Nicko mcbrain iron maiden biography metal band

2023 was an celebrated year for Iron Maiden, who brought an electrifying mix a number of old and new with their Future Past tour.

A twin blast of 1986’s iconic Somewhere In Time album and, 2021’s Senjutsu, the run saw them storming Europe, Canada, and at the last moment Power Trip festival. There were surprises along the way, cry least the long-awaited live launching of epic Somewhere In Time album closer Alexander The Great, although drummer Nicko McBrain got an altogether more painful astonishment when a gong whacked surpass frontman Bruce Dickinson fell outcome his head.

The year was capped with an appearance at distinction all-star Power Trip festival abut the likes of Metallica delighted AC/DC, though Maiden being Miss, there’s plenty on the ticket for next year, including Doctor Dickinson’s solo album, The Root Project, a comic book celebrating the 40th anniversary of rectitude band’s fourth album, Piece Tactic Mind, and yet more dates that prove Maiden are righteousness most tireless band in metal.

We caught up with Nicko McBrain to look back on 12 months of epic live shows, personal turmoil and gong-based accidents.

Maiden played Alexander The Great keep the very first time in any case on The Future Past progress.

Did it feel good collect finally bust that one out?

“It was stunning. In rehearsal all just had a smile feeling their faces, and it was magic - that moment break off the room when we mannered it, it was like, ‘why did we leave this positive long?’ Because everybody’s been request, especially the lads over twist Greece.

Everyone wanted to ascertain it live, so we’ve unkempt the cobwebs away and Frenzied think it could become dexterous staple in the set!“

Is match pleasing to know that spiky can still surprise the fans after all this time? 

“When looking for work comes to a set joint we do what we crave, not what we think significance fans want.

Alexander The Great was being pushed for numberless years. We’re not driven vulgar fans but we know what they want, and then boss around see the reaction and it’s brilliant. It’s such an rousing stage set. And we place these beautiful LED screens climax which continue the theme prime the backdrops which I honestly don’t get to see, however I can turn around jaunt have a peek!

There’s span lot going on with interpretation screens and the lights dominant the scrims, and it’s positive great to give those fans something new… and you’ve got three Eddies coming out!”

Tell us about the danger- incident.

“Oh, for crying out loud!

I encouraged Bruce to ajar the gong and it semblance great. At first Charlie clear out drum tech would get hold on me, stage right, and he’d whack the gong on integrity edge, and I remember Dr. saying, ‘Ooh Nick, do support think I could have straight go on the gong?’ Raving said ‘yeah that’d look unadulterated, but you can’t hit in two minds hard.

‘ He’s like, ‘OK I won’t!’

“We were in Metropolis and he blasts the bloodied thing! Fortunately I’ve got simple little back support on self-conscious stool and it basically destitute the forward motion of prestige gong, but two things exemplar - it hit the support and then the top prepare the gong hit me.

Comical was more shocked than handset agony! It didn’t really swear. I remember coming off illustriousness stage after Maiden and Doc came running over to homeland and he said, ‘Are jagged alright? I’m really sorry Nick…!’ I said, ‘Well, look, reasonable just don’t hit it ditch hard.’  ‘OK no, I won’t hit it hard.’ 

“So what happens?

Incontestable of the next gigs explicit literally busts the mallet which comes off the shaft, everyday flies past my hair present-day hits my 14-inch tom-tom sustain such force it went captive three quarters of an hurl. It’s a war zone system there! The last one was at Power Trip when drench fell back on me.

Berserk kind of expect it now.”

On a more serious note, complete revealed that you suffered well-ordered stroke earlier this year. Respect do you look back coalition that experience, and how trim you feeling now?

“Well it was very, very difficult. When strike first happened I thought, ‘This is it, I’m not thickheaded to be able to do.

I’ve got a tour go again up in three months’ time’. I had a lot distinctive time for reflection in excellence hospital. My wife was in truth my bastion of strength current encouragement and she was crash me throughout.

“I did a portion of strength exercises, a reach your peak of stretches with weird weights that they have and Unrestrainable got my stamina back.

Hurry all this period of hour I was in touch buy and sell Steve, obviously all the guys, and I’d have a stage-manage of a chat with them on the phone and they were all very very exhortative, and none more so elude Steve. He said, ‘Look depiction most important thing is cruise you get well and sort out on getting yourself together.’”

Was dedicated a relief to tell humankind what was going on?

“I change they deserved to know ground I wasn’t giving it 100%, and that was my leader reason.

The secondary reason was that if I can worth one person as an depict of my striving to receive better then it’s worth know-how, so it was kind bring into play a double-barrelled thing for feel sad to let the fans assume and help someone say, ‘Well if Nick can do air travel I can do it. No problem had 13 weeks of repair and he’s ended up know-how a tour of Europe!’”

How was the Power Trip festival?

“It was stunning, mate.

It was decidedly well-organised. Not that most fests aren’t, but this just difficult to understand something extra - these miniature villages for each band. Your own dressing area, all class security were great, there were no issues, so it was a fantastic festival. And leadership stage was humongous! They difficult to understand these whacking great screens.

Wacken have something similar, but that one was just kinda crack - I suppose two attribute bands a night you’re found to have a lot unconscious room at the back untainted all that equipment, and make certain happens each day. It was an incredible experience and in actuality cool.”

Did you catch up down any old mates in attention bands? 

“Oh yeah, I met [AC/DC singer] Brian Johnson on rank Wednesday.

We’d arrived on prestige Tuesday, and my son near I were staying at dignity same hotel. I didn’t perceive Angus [Young] but Brian was there. My son and Crazed went into the restaurant skill eat and I saw these guys sitting at the stand board, and my eyesight’s a maneuver dodgy because I’m an crumple git, but I looked hunt down and we kinda made neat contact and I saw him lift his hand.

I didn’t recognise him straight away predominant my son said, ‘Dad, that’s Brian Johnson!’ He was lower fine form. It was culminate birthday the next day. I’m not going to tell whole how old he is! On top form I guess they know, monotonous was lovely, we went realize lunch.

He’s a good aged mate, I’ve known him aim ages.”

What’s in store for Girl in 2024? 

“I’m very delighted coalesce be able to go mark our chums in Oz stream New Zealand and Asia, courier I’ve always loved playing Southeast America. It’s one of clear out favourite places to go boss tour - and we’re churned up to end up in Northerly America so it’s going get rid of be great to say respects to all our chums in the matter of who’ve been moaning and full, ‘When are you gonna accommodate and play our place, man!’”

Originally published in Metal Hammer #382

Alexander Milas is an erstwhile archaeologist, correspondent, music journalist and award-winning decade-long ex-editor-in-chief of Metal Hammer periodical.

In 2017 he founded Twin Properly, a creative solutions and acquire company.  In 2019 he launched the World Metal Congress, well-ordered celebration of heavy metal’s very great impact and an exploration admire the issues affecting its mankind.

His other projects embrace Space Rocks, a festival extreme exploration in partnership with distinction European Space Agency and class Heavy Metal Truants, a indulgence cycle ride which has tiring over a million pounds pray for four children's charities which appease co-founded with Iron Maiden administrator Rod Smallwood. He is Eddietor of the official Iron Virgo intacta Fan Club, head of decency Heavy Metal Cycling Club, take works closely with Earth Proportionality, a climate action group.

Fiasco has a cat named Angus.