Legendary Iron Maiden drummer, Nicko McBrain, has made a deeply emotional announcement marking the end of an era for fans of the band. After decades of exhilarating performances and unforgettable tours, McBrain revealed that the band’s December 7th show in São Paulo will be his last performance with Iron Maiden.
In a heartfelt statement, McBrain shared: “After much consideration, it is with both sorrow and joy, I announce my decision to take a step back from the grind of the extensive touring lifestyle. Today, Sat, Dec 7th, Sao Paulo will be my final gig with IRON MAIDEN. I wish the band much success moving forward.”
Though he is stepping down from the touring life, McBrain made it clear that he will remain closely involved with the band’s future. He explained: “I will, however, remain firmly part of the IRON MAIDEN family working on a variety of projects my long-time managers, Rod Smallwood and Andy Taylor, have in mind for me. I’ll also be working on a variety of different personal projects and focusing on my existing businesses and ventures, including The British Drum Company, Nicko McBrain’s Drum One, Titanium Tart, and of course, Rock-N-Roll Ribs!”
Reflecting on his 42-year journey with the band, he said: “What can I say? Touring with MAIDEN the last 42 years has been an incredible journey! To my devoted fan base, you made it all worthwhile and I love you! To my devoted wife, Rebecca, you made it infinitely easier and I love you! To my kids, Justin and Nicholas, thank you for understanding the absences and I love you! To my friends that are always there for me, I love you! To my bandmates, you made it a dream come true and I love you!”
Looking to the future, McBrain added: “I look into the future with much excitement and great hope! I’ll be seeing you soon, may God bless you all, and, of course, ‘Up the Irons!’”
Health Scare and Comeback: A Challenging Year for McBrain
Nicko McBrain’s decision to retire from touring comes after a serious health scare in January 2023. While at home in Boca Raton, he suffered a stroke that caused temporary paralysis. Despite the challenges, McBrain remained resilient and addressed his health publicly in a July 19th performance with his band, Titanium Tart, in Pompano Beach, Florida.
In his statement, McBrain revealed: “I’ve gotta be honest with you, it was a touch and go last year for me, because, as you probably know… If you don’t, TIA [transient ischemic attack] strokes aren’t fun. Some people get really bad reactions to ’em, like [they become] paralyzed, they can’t speak, they can’t walk and do whatnot. I couldn’t play — I was paralyzed on the right side. Fortunately, the Boca Raton Regional Hospital had this incredible OT [occupational therapy] section, and there’s a girl called Julie Blum that looked after me, and in three months, she had me playing again. And it ain’t the old Nicko, it’s not the old one by a long shot, but at least it’s part of me. And my band, bless their hearts, [IRON MAIDEN bassist] Steve Harris and the rest of the guys turn around and say, ‘If you can’t do something in a song, we just won’t do that song.’”
He also opened up about the physical limitations he faced while rehearsing for Iron Maiden’s “The Future Past Tour.” In a candid moment, McBrain shared: “When we were rehearsing last year for ‘The Future Past Tour,’ we were doing ‘Caught Somewhere In Time’ to open. Now there’s a middle section, it’s all snare drum on the record. I can’t play it. As you probably noticed, those of you nerds that are in the audience that go, ‘He didn’t do the drum fill.’ Well, that’s why, ’cause I fcking can’t do it. So anyway, Steve turned around to me and I said, ‘Okay, I’ve got an idea. If I do the double on the snare,’ and I played it for him and he went, ‘No. Have you got anything else?’ I went, ‘Yeah I’ll play it on the cymbal.’ ‘No. You got anything else?’ ‘That’s me spent, mate.’ So he turned around and he thought about for about half a minute. He’s standing in front of my drum set and he’s going, ‘Why don’t you play it straight?’ I went, ‘What?’ ‘Play a straight fill through it. Go ahead.’ I went, ‘You’re a fcking genius, Harry.’ And there’s me, the drummer, supposedly, [I’m] supposed to come up with all these ideas, and there’s Harry: ‘Play it straight, Nick.’ I didn’t even think of that. And so we rehearsed it from there on in, and we play it straight, which I’m sure 90 percent of you don’t give a fck about that bit anyway.”*
Despite the physical challenges, McBrain’s resilience and passion for music remain unwavering. His decision to step away from the touring grind while staying involved with Iron Maiden’s future projects marks the closing of a monumental chapter in the history of the band. As McBrain transitions into new ventures, his impact on the world of rock and roll will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come.
