Iron Maiden’s catalog is so vast and beloved that even the band themselves struggle to keep everyone happy when it comes to setlists. And according to bassist and founder Steve Harris, there’s at least one song he’d love to resurrect for future tours, if only it were that simple.
Speaking candidly about the challenges of curating a live show that spans nearly five decades, Harris admitted that every Iron Maiden setlist is, by nature, a compromise. “It’s difficult to do a set from any part of our career and not miss things out,” he said, acknowledging the impossible task of squeezing fan favorites, deep cuts, and newer material into a single night.
Harris revealed that “Still Life,” the brooding, atmospheric track from Piece of Mind (1983), is one song he personally feels deserves another run on stage. A cult favorite among long-time fans, the song has only appeared sporadically in Maiden’s live history, despite its rich dynamics and narrative depth.
“It’s a song I’ve always loved,” Harris explained. “It’s got a great mood to it, and it’s one of those tracks that really represents what we were doing at the time.” For Harris, the appeal isn’t just nostalgia, it’s about honoring parts of the band’s musical identity that risk being overshadowed by the sheer weight of their biggest hits.
That said, the Iron Maiden mastermind was quick to temper expectations. With classics like “The Trooper,” “Run to the Hills,” “Fear of the Dark,” and “Hallowed Be Thy Name” virtually untouchable in the live arena, reintroducing deeper cuts often means sacrificing something else. “You put one song in, and another has to come out,” Harris noted. “That’s the problem.”
The discussion highlights a recurring tension within Iron Maiden’s touring philosophy: balancing the desires of die-hard fans who crave rarities with the expectations of casual concertgoers who want the anthems. Recent tours have leaned into specific eras or albums, giving the band more freedom to dust off overlooked tracks, but even then, tough choices remain.
For now, “Still Life” remains on Harris’s wish list rather than the confirmed setlist. But for Maiden fans, knowing that the band’s chief architect is still thinking deeply about their history, and what deserves another moment in the spotlight, is reason enough to hope.
As Harris himself puts it, no matter how the setlist shapes up, something will always be missing. With a legacy as massive as Iron Maiden’s, that may be the most fitting problem a band could have.
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