Nicko McBrain, the legendary drummer of Iron Maiden, recently opened up about his retirement from touring with the band. He addressed the details of his departure in an interview shared on Drum Talk TV. McBrain’s decision to step down came after suffering a stroke in January 2023 that left him with partial paralysis, which significantly impacted his drumming capabilities.
McBrain explained the process behind his decision to step down. He detailed how he coordinated with the band’s management and members before the announcement. He emphasized that there was transparency throughout the process, with the band fully aware of his retirement plans before Simon Dawson was brought in for rehearsals as his potential replacement.
“Obviously, I was talking with Rod [Smallwood] and Andy Taylor, our managers, and Dave Shack, who’s been part of the Maiden family for many years now,” McBrain said. “He’s kind of taken over the everyday running of things with Maiden. We talked about it.”
McBrain described how he initially wanted to delay the public announcement until after the holiday season. He wanted to avoid constant calls from friends and family. However, manager Andy Taylor convinced him otherwise.
“Andy Taylor turned around to me. I remember the conversation like it was yesterday. We were in L.A., and he said, ‘Nick, by the way, what’s this about you not wanting to make an announcement on your last show? You need to go out in a blaze of glory. You don’t want to go out on a wimpish whim.’ I went, ‘You’re right. I’m being selfish,'” McBrain recalled.
Despite agreeing to the announcement timing, one aspect of the process left McBrain slightly frustrated. He had requested that the announcement of Simon Dawson as his replacement be delayed by a day. The band announced it the following morning instead.
“The only thing I got a little upset about was I did ask them not to announce Simon until the Monday. On the Sunday I was traveling home from São Paulo to Florida,” McBrain explained. “They were gonna make the announcement almost immediately, and I said, ‘Give it a day or two.’ Well, they gave me 24 hours. Not even that—they announced it the next morning that Simon was gonna go and be my replacement. It really doesn’t matter when they did it. But I did ask them to leave it an extra day. I must admit I was a bit miffed off about that.”
McBrain’s departure marks a significant moment in Iron Maiden’s storied history. His final performance with Iron Maiden took place on December 7, 2024, at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil, according to Ultimate Guitar. This marked the end of his 42-year tenure with the band. This lengthy partnership had made McBrain one of the most recognizable figures in heavy metal drumming.
His replacement, Simon Dawson, brings his own credentials to the role. Simon Dawson is the drummer for British Lion, Steve Harris’ hard rock side project, as noted on Wikipedia. This connection to the Iron Maiden family made him a natural choice to step into McBrain’s considerable shoes.
The health challenges that prompted McBrain’s retirement were significant. McBrain suffered a stroke in January 2023 that left him dealing with partial paralysis affecting his ability to perform, Blabbermouth reported. Iron Maiden’s demanding touring schedule required a level of performance he could no longer sustain. Despite this setback, McBrain remained committed to completing the tour with the band before stepping aside.
Looking forward, McBrain’s future with Iron Maiden is not entirely closed. AXS revealed that McBrain remains a member of Iron Maiden for studio projects despite stepping away from touring. He plans to focus on business ventures and personal initiatives moving forward. This arrangement allows the drummer to maintain his connection to the band while managing his health and exploring new opportunities outside of the grueling touring circuit.
