Steve Harris talks 'Strangers...'
"UFO are one of my favourite bands and this is my favourite live album. Some albums get boring, but 30 years later I'm still listening to 'Strangers...'.
If I had to introduce UFO's music to someone who had never heard them I'd play 'SITN'. It's got everything you could want; great vibe, quality playing, quality songs; in fact it's just quality from top to toe! There's not one person who I know who doesn't love it - including my nine year old son! My daughter Lauren even covers 'Natural Thing' with her band. All of my kids love UFO and they all support West Ham too. Proof that I've brought them up properly!
I love their songwriting; a combination of power and melody, something that I've always tried to bring to Maiden's songs. If you're going to learn, then learn from the best. Adrian (Smith) is hugely influenced by UFO - not just Michael Schenker but also by Paul Chapman.
I've seen UFO live many, many times - first at the Marquee and then later at Hammersmith Odeon. I've been very lucky in that respect. We even supported them a couple of times in California in the early '80s, so I got to know them as people and they are great guys. I can remember watching them from the side of the stage, grinning from ear to ear!
UFO should have been bigger - much, much bigger. There are a million and one reasons whythat didn't happen, but the music isn't one of them. I guess 'Doctor Doctor' is their best known song - it's an all-time classic - but there's not one track on 'SITN' that I don't like. My favourite is 'Love to Love'; it gives me goose bumps every time I hear it - the way it builds and that bit in the intro when one guy in the crowd screams out, although Pete Way told me that was him screaming 'cos he dropped his bass on his foot!
We use 'Doctor Doctor' at Maiden gigs as our wake-up call. When that song comes on over the PA, it's our cue to the crew and the fans that we're ready to go on stage. We've done it for years and it's become something of a tradition for us. In fact, I can't wait to hear it tonight..."
Steve Harris, Iron Maiden.
Bogota, Colombia, 28. March 2008