In a recent interview on the Scars and Guitars podcast (transcribed by Ultimate Guitar), legendary Iron Maiden bassist and main composer Steve Harris offered valuable insights into his songwriting process and advice for aspiring musicians. When asked whether a pivotal moment shaped his approach to writing music, Harris revealed that he doesn't dwell on specific influences or events. Instead, he allows his creative process to flow naturally with the emotions of the moment.
"I've never really analyzed it like that or thought like that. I just write as I feel at the time. That's why any album that we do, Maiden or whatever, it's just a statement of where you are at that point in time," Harris shared. "I don't tend to look back on it and analyze it or anything. It's only when you sort of do interviews like this that you sort of sort of think about stuff like that, really."
He emphasized the importance of writing from instinct rather than overthinking the process. According to Harris, trying too hard to avoid repetition can stifle creativity, whereas trusting your instincts can lead to more genuine and varied music.
"When you're doing new stuff, you just do stuff that you think feels right. Sounds very fundamental, but really, you don't want to be trying too hard to not repeat yourself or repeat yourself. You just write with feel and write whatever you think is best at the time."
"It's tough. It's hard to explain, I think, to anyone who has maybe not written a song yet or has only written one or two songs, perhaps. I mean, obviously, Maiden's been around a long time, and all the different experiences that you experience, and everything, all that goes into your limits of how you write and where you are at any particular time" he explained.
Harris also offered practical advice for young bassists looking to develop their unique sound. He encouraged them to listen to a wide range of musicians rather than imitating just one.
"Well, I'll just say to people, listen to as many people as possible, and don't try and stylize yourself on one person. A lot of people say to me, 'Oh, I wanna play just like…' You shouldn't do that," Harris advised, stressing the importance of developing a distinct style to avoid comparisons to others.
"You should just listen to lots of different people, and eventually, hopefully, you'll come up with your own style and sounds, otherwise, you're just gonna get people saying, 'Oh, you just sound like someone else.'"
