maiden, Roy if it's solo -till now-). On Skunkworks we know that most of the music was written by Alex Dickson and afterwards demoed by him (some of these instrumental demoes are somewhere on internet) and then Bruce adds his vocals to the music.
Ascendingthethrone
Ancient Mariner
Maiden IN SOLO – BRUCE DICKINSON's SKUNKWORKS DEMOS playlist
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