Steve Harris Hopes Iron Maiden Rock Hall Induction Will Appease American Fans

Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris said he hopes being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will mean American fans “stop banging on about it.”

Ever since the British band was named among the class of 2026, members have made it clear that it doesn’t mean as much to them as it has to other inductees.

The question of whether to attend the ceremony in Los Angeles on Nov. 14 was taken out of their hands since they’ll be on tour in Australia at the time.

But in a recent interview with Metal Hammer, Harris said he wouldn’t be there even if schedules made it possible.

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Asked if Maiden had considered rejecting the honor outright, he replied: “No, there have only been comments from a couple of [us] here and there. Bruce has his own strong feelings about it, which is his opinion.

“It’s never really bothered me one way or the other, because awards aren’t what we do this for. 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.”

On the subject of attending the event if it were possible, Harris said: “I don’t do those sort of things. I didn’t even go to the recent red carpet thing for the documentary. It’s not me.”

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Dickinson confirmed that he also had no intention of being there under any circumstances. He’s expressed strong negative opinions about the Rock Hall in the past – notably in 2018 when he called the organization “sanctimonious.”

He added: “Rock and roll music does not belong in a mausoleum in Cleveland. It’s a living, breathing thing, and if you put it in a museum, then it’s dead. It’s worse than horrible, it’s vulgar.”

In the recent interview he said: “I can’t even summon the energy to be vitriolic about it. I appreciate that a significant number of people are happy for us. That’s nice. It’s not something we’re bothered about.”

Iron Maiden’s two-day Eddfest event begins at Knebworth House in England Friday, July 10.