STEVE HARRIS' Daughter On Touring With IRON MAIDEN

FilipinoMetal.com recently conducted an interview with Lauren Harris, daughter of IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris. A couple of excerpts from the question-and-answer session follow.

FilipinoMetal.com: What was it like growing up with Steve Harris for a dad and five siblings?

Lauren: I find it so strange when people ask me this, because to me, he's not Steve Harris, he's just my dad who happens to be in one of the biggest metal bands ever. We would always travel with him everywhere when we were younger and all my brothers and sisters still do. They all love it. My sister is actually working with me now because she loves being on the road so much. We all get on really well.

FilipinoMetal.com: In such a short span of time your band has landed a succession of A-list gigs. Touring with MAIDEN, ALICE COOPER, TRIVIUM, THE ANSWER, THUNDER, WITHIN TEMPTATION. Has there ever been a moment when you felt overwhelmed by the momentum of your music career?

Lauren: Yeah, all the time. My first gig on a big stage was supporting ALICE COOPER, and I got to meet him after and he was so nice, that was a big deal for me. Also playing at the Budokan was unbelievable too. I mean, everyone has played there and I took my first steps there as a baby when I was nine months old, so it was really cool for me. I've got to travel so much as well and have already seen so many countries that when I think about it, it really is overwhelming.

FilipinoMetal.com: Having opened for MAIDEN, does your band also get to fly on Ed Force One?

Lauren: Yes, we did, we went with them on it for the whole tour. Iit was really cool, actually, and it had so much media interest, we had several TV channels fly with us and filming it.

FilipinoMetal.com: Ed Force One underwent several key modifications to accommodate the band and its gear, so was the in-flight menu changed as well? Do you get better food compared to other airlines?

Lauren: They took all the seats out and put them back in so we had loads more leg room than normal, and we each got our own DVD player, which we kept. We had food available to us all the time and we could ask for stuff when we wanted it rather than waiting for snacks to come around like normal. The food was all different becuase they got in from whichever country we were in, so some meals were better than others.

FilipinoMetal.com: Touring with MAIDEN, you've not only done countless UK dates but Dubai, India, Japan. I'm curious about India as it was IRON MAIDEN's first show there. How strong was your band's reception from the crowd?

Lauren: I made history playing India because I was the first female-fronted rock band to ever play there, so that is amazing to be able to say. The first time we played in Bangalore, I did get a lot of the finger but I also got people supporting me too. It was a very different gig to play. I didn't know whether some of them didn't like it because they didn't get into the music or because I'm a woman, so It was harder for me personally, I think. I did feel a bit uncomfortable because I didn't actually want to offend anybody and I may have done that by even being the singer of the band, I don't know. Randy (bass) had it hard too, because he does have big hair and is flamboyant in the way he dresses.

FilipinoMetal.com: Aside from your dad, has Bruce Dickinson himself ever given you a few tips about being the ultimate live vocalist?

Lauren: Yeah, he has. He's given me tips on how to look after my voice and different little remedies he uses if I can feel a cold coming on or I'm getting a scratchy throat. He did say he would give me some training too, which I haven't taken up with him yet but I'm definitely going to ask.

Read the entire interview at www.filipinometal.com.