British Lion (band)

British Lion
British Lion in Bogota, Colombia (2024)
British Lion in Bogota, Colombia (2024)
Background information
GenresHard rock
Years active2012–present
Members
  • Steve Harris
  • Richard Taylor
  • David Hawkins
  • Grahame Leslie
  • Simon Dawson
Websitebritishlionuk.com

British Lion are an English hard rock band formed by Steve Harris, best known as the bassist for Iron Maiden.

History

Steve Harris formed the band to play in small venues, as opposed to the large arenas typically played by Iron Maiden,[1][2] and as an outlet for shorter hard rock-oriented songs[3] in which he can experiment with different bass guitar styles.[4] The band also includes singer Richard Taylor, guitarists David Hawkins and Grahame Leslie, and drummer Simon Dawson.[5]

Harris had first met Leslie in the early 1990s after Leslie sent him a demo tape, and Harris mentored the careers of Leslie and Taylor for several years until deciding to include them in the British Lion project.[6] The band's tours are typically scheduled after the conclusion of Iron Maiden tours, when Harris becomes interested in playing in clubs and theaters as he did in Iron Maiden's early years.[7][8]

The album British Lion, released in 2012, was marketed as a solo album by Harris with the other musicians described as his backing band. The project was then re-positioned as a self-contained band with most songs written by Harris, Taylor, and Hawkins.[9] The band completed two European club tours in 2013 and 2014.[10][11] Their second album The Burning was released in January 2020.[12] The album was voted Album of the Year by Paul Stenning for BraveWords.[13] They then headlined their first U.S. tour in January and February of that year.[14]

In 2024, Dawson became the touring drummer for Iron Maiden following Nicko McBrain's retirement from touring, though the latter remained an official member.[15] In April of 2025 Harris confirmed the band had new material in the works. Then following a handful of one off appearances in previous years the band went on a full European headlining tour in August of 2025 and a U.K. tour in November and December.[16]

Musical style

In a 2025 interview Harris was asked on the difference of British Lion compared to his other band Iron Maiden. He stated:[16]

The songs in BRITISH LION are driven by [singer Richard Taylor] and the guys, so it's just going to be different. Then I come in and get involved with that material in different aspects. Since it's driven by them, it's going to be different anyway. I mean, this sort of started off as a bit more UFO, which MAIDEN was also influenced by, but MAIDEN also had a lot of more prog type and all sorts of other influences as well. BRITISH LION is just more like a rock band with very strong melodies, and Richie's style of singing is very, very different from Bruce's [Dickinson]. I think he is a great singer."

Band members

  • Steve Harris – bass, keyboards
  • Richard Taylor – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
  • David Hawkins – guitar, keyboards
  • Grahame Leslie – guitar
  • Simon Dawson – drums

Discography

Notes

  1. ↑ Initially billed as a solo album from Steve Harris. It was later retroactively established as the debut record from British Lion as a band.

References

  1. ↑ December 2016, Martin Kielty05 (5 December 2016). "Steve Harris: The only thing I hate about British Lion tour". Classic Rock Magazine. Retrieved 13 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ Blabbermouth (23 January 2020). "Steve Harris's British Lion: Behind-The-Scenes Video From First U.S. Tour". blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  3. ↑ DiVita, Joe (15 January 2020). "Steve Harris: British Lion Band Keeps Me From Writing Long Songs". Loudwire. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  4. ↑ March 2020, Joel McIver11 (11 March 2020). "Iron Maiden's Steve Harris talks British Lion, songwriting, and why his SansAmp is a carry-on essential when touring". Bass Player. Retrieved 13 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ Magazine, Bass. "Steve Harris and British Lion Share Title Track From The Upcoming Album". Bass Magazine - The Future of Bass. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  6. ↑ "Iron Maiden's Steve Harris on British Lion, Songwriting, Playing Smaller Venues Than His Son". Revolver. 23 January 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  7. ↑ "British Lion's Steve Harris: "It Reminds Me Of The Old Days With Maiden, Of Fighting For Everything"". Kerrang!. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  8. ↑ Ruggiero, Bob (20 January 2020). "Steve Harris' British Lion Loudly Roars its Own Identity". Houston Press. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  9. ↑ "Iron Maiden's Steve Harris announces new album and US tour as British Lion". Consequence of Sound. 31 October 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  10. ↑ Kieltypublished, Martin (7 April 2014). "Steve Harris confirms British Lion tour". Louder. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  11. ↑ ""Iron Maiden's Steve Harris Taking British Lion on the Road – "It's Exciting, Going Back to the Roots, And It's Going To Be Fantastic"". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. 10 January 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2013".
  12. ↑ October 2019, Fraser Lewry31 (31 October 2019). "Steve Harris's British Lion announce second album The Burning". Classic Rock Magazine. Retrieved 15 April 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ↑ "BravePicks 2020 - the Scribes Speak! Paul Stenning".
  14. ↑ Hall, Adele (20 November 2019). "BRITISH LION ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM & US TOUR DATES FOR 2020". Iron Maiden. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  15. ↑ Kaufman, Spencer (8 December 2024). "Iron Maiden announce Simon Dawson as their new touring drummer". Consequence. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  16. 1 2 Blabbermouth (4 April 2025). "STEVE HARRIS's BRITISH LION Announces 2025 European Tour Dates". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
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