Nicko McBrain steps down from Iron Maiden

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   Sad but inevitable considering his stroke a couple of years ago, Nicko McBrain is playing his final concert with Iron Maiden today December 7th. All the love in the world for Nicko when he enters retirement from the band 

https://www.ironmaiden.com/an-announcement-from-iron-maiden/

Statement from Nicko McBrain:
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.
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!
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!
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!”
Nicko

Statement from Rod Smallwood on behalf of Iron Maiden:
Nicko,
And we all love you too!!
Thank you for being an irrepressible force behind the drum kit for Maiden for 42 years and my friend for even longer. I speak on behalf of all the band when I say we will miss you immensely!
Ever since Rock in Rio in 1985 we have had a special relationship with Brazil so to bow out of touring in front of 90,000 fans here in Sao Paulo over 2 nights is poetic and you are deserving of all the accolades I am sure these marvellous fans will give you on this last show.
Phantom look forward to many more years of working with you on the projects you mentioned and I am sure we can find a few more special ones around the Maiden family and FC!
The band and I all have a thousand great memories of the past 42 years, great gigs, copious platinum and gold discs and awards, love from the fans and one beer too many on too many occasions! Such a bond is forever! And, as Steve Harris says, ‘Nicko is and will always be part of the Maiden family’.
Rod, Andy, Steve, Bruce, Davey, Adrian & Jan
P.S. Maiden always get their man and our already chosen new drummer will be announced very shortly.

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Pekka Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List MMA Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: 26 Mar 2010 Location: Helsinki Status: Offline Points: 1362	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pekka Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Nicko McBrain steps down from Iron Maiden Posted: 07 Dec 2024 at 6:46am
	Sad but inevitable considering his stroke a couple of years ago, Nicko McBrain is playing his final concert with Iron Maiden today December 7th. All the love in the world for Nicko when he enters retirement from the band https://www.ironmaiden.com/an-announcement-from-iron-maiden/ Statement from Nicko McBrain: 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. 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! 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! 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!” Nicko Statement from Rod Smallwood on behalf of Iron Maiden: Nicko, And we all love you too!! Thank you for being an irrepressible force behind the drum kit for Maiden for 42 years and my friend for even longer. I speak on behalf of all the band when I say we will miss you immensely! Ever since Rock in Rio in 1985 we have had a special relationship with Brazil so to bow out of touring in front of 90,000 fans here in Sao Paulo over 2 nights is poetic and you are deserving of all the accolades I am sure these marvellous fans will give you on this last show. Phantom look forward to many more years of working with you on the projects you mentioned and I am sure we can find a few more special ones around the Maiden family and FC! The band and I all have a thousand great memories of the past 42 years, great gigs, copious platinum and gold discs and awards, love from the fans and one beer too many on too many occasions! Such a bond is forever! And, as Steve Harris says, ‘Nicko is and will always be part of the Maiden family’. Rod, Andy, Steve, Bruce, Davey, Adrian & Jan P.S. Maiden always get their man and our already chosen new drummer will be announced very shortly.
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Bosh66 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Forum Admin Group Sludge, MC, HC, Post-Metal & Noise Rock Joined: 14 Feb 2013 Location: Bolton, Lancs Status: Offline Points: 25645	Post Options Post Reply Quote Bosh66 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 07 Dec 2024 at 7:27am
	It must be a tough life - all those new places to see, expensive hotels, good food and adoring crowds Seriously though, fair play to him. We're only here once and he should do what's right for him and his family. Wonder who the new drummer is?

Wyvern_13 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Forum Groupie Joined: 23 Oct 2015 Location: Nonsense Status: Offline Points: 45	Post Options Post Reply Quote Wyvern_13 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 07 Dec 2024 at 9:59am
	Not super surprising after his health issues but good on him. Will be interesting to see who they find to fill the spot.
	Þessi undirskrift kemur málinu bara alls ekkert við!

UMUR Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List MMA Special Collaborator Errors & Omissions Team / Retired Admin Joined: 25 Mar 2010 Location: Denmark Status: Offline Points: 18248	Post Options Post Reply Quote UMUR Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 07 Dec 2024 at 11:02am
	A great drummer with a personal playing style, who has meant a lot to the sound of Iron Maiden, and his always great mood has probably also meant a lot for the dynamics of the band.
	Forever TRUE - Forever BLUE! UMUR on RYM

Wyvern_13 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Forum Groupie Joined: 23 Oct 2015 Location: Nonsense Status: Offline Points: 45	Post Options Post Reply Quote Wyvern_13 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 07 Dec 2024 at 12:45pm
	^ I would imagine its that mood and attitude that will be the hardest to replace, funny guy like that is probably good to have around for those long tours.
	Þessi undirskrift kemur málinu bara alls ekkert við!

Vim Fuego Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Forum Admin Group Death, T/S/G, Grind, VA Teams Joined: 05 Jul 2015 Location: Canterbury, NZ Status: Offline Points: 6616	Post Options Post Reply Quote Vim Fuego Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 07 Dec 2024 at 5:37pm
	Good on him for going out on his own terms, and not having it forced upon him. It was pretty obvious he couldn't carry on much longer since the band had been tailoring the set to songs he could still play comfortably. And you gotta feel for whatever poor bastard takes over from him. The scrutiny would be unbearable, and it doesn't matter how good they are, there will always be the "but it ain't Nicko" mob.

adg211288 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Forum Admin Group Black Metal, Prog/AG Teams Joined: 05 Nov 2010 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 22293	Post Options Post Reply Quote adg211288 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 08 Dec 2024 at 1:18am
	Nicko is a legend. I've actually seen him play outside of Iron Maiden many years ago at the London Guitar Show when it was at the old Wembley site which means I actually saw him play before Iron Maiden themselves. They've had the same line-up since 1999 when Bruce and Adrian returned and it's been the classic line-up + Gers since then. This is truly the end of an era.
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Wyvern_13 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Forum Groupie Joined: 23 Oct 2015 Location: Nonsense Status: Offline Points: 45	Post Options Post Reply Quote Wyvern_13 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 08 Dec 2024 at 10:16am
	And the new guy is Simon Dawson, drummer for Steve Harris' sideproject British Lion. The statement sounds like he's just a session player for now at least. Personal opinion alert, but this might have been the least interesting choice they could have made although it is perhaps the most obvious/understandable one as well.
	Þessi undirskrift kemur málinu bara alls ekkert við!

Pekka Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List MMA Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: 26 Mar 2010 Location: Helsinki Status: Offline Points: 1362	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pekka Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 Dec 2024 at 1:09pm
	Yes. Some people were apparently waiting for some big-name replacement or that Joe Lazarus guy (Steve's nephew who's got some Maiden drum videos on YT) but Steve likes things being comfortable, and if he's had fun being a rhythm section with Dawson for 12 years or something, he's pretty obviously the first choice if he can pull the songs off.
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adg211288 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Forum Admin Group Black Metal, Prog/AG Teams Joined: 05 Nov 2010 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 22293	Post Options Post Reply Quote adg211288 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 Dec 2024 at 1:19pm
	There seems to be some mixed information right now whether Simon is a full member of Iron Maiden now or just a session live player and Nicko is still in the band just not touring. The latter may mean that if they record a new album sometime Nicko may still drum on it. It's inevitable at their age that we are close to the last Iron Maiden album but we always hope the last one we had is never 'the' last.
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Nightfly Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Forum Admin Group Death, D/S/D, T/S/G Teams Joined: 07 Apr 2010 Location: UK Status: Offline Points: 5079	Post Options Post Reply Quote Nightfly Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 Dec 2024 at 2:08pm
	I think Nicko will still drum on the next album, at least that's the way I read it. Speaking as an old drummer myself, it takes a lot out of you doing a live show, especially in a metal/rock band and Nicko's stroke certainly won't have helped.

Pekka Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List MMA Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: 26 Mar 2010 Location: Helsinki Status: Offline Points: 1362	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pekka Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 Dec 2024 at 10:59pm
	In his speech at the very last show Bruce stressed that Nicko will still be in the band, just not playing live. So if there is new music at some point, he'll probably be on it. We'll see about that, and if he'll play everything or split with Dawson. I can't see Maiden wanting to do much up-tempo stuff anymore, but Nicko was having a bit of trouble with Stratego even before his stroke, those beats are a bit sloppy on the album.
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