Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain Announces Retirement

Iron Maiden has announced longtime drummer Nicko McBrain (pictured far right) will be retiring from touring with the band.

In a statement from McBrain, he explained today’s (Saturday, December 7th) show in Sao Paulo, Brazil will be his last with the band. He goes on to say he will be involved with the band behind the scenes, as well as overseeing various personal projects.

In recent years, Nicko has suffered from health issues having suffered a stroke in January 2023, leaving him paralysed on the right side of his body from the shoulder down. While he was able to recover and tour with the band, he told The Washington Tattoo podcast about adjusting his drumming and struggling to reach a satisfactory level of performance.

“I can’t do a 16-note roll going into 32nd-note rolls anymore. What happens is I can play eighth notes, like that kind of groove. I can do doubles, but when I try and play that 16th at that speed, instead of going up and down, it wobbles from left to right, when I start playing fast, when I try to play fast,” he explained. “So I’ve had to adjust my fills now. I mean, I don’t play ‘The Trooper’ fill anymore because I can’t get it… It’s the speed of it. I can do everything slow, but I’ve had to make sure that as long as I can keep the groove of the song, which is normally…” He also admits that he has struggled to play Iron Maiden‘s faster songs since his stroke.

Nicko joined Iron Maiden in 1982, replacing Clive Burr. McBrain joined after playing for various bands and projects since 1966. He is the third longest-serving member of the band and has performed on fourteen studio albums.

UPDATE: Iron Maiden has since announced Simon Dawson will be replacing Nicko McBrain for the band’s shows in 2025. Dawson is a former session drummer and currently plays in Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris’ other band, British Lion.

Read Nicko McBrain’s Statement:

“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!”

Iron Maiden’s manager Rod Smallwood has also released a statement on behalf of Iron Maiden, paying tribute to Nicko. Smallwood also mentions the band already have a new drummer and will be announced soon.

“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.”

Iron Maiden will be back in the UK in 2025 as part of their ‘Run For Your Lives’ tour.