I can't recall any list, in their heyday, past, present or future, where Lars has been called the best drummer ever. Can you provide reference articles?
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Someone please explain all the love for Steve Harris
- Thread starter Yonni
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I can't recall any list, in their heyday, past, present or future, where Lars has been called the best drummer ever. Can you provide reference articles?
My guess is because he is technically very skilled and a good song writer. Those are usually considered positives.
I discovered Steve DiGiorgio a long time ago when I started to wonder who was playing that bass on Human.
But how many bass lines or tunes you would have fun to play compared to Steve Harris ?
Agreed to all but the Lars comment. I am not a Maiden fan but Steve Harris is incredible
I wouldn’t have played the bass back in 85 if it wasn’t for Harris.
It was powerslave that did me in
It was powerslave that did me in
Its a no brainer he’s on any list like you mentioned. And for a band with no mainstream airplay. What an incredible career. Band still kicks ass and he’s the leader and main writer
I love the idea of Cliff Burton, but have never understood why he is held in such high regard.Well, at least he’s not as bad as Cliff Burton.
Why does it need to be explained? You either like him, or you don't.
To think he hasn't had any influence on bass would just be ignorant.
To think he hasn't had any influence on bass would just be ignorant.
Ed Friedland is an excellent all-around bass player, yet he appears to not easily be able to copy Harris' style in this demo for the Fender "Steve Harris" Precision bass. Don't know if that means anything, but Steve's style, especially the two finger thing, is not easy to duplicate.
Steve's technique is indeed unique and nothing like the rest of us humanoids play. This guy pretty much nails how it's done.
People are idiots and polls are dumb because of it.
That said, for me Steve was the guy that made hard rock bass cool. He stole a lot from Pete Way who I like a lot. Steve is fast and his stuff, if played well, is challenging compared to most hard rock that I was raised on. A true front man type bassist that is in the action and not just noodling in the back. Iron Maiden wouldn’t exist without him and there is hardly a band in that category. We could talk about his formula as being simple but I still find his stuff fun to listen to and he’s inspired me and others to strive to be better. And that’s something good.
That said, for me Steve was the guy that made hard rock bass cool. He stole a lot from Pete Way who I like a lot. Steve is fast and his stuff, if played well, is challenging compared to most hard rock that I was raised on. A true front man type bassist that is in the action and not just noodling in the back. Iron Maiden wouldn’t exist without him and there is hardly a band in that category. We could talk about his formula as being simple but I still find his stuff fun to listen to and he’s inspired me and others to strive to be better. And that’s something good.
As others have mentioned, and besides being completely subjective, the answer depends on whom you ask. Musicians, especially bass players, would have people on their list that the average (non-musician/bass player) person wouldn't even recognize.
I love Maiden. When I was introduced to them, I was a guitarist, and Steve Harris' playing still jumped out at me.
Those 50, 100, whatever best polls are always ridiculous. I can't even count how many times Kurt Cobain ends up in the top of the guitar ones, and he shouldn't even be on the radar.
Those 50, 100, whatever best polls are always ridiculous. I can't even count how many times Kurt Cobain ends up in the top of the guitar ones, and he shouldn't even be on the radar.
I need to take (some) issue with the comments: (“…If you don’t like Metal you won’t get IM; if you don’t like Jazz you won’t get Jaco…”…
There is some truth to those comments, but I really like a lot of metal and I like Jazz, but I never cared for Iron Maiden or Jaco.
I just listened to ‘Moonchild’ posted earlier – VERY cool. I may never have given IM a chance musically, but that song reminded me of why I never cared for, or paid attention to, Iron Maiden – the vocals - which are undeniably skilled and theatric, but are in no way something I like or want to listen to.
Honestly I’d never heard of Steve Harris until I saw him on ‘That Metal Show’ and now I am a fan of his. His playing in Moonchild is awesome. I like some Metal bands and not others. I like some Jazz music but not others.
I really like Rush, but I have never been a fan of Geddy’s tone, or his playing in general. I am a drummer too and don’t always like Neil Peart’s playing – I find it rather mechanical (at times) and “technical for technical sake” (at times). But I like a lot of Rush songs and have been a fan since they started.
There is no denying (and I am not denying) the skill and artistry of Jaco & Geddy…it’s just not something I like, or emulate in my playing. As I said in a related thread, it’s not that I don’t get why these players are admired; it’s just that I don’t enjoy their playing/tone/style. I don’t get them, not because I am not smart enough or don’t like the genre.
Talkbass rocks – learn something every day. I really liked Moonchild…thanks for posting.
There is some truth to those comments, but I really like a lot of metal and I like Jazz, but I never cared for Iron Maiden or Jaco.
I just listened to ‘Moonchild’ posted earlier – VERY cool. I may never have given IM a chance musically, but that song reminded me of why I never cared for, or paid attention to, Iron Maiden – the vocals - which are undeniably skilled and theatric, but are in no way something I like or want to listen to.
Honestly I’d never heard of Steve Harris until I saw him on ‘That Metal Show’ and now I am a fan of his. His playing in Moonchild is awesome. I like some Metal bands and not others. I like some Jazz music but not others.
I really like Rush, but I have never been a fan of Geddy’s tone, or his playing in general. I am a drummer too and don’t always like Neil Peart’s playing – I find it rather mechanical (at times) and “technical for technical sake” (at times). But I like a lot of Rush songs and have been a fan since they started.
There is no denying (and I am not denying) the skill and artistry of Jaco & Geddy…it’s just not something I like, or emulate in my playing. As I said in a related thread, it’s not that I don’t get why these players are admired; it’s just that I don’t enjoy their playing/tone/style. I don’t get them, not because I am not smart enough or don’t like the genre.
Talkbass rocks – learn something every day. I really liked Moonchild…thanks for posting.
So!?!? You've received many credible answers to your question. Do you understand 'the love' yet? I don't think anybody here is trying to convert you into a Steve Harris fanatic but rather have a better understanding and appreciation what the man has done for a whole genre of music. Not to mention his contributions to our instrument of choice.
But Steve Harris is to Heavy Metal bass what Jaco, Larry Graham, Kaye and Jamerson were to their respective genres.
Steve Harris was/is a huge innovator in Heavy Metal bass. From the very first Iron Maiden album, the bass was out front in the mix, you heard every sixteenth note and it was never hidden in the mix. His percussive technique and tone was not very common at that time. Many have adopted a percussive technique and tone since then. And finally, his playing is phenomenal. It's energetic, precise and distinctive.
I cut my teeth on the first three or four Maiden albums and lost my way when the songs got longer and too conceptual for my tastes, but SH has always delivered with solid, fast and kick ass P Bass goodness.
I don't listen to Heavy Metal much. But when I do it's Steve Harris!
Steve Harris was/is a huge innovator in Heavy Metal bass. From the very first Iron Maiden album, the bass was out front in the mix, you heard every sixteenth note and it was never hidden in the mix. His percussive technique and tone was not very common at that time. Many have adopted a percussive technique and tone since then. And finally, his playing is phenomenal. It's energetic, precise and distinctive.
I cut my teeth on the first three or four Maiden albums and lost my way when the songs got longer and too conceptual for my tastes, but SH has always delivered with solid, fast and kick ass P Bass goodness.
I don't listen to Heavy Metal much. But when I do it's Steve Harris!
If you hate heavy metal, then you probably won't appreciate al lot of heavy metal bass playing.
Steve Harris is everything a bass player could want to become as far as I am concerned.
Famous, inspiring for his peers, beloved by loyal fans without ever having to show off on TV, very personal style and incredible proficiency.
It's not really important to get it or not. He's a monument.
Famous, inspiring for his peers, beloved by loyal fans without ever having to show off on TV, very personal style and incredible proficiency.
It's not really important to get it or not. He's a monument.
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He's definitely an innovator... doing somethings that no one before him did. He was surely a pioneer of many things bass. I do love him. He was fast, melodic, and sat in the mix perfectly. He was also one of the first bass players that you could actually hear and was pronounced... and arguably the first to have a clean articulated tone, vs the overdriven muffled boom, which was the norm for heavy music back then.
As for the polls, don't forget, Maiden is as popular in Europe as Springsteen, Areosmith, and Bon Jovi are combined here in the States... So I'm sure that helps his numbers.
It's doubtful that a 20 year old in Macedonia knows who Jaco is, but they probably learn about Harris in Kindergarten.
last but not least, his daughter is SMOKING!!!
As for the polls, don't forget, Maiden is as popular in Europe as Springsteen, Areosmith, and Bon Jovi are combined here in the States... So I'm sure that helps his numbers.
It's doubtful that a 20 year old in Macedonia knows who Jaco is, but they probably learn about Harris in Kindergarten.
last but not least, his daughter is SMOKING!!!
