Nicko McBrain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nicko McBrain
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McBrain in Costa Rica during the Somewhere Back in Time World Tour, 2008
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Michael Henry McBrain |
| Born | 5 June 1952 Hackney, London, England |
| Origin | Chipping Barnet, London, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Drummer |
| Years active | 1966–present |
Michael Henry "Nicko" McBrain (born June 5, 1952) is an English musician famous for being the drummer of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden. He joined the band in 1982 and has played on every album since Piece of Mind (1983).
After decades of touring the world, McBrain decided to stop performing in live shows in 2024. However, he is still a member of Iron Maiden and will continue to record new music with them in the studio.
Contents
Early Life and First Drum Kit
McBrain was born in Hackney, a part of London, England. He knew he wanted to be a drummer from a young age. He was inspired after seeing the famous jazz drummer Joe Morello play on TV.
At around age 10, he started practicing on things he found in the kitchen, like pots and pans. He even used knives to drum on the family's gas stove, which chipped the paint! When he was about 11 or 12, his dad bought him his first real drum kit. It was a simple set with just a snare drum, a tom-tom, and one cymbal. He quickly learned to play songs by The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. By the time he was 14, he was already playing in bands at local pubs and weddings.
When he was in school, McBrain broke his nose during a fight. He never had surgery to fix it, which is why his nose has a unique, flat shape.
Musical Career
Early Bands
McBrain's first real band was called "The 18th Fairfield Walk." They mostly played cover songs by artists like Otis Redding and The Who. He later joined a blues band that changed its name to "The Axe" in 1969.
In 1971, he started playing with a singer named Billy Day. It was Billy who gave him the name "Nicko." Originally, his parents called him "Nicky" after his teddy bear, Nicholas. But one day, Billy introduced him to a record company executive as "Neeko." McBrain liked the sound of it and changed the spelling to "Nicko" to make it seem more English. He has used the name ever since.
Joining Iron Maiden
Before joining Iron Maiden, McBrain played with several other artists, including Pat Travers and a French band called Trust. It was while touring with Trust in 1981 that he first met the members of Iron Maiden.
In 1982, Iron Maiden asked McBrain to become their new drummer, replacing Clive Burr. His first appearance with the band was on a German TV show, where he had to dress up as the band's mascot, Eddie, because they hadn't announced the lineup change yet.
McBrain quickly became a key part of the band. He and bassist Steve Harris formed a strong musical partnership. Many fans believe that when McBrain joined, the band's "classic" lineup was complete. Together, they released many hit albums throughout the 1980s.
Even when the band had other member changes in the 1990s, McBrain stayed. When singer Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith returned in 1999, Iron Maiden became more popular than ever.
Songwriting and Side Projects
McBrain writes all the drum parts for Iron Maiden's songs. He has one official songwriting credit on the song "New Frontier" from the 2003 album Dance of Death. He wrote the lyrics to express his views on human cloning, which are shaped by his religious beliefs.
When he is not busy with Iron Maiden, McBrain sometimes plays in other bands, like McBrain Damage, which plays Iron Maiden cover songs.
Retirement from Touring
On December 7, 2024, Nicko McBrain announced that he would no longer tour with Iron Maiden. He played his final concert with the band on the same day in São Paulo, Brazil. The band announced that Simon Dawson, the drummer for Steve Harris's other band, British Lion, would take his place for live shows.
Drumming Style
McBrain's powerful and technical drumming is a huge part of Iron Maiden's sound. Guitarist Adrian Smith once said that after McBrain joined, many of the band's songs were built around his fast and busy drum patterns.
A great example of his skill is on the song "Where Eagles Dare." He is famous for his incredibly fast playing on a single bass drum pedal. Many drummers use a double-pedal to play that fast, but McBrain prefers using just one. Since 2000, he has played barefoot because he feels it gives him more control over the pedal.
Because of his speed and ability to use his entire large drum kit, other drummers have nicknamed him an "octopus."
Personal Life
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McBrain is married to Rebecca McBrain and has two sons. He lives in Boca Raton, Florida. In 1999, he became a Christian after attending a church service with his wife. He said it was a very powerful and emotional experience for him.
He has many interests outside of music. He is a big fan of Jaguar Cars and even had a custom model built just for him in 2018. He also loves playing golf and is a fan of the sport of snooker. In 2009, he opened a barbecue restaurant in Florida called Rock 'N' Roll Ribs.
In January 2023, McBrain had a serious health issue when he suffered a stroke. It affected the right side of his body, but after 10 weeks of intense therapy, he recovered. He was able to rejoin the band for rehearsals in May 2023 and perform on their next tour, showing incredible determination.
Discography
This is a list of some of the albums McBrain has played on.
- With Pat Travers
- Makin' Magic (1977)
- Putting It Straight (1977)
- With Trust
- Savage (1981)
- With Iron Maiden
- Piece of Mind (1983)
- Powerslave (1984)
- Somewhere in Time (1986)
- Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)
- No Prayer for the Dying (1990)
- Fear of the Dark (1992)
- The X Factor (1995)
- Virtual XI (1998)
- Brave New World (2000)
- Dance of Death (2003)
- A Matter of Life and Death (2006)
- The Final Frontier (2010)
- The Book of Souls (2015)
- Senjutsu (2021)
See also
In Spanish: Nicko McBrain para niños
