Drummer Nicko McBrain retired from playing live with Iron Maiden in late 2024, but he remains open to contributing to a future studio project under specific circumstances. In a recent discussion with Metal Hammer, the 74-year-old musician reflected on his physical limitations following his final world tour and his recovery from a stroke he suffered in early 2023.
A Measured Approach to Recording
McBrain expressed a clear desire to continue working with his longtime bandmates, provided the workload remains manageable. “If Iron Maiden went into the studio, I’d be delighted to get back on with them. But it’d have to be something more simple really,” he explained. He pointed to tracks like “Stranger In a Strange Land” and “Wasted Years” from the Somewhere In Time era as benchmarks for the type of drumming he feels comfortable pursuing on a potential successor to 2021’s Senjutsu.
Reflecting on his health, McBrain shared a startling detail regarding his 2023 stroke, noting that he was actually scheduled for cataract surgery later that same day. “The miracle was that I had the stroke in the morning, rather than while I was under the twilight anesthetic,” he remarked.
The Future of Iron Maiden
As the band concludes their Run For Your Lives 50th anniversary tour with drummer Simon Dawson, the path forward remains uncertain. In a previous interview with Kerrang!, Bruce Dickinson and Steve Harris offered differing perspectives on the band’s creative future. While Dickinson described himself as a “creative bunny” eager to begin work on a new record, Harris emphasized the need for the right timing and collective enthusiasm from the entire group.
“I think Bruce would love to do a new album and I don’t have a problem doing one,” Harris said. “I just think if we do one, it’s got to be at the right time. But everybody’s got to want to do it, so we’ll have to see about that.”
New Autobiography
Beyond his musical contributions, McBrain is preparing for the release of his autobiography, Hello Boys and Girls!, due out on October 22. The drummer expressed his excitement about sharing his life story, anecdotes, and experiences from his decades-long career with the world, noting that he is honored to work with the Harper Non-Fiction team to bring his path to the page.
