STEVE HARRIS will tour with his solo project British Lion in July, including three UK shows at the beginning of the journey.

The Iron Maiden mainman released his album in 2012, featuring vocalist Richard Taylor, guitarists David Hawkins and Grahame Leslie and drummer Simon Dawson.

His latest tour will culminate with an appearance at the International Motorcycle Convention in Portugal.

Harris says: “As fans know, I have strong ties with the Portuguese Moto Clube through our mutual friend Manu DaSilva, now sadly departed, who for many years ran Maiden’s Eddie’s Bar in Santa Barbara de Nexe near Faro.

“The first ever British Lion show we played was in the Clubhouse itself. When they invited us back this year, to play at the same festival Maiden headlined in 2011 in memory of Manu, it provided the perfect opportunity to schedule a few shows beforehand.”

And Harris is looking forward to the opportunity of playing in clubs again. He explains: “We all really love the vibe and intimacy of getting up close and personal with the crowd.”

And he adds: “We would have liked to have visited more cities and countries on this run, but it simply hasn’t been possible time-wise. This is for a number of reasons – probably of interest to Maiden fans!”

Tour tickets go on sale on Monday morning.

British Lion tour dates

Jul 08: Norwich Waterfront
Jul 09: Brighton Concorde 2
Jul 10: Folkestone Quarterhouse
Jul 12: Uden De Pul
Jul 13: Maasmechelen Zaal Jagersborg
Jul 14: Paris Divan Du Monde
Jul 15: Toulouse Metronum
Jul 17: Madrid Shoko
Jul 18: Seville Custom
Jul 19: International Moto Clube de Faro Convention