Dennis Stratton Iron Maiden guitarist , recently spoke about his long relationship with bassist Steve Harris and praised the band's sound.
The musician made his statements during an interview with the YouTube channel Slowhands Rock Talk Show . Regarding their long-standing friendship, Stratton says (via Ultimate Guitar ):
"I talk to Steve all the time, mostly about West Ham's awful football. He's a West Ham fan, a life of suffering."
He mentions their recent meetings, including with Simon Dawson , the new drummer for Iron Maiden:
“I was with Steve in Finland a few weeks ago, and with Simon, who is doing a fantastic job. I love Simon. I saw the show with the crazy Finns. Then we came back. I stayed a week at home. I was playing in the UK, in London, and then we went to the London stadium, met up with them again, ate and drank something.”
Check out Dennis Stratton's participation below:
Dennis Stratton praises Iron Maiden
Above all, Dennis highlighted that the show he witnessed at the London stadium was remarkable for its sound quality:
“But the show at the London stadium, I was incredibly impressed. The sound was simply unbelievable. I’ve been to many festivals in Donington and Reading, and to shows at the O2, but no rock band [that played] at the London stadium has ever had a sound like that, especially for a metal band.”
"The guitar interplay was perfect. The power chords, the way they flowed on the guitars, were singing, and Bruce's voice sounded great."
Furthermore, the artist made a point of conveying his admiration directly to Steve Harris after the show:
“We went backstage afterwards to see Steve, and he came out and we hugged. That’s when I said to him, ‘Well, Steve, that’s the best sound I’ve ever heard.’ And I spoke to him the next day on the phone and said, ‘Honestly, I’m still blown away.’ I’ve heard them so many times… but the sound at that London show was the best I’ve ever heard.”
Trajectory in the band
Dennis Stratton joined Iron Maiden in late 1979 after current guitarist Adrian Smith initially declined the invitation. He played a significant role in the early stages of the NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) giants, bringing a more rock-oriented approach with blues influences and a focus on harmonies that shaped their initial sound.
Stratton, however, remained in the band only long enough to contribute to the band's self-titled debut album and participate in their first tour supporting Kiss , leaving shortly afterwards due to creative differences with Steve Harris and manager Rod Smallwood.
Ultimately, despite the professional separation, Stratton remained a member of Iron Maiden's "extended family" and a personal friend of Harris.
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