While the world celebrates Christmas, heavy metal history marks a different, equally momentous occasion today. Exactly half a century ago—on Christmas Day, 1975—a 19-year-old bassist named Steve Harris convened the very first lineup of Iron Maiden. Now, five decades later, the band stands as an unshakeable institution, and Harris sat down with Kerrang! to reflect on the golden jubilee, the band’s future, and the inevitable question of when the galloping basslines will finally stop.
Despite the magnitude of the milestone, Harris revealed that the band themselves aren’t prone to grandiose self-congratulation. For the founder, the 50-year mark is simply a testament to their persistence.
“It’s pretty incredible when you think about it, but we don’t think about it too much,” Harris told the publication. “The band don’t really say, ‘Wow, this is 50 years!’ It’s brought to us by other people like management or whoever is making a bigger fuss about it. We just do what we do. But it is a long, long time. It’s an achievement. We won’t harp on about it ourselves, but we’re aware of that. And long may it continue.”
That original 1975 lineup—featuring guitarists Dave Sullivan and Terry Rance, drummer Ron ‘Rebel’ Matthews, and singer Paul Day—bore little resemblance to the juggernaut that would conquer the globe in the 80s, but it sparked a legacy that changed the face of heavy music.
At 69 years old (turning 70 in just a few months), Harris remains pragmatic about the band’s longevity. While he rejects the idea of voluntarily stepping down, he acknowledges that time is undefeated.
“I’m not thinking about retirement, but we all know that it’s coming at some point when you’ll be forced into it by one thing or another,” Harris admitted. “I still stay fit, playing football and tennis and things, but you never know what’s coming round the corner. That’s why you’ve got to make the most of this while you can, going out enjoy every gig for the sake of it. I’ve been saying that for the last 10 years, but it’s truer now than ever.”
Even after 50 years, there remain a few boxes Harris wants to tick. Specifically, he noted that there are territories Maiden has yet to conquer due to geopolitical circumstances.
“Is there anything left that I’d like to accomplish? Not really, though there are a couple of countries here and there we’d still like to get to,” he said. “Like, we were once supposed to play Bangkok, but three weeks before there was a military coup and we had to cancel. Maybe one day we’ll drag the Iron Maiden plane out again to go and do them, because that makes those shows a lot easier!”
The band will celebrate this massive anniversary in the only way they know how: with a massive global tour. The “Run For Your Lives” World Tour is set to dominate 2025 and 2026, promising a setlist drawn exclusively from the band’s first nine albums—from their 1980 debut Iron Maiden to 1992’s Fear of the Dark.
The celebration includes a historic return to the hallowed grounds of Knebworth on July 11, 2026, a venue synonymous with British rock royalty.
Following the European leg, the band will bring the spectacle to North America in the fall of 2026. The 16-date trek kicks off on September 14 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto and includes mammoth shows at venues like the TD Garden in Boston and BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, concluding on October 2 at Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City. Joining them for the North American run will be fellow metal titans Megadeth and Anthrax, ensuring that Maiden‘s 50th year is as loud as its first.
