In an interview with Classic Rock , commemorating Iron Maiden , the current lineup – consisting of bassist Steve Harris , vocalist Bruce Dickinson , guitarists Dave Murray , Adrian Smith and Janick Gers , and drummer Nicko McBrain Steve Harris 's most difficult decisions : the dismissal of Blaze Bayley .
Blaze replaced Dickinson in 1993, recording two albums with the band: The X Factor (1995) and Virtual XI (1998). And Steve Harris had nothing but praise for these albums. The Iron Maiden bassist said: “Honestly, I thought some of the songs on those albums were among the best I’ve ever written. But those songs were quite dark, probably because of where I was mentally at the time, without even realizing it.”
However, after the release of these albums, rumors began to circulate in 1999 about the return of Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith, who was also out of Iron Maiden. Despite all of Blaze Bayley's efforts, his vocal range and charisma couldn't match Dickinson's, which culminated in his departure. Regarding his dismissal, bassist Steve Harris stated: “That's the worst part of being in a band. It's not something I'm comfortable with. I never have been. I never will be. But you have to do what's right for the band.”
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, alternative rock was on the rise, while the popularity of metal bands began to decline. Against this backdrop, Steve Harris saw the point in reuniting the classic Iron Maiden lineup, bringing back not only the group's popularity but also testing Bruce Dickinson's authenticity. For a time, Harris stated that he "wanted to make sure they were coming back for the right reasons."
In 2000, the band released the acclaimed Brave New World , marking the return of their classic lineup. Regarding this moment, Steve Harris stated: “We made a really strong album, we toured, we played Rock in Rio and everything else […] That's when I realized we could continue for as long as we wanted.”
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