DENNIS STRATTON On Performing With IRON MAIDEN Again: 'It's Still On My Bucket List'

In a new interview with Scott Itter of Dr. Music, former IRON MAIDEN guitarist Dennis Stratton has once again commented on the band's nomination for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's class of 2021 and 2023.

While MAIDEN has been eligible to join the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame since 2004, Stratton and several other former and current members of the band have only been nominated the above-mentioned two times.

According to the Hall Of Fame, the IRON MAIDEN members that would get inducted include the current lineup of singer Bruce Dickinson, bassist Steve Harris, drummer Nicko McBrain, and guitarists Adrian Smith, Dave Murray and Janick Gers, along with Stratton, former singer Paul Di'Anno and former drummer Clive Burr.

Dennis, who played with the emerging NWOBHM act from December 1979 until October 1980, appeared on the band's No. 4-charting self-titled debut album, contributing significantly to such classics as "Phantom Of The Opera", "Running Free" and the band's eponymous anthem "Iron Maiden".

Stratton told Dr. Music (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When it was in lockdown, when I heard about [the Rock Hall nomination], I was talking to Steve on the phone, [IRON MAIDEN bassist] Steve Harris. And he never mentioned much about it. And I just said, 'Look, Steve, I'll go along with any decision the band makes, whatever decision the management make. I feel very honored to be nominated for Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.' I said, 'I will always be willing to go and collect my [Rock Hall trophy] alone if you don't wanna go.' [Laughs] 'I can always go on my own.' But I honor what their decisions are and what their feelings are. I have to go along with it. There's certain things I can agree with and disagree with, but their decision is theirs — the final decision is the band and the management — and I have to honor that arrangement. But I'm still proud — very proud — to be nominated for that."

When Itter floated the possibility of Stratton performing with his former band at a hypothetical Rock Hall induction, Dennis said: "It's still on my bucket list. I told Steve, I said, 'I've got one more wish on my bucket list.' I've done most of the things I started out to do when I was 16. And [I'm] 71 now and coming up to 72. I've got one more wish on my bucket list. And I said to Steve, 'And you know what that is.' I didn't say any more."

In a March 2023 interview with Brazil's Rock Mania, Stratton was asked about his memories of the making "Iron Maiden". He said: "It was recorded very quickly. There was not a lot of thought that went into pre-production, because all the songs were already written. All they needed doing was the guitars added and then work out what we were gonna do between me and Dave [Murray, MAIDEN guitarist] to make the songs bigger and work on the harmony guitars and who's doing solos. And that was easy. But the album was recorded very quickly. Whether people like it or not, the production [was handled by] Wil Malone. Me personally, it's amazing because I feel so honored that I was part of that epic album. But at the time, 'cause we were very young and it was done very quickly, you didn't expect it to do what it did. Forty-odd years later, it's still amazing. It's such an honor to be part of that, and it always will be, 'cause it's stood the test of time. I'm just very proud to be part of it."

Asked to name his "best memories" from his time with MAIDEN, Dennis said: "Well, just the touring — the fans. Wherever we went on the KISS tour, JUDAS PRIEST tour, we were just astounded by the amount of support for this band that's only been together six, nine months. We had a big fanbase no matter where we went. But being away with KISS for all them big shows, it reminded me of being away with STATUS QUO back in the '70s, but being on tour with KISS with all the fans and the crowds and the big stadiums, yeah, [it was] unbelievable. Just seeing all the IRON MAIDEN shirts as you're driving up to a football stadium and you look out the window of the car or the bus or the coach or whatever, and you see all these IRON MAIDEN t-shirts, you go… We were a support band, so that was lovely."

Three years ago, when MAIDEN was nominated for the first time, Stratton told the "Uncle Steve's Iron Maiden Zone" podcast that he was "a bit shocked" by the exclusion from the nomination of the band's former singer Blaze Bayley, who fronted MAIDEN from 1994 until 1999 and appeared on two albums, "The X Factor" and "Virtual XI". "It was weird. Why? Why wasn't he?" he said. "Now, I know for a fact he was with them for five years and two albums, and he contributed a hell of a lot to them two albums. But people told me that it's something to do with the committee that run this Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. It has to be certain years, involved with so many years. So I don't actually know. Someone would have to read the rules to me. But I definitely think it's heartbreaking not to be included."

Stratton went on to say that for him to be nominated for the Rock Hall is "one of the biggest honors" of his career. He added: "Now, I didn't know Bruce had said anything [negative] about the Hall Of Fame. Someone told me that he had said a few things about the Hall Of Fame. I don't know what he said. But I know that he said something. Now, personally for me, I was blowing my own trumpet, saying, 'Please vote.' 'Cause this is a big honor for me; it means the world to me. But I'm not speaking for the band; this is me personally. Now, if the band and the management don't fancy it or it's not their scene and they're not interested, then so be it. You have to respect the band or the management's decision."

Image credit: Leonardo Izídio