Someone please explain all the love for Steve Harris

[clickclack]

what’s up with the wristbands?

This guy explains it all here:

Though, this can not be replicated by everyone just because of index and middle finger length differences. Everybody has a "best position" for their anatomy IMO. I can not personally replicate the angle of the hand and be efficient because my middle finger is longer or index finger shorter. But the main idea is almost never using your thumb for support over pickups(that's where wristband comes in handy) or anywhere else and place it over strings to mute.

 

[wintremute]

As an aside what’s up with the wristbands? I was watching that Ed Friedland review of the SH signature bass where he tried to play The Trouper (?) and says “Tendinitis city man!”. That makes me wonder if Steve uses the wristbands for support given the way he plays? Anyone ever heard him mention them in interviews? I’m asking as I have a slight tendinitis just know and thought it might help.

I believe he uses them because of where he places his forearm on the body, and how he moves his arm rather than his wrist. The wristbands prevent chaffing.

 

[redwingxix]

Cool. I always just figured the wristbands were because that's super metal or because he sweats so hard playing that way that they act as a dam to keep his fingers dry. Never thought there could be other possibilities.

 

[dan fitzsimmons]

IMO he’s a standout in his genre. Plus he writes a lot of the music and lyrics. Yes, he can’t “shred” like others in different genres but in the metal world he’s tops. Why? His right hand is not human. Top it off he’s high energy ALL THE TIME. Constantly running around the stage never missing a note. I may be partial since I’m a big Maiden fan.. If you ever get the chance, go to a show. Maybe you’ll change your mind. I got nothing but good things to say about S Harris. After all, I picked up the bass because of him.. and here I am 36+ years later still going strong

 

[WI Short Scaler]

Music is subjective after all. If you get it, great. If not, that's great too, listen to whatever floats your bobber.

Steve's talent is not limited to his aggressive and unrelenting gallop style bass. He also writes the majority of music and lyrics for the band. I saw them on the Powerslave tour and one of my favorite shows.

 

[Mvilmany]

While I wouldn’t put Steve in the same category as Jaco or Stanley, he’s a beast. He rocks the out when he plays. He also wrote the majority of Iron Maiden’s material. A lot of those polls are popularity contests, or just something that a shiftless Buzzfeed garbage troll threw together after googling “bass player “

 

[mellowinman]

I don't know what I posted to this thread earlier, but let me be clear: I don't give a rat's fig about Iron Maiden or the type of music they play, but I recognize talent when I hear it, and they are top musicians, especially Harris and that vocalist.

 

[Mike Sorr]

I think a lot of the love for ‘Arry, is because he influenced so many young rock players to pick up the bass in the first place. I know without Steve Harris I probably wouldn’t have been a bass player. He was my single greatest influence when I first started out in the early 80s and remains a bass hero of mine to this day. I know he’s not Jamerson, Jaco, or even Geddy, but I along with many other players owe him a debt of gratitude.

 

[Yonni]

I don't know what I posted to this thread earlier

So I had a look and you posted something about Styx and foxy ladies. It was in response to someone else saying something similar to your comment above though. Personally I’m looking forward to Maiden Day 2019.

 

[Yonni]

As a side note - has anyone seen The Art of Drumming? Might only be a Sky UK tv show. Had the drummer talking about how Steve’s bass lines dictate to him what he plays. Steve really is Maiden, isn’t he?

 

[gfen]

I'm not sure why I was compelled to read 14 pages of this nearly six months after it was posted, but I'm kinda tickled by the amount of people who got here via Steve Harris.

Count me in their number.

 

[Asylum-49]

I cannot stand the guy. A local fanzine once likened me to him in a gig review. (The writer had no idea what he was sayng) It destroyed me. True story.

But also....

 

[eriky4003]

I upped my game for the three-finger technique in the late 80's thinking Steve had to be using three fingers (three fingers = instant gallup). It was only since I joined this forum that I realized he's a two-finger man!

 

[MaplePrecision]

I would have never played bass had it not been for Steve Harris. That bass break in the middle of "Phantom of the Opera". Noone in metal was doing stuff like that. It sold me on bass rather than guitar or drums.

 

[danesdad]

Nothing but respect here.

 

[joebar]

One interesting thing that I actually learned here on Talkbass recently was that Nicko McBrain (Maiden's drummer) actually played with Pat Travers Band at one time.

I think that nickos work on the PT albums was even better than his work with maiden.
Nicko swings hard on those albums and loved him more than tommy Aldridge who came later.
Nicko is a swinger

 

[Yonni]

Nicko is a swinger

All the good ones are.

 

[grrg63]

http://rockandrollgarage.com/steve-...bTFPZTKWSvnOFXDVJ3WZD57Sohbk5TQ24fN4K3WYdGcsc

Steve Harris says he is not a good bass player

When the host asked, “What makes you a great bass player and what are the things that you look for in your playing?”, Steve replied, “Well, I don’t know… I don’t really consider myself a great bass player. I would rather consider myself a good songwriter than a bass player, to a certain degree.
I mean, I don’t really analyze what I do. I think my bass tech could probably tell you more about my gear in my sound than I could. But playing-wise, it’s just… I suppose it is a little bit different to other ways people play – that’s what everyone tells me. But to me, it is totally natural. I don’t think too much about it, really. I just play a song naturally the way I play it. It’s not like a technique I’ve sort of tried to perfect or anything like that – it’s just a very natural thing for me.
People are going on about the gallop and all that, but again – that’s just evolved from two or three songs when I was young and became the thing that people sort of aligned with me. But I don’t really think too much about it.”

I think Steve is pretty awesome btw.

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

And humble too, as he is a great bass player.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

Whomever wants to slight Steve Harris as a great bass player... stop!

I am, by no means an Iron Maiden/Steve Harris fan. But if you listen to Steve’s bass playing, he’s an animal and excellent for the style of music Maiden plays. I challenge anybody to rapid fire those gallops for several minutes at a time at a perfectly even pace. Not easy, by any means. Badass bass player in my book. And a humble human being to boot. Good bass player. Done.