Nicko McBrain

UpTheIrons

Junior Member
Ahh...one of my fav. forums back on...or is it just that I havent been here for long ?

Anyway we can't have a Nicko McBrain ( Iron Maiden ) thread missing. Which drummer doesnt know Nicko's magical right foot ?
Any maiden fans in here, can you actually sence a bit of a jazz feel in his drumming ?
Cause he has been greatly influenced by Jazz in his youth and it appears to me that almost in every song he plays jazz grooves on the ride, while keeping a steady rock back beat on the snare.
 
absolute legend!

saw him rocking the V festival this weekend and the man is still a powerhouse. he has such an odd drumset but boy does he play it. you only have to try to play along to maiden CDs to realise what an individual drummer he is.
and he plays paiste.
in south africa i used to own an 18'' 2002 crash he used at a concert. it had his signature on the back! had to sell it when i immigrated ...weeps.

NickoMcBrain1.jpg


j
 
I saw him with Pat Travers back in the mid 80s. Definate power jazz grooves and blazing single bass drum. Totally in the pocket and driving. Uber-drummer! You could get a sense that he LIVES behind the drumset. One of my favorite players.
 
In a Maiden DVD he said that his first inspiration for starting on the drums was the great Joe Morelo and the classic Take Five track, the guy is over 50 so his first inspirations are jazz drummers as all of the rock drummers of the 60's.


Nicko is just great and still kickin after all these years but don't forget he took also great inspiration from Maiden's first drummer Clive Burr who was also an incredible drummer that now has a serious disease unfortunately.

Nicko was amazing on the Powerslave cd and Live After Death !

Up the Irons, Jazz Fans !
 
Nicko is a beast. He definitely has that old school feel to him. He seems to utilize having such a big drum kit as well. He always seems to get off a few of the long winded tom fills in most of the songs.
 
I saw him play a week ago at Reading Festival, was great. A mate of mine caught one of his sticks at a concert a while ago and is offering to sell me it lol.
 
I was lucky enough to get tickets to the last concert of the tour, and fund raiser for Clive Burr at Hammersmith last night. It was raisng money for their ex-drummer who has MS and it was Full on amazing! I agree Nicko's kit is pretty insane but he matches up to its size in his playing, his hi hat work on Run to the Hills is pretty dam good! I've also got tickets to his drum clinic in Brighton, I think he's doing a clinic tour of the whole of England so look out....
 
Nicko is awesome.Especially on "Piece of Mind".I had the feeling that his drumming on the last few Maiden albums was not as good as it used to be...then I got their newest album and tracks such as "Montsegur" and a few others are just great!
 
I'm new to this site and saw the thread develop about Nicko Mcbrain. I was a roadie in one of the early bands he played in. "Chicargo Line" later changed to "The Ax" at about the time Micky, as I knew him, joined. Great bloke, and a great drummer, he helped to make the sound full rather than as previously rather thin.

The band were struggling home after a gigg at the American Airforce base in Hemel Hempstead (I think) and as we left a blizzard started. Getting home was a laugh as the old Thames van the band owned(Tranny LWB were the things of dreams) had at some time worn a sign on the front panel, and when they took it of, they forgot to fill in the screw holes, and we had a dozen streams of blizzard snow ploughing through the front cab freezing our feet and nuts off.

I've caught sight of him on a couple of occasions on TV programmes, but always missed the bulk of the appearances and just caught the end.

He looks exactly like he did when he was 17, speaks the same when I've heard him do interviews, and he is just like he was then. What a great bloke.
 
Great stories and comments in regards to Nicko... I was lucky enough to meet him backstage at what was then the Irvine Ampitheatre..It was on the Somewhere in Time tour. The man is amazing, with at least 50-100 people around and dying to talk to him as well as get photos with him. He gave me about 25 minutes of his time to just talk and swap a few stories, as well as a few pints each. As for his playing, i personally find him to be my biggest influenece next to Bonham ( RIP ). If your new to Maiden or just want to know what he's all about. Try these 2 songs on for size. Where eagles dare on Piece of Mind and Face in the Sand on there latest Dance of death. WOW....you wanna talk about a FOOT..............Cheers
 
Hi,

I was lucky enough to have seen Nicko last night at a clinic in Scotland, all I can say is what a truely genuine guy, great at what he does, funny and had all the time in the world for his fans :)

Played some great tunes aswell as some solo stuf, his drums sound amazing, almost as good as his old Sonor kits ;-)
 
Praise him!

I have most of Iron Maiden's albbums but have none that he didn't play on. I can't listen to a Maiden song without Nicko on it. His groove just flows and he has a sense of time that no other metal drummer has. That's because he has a background/resume that most metal drummers wouldn't ever think of having, unfortunately. When we learn different styles it only makes the one that we love to play most better.

I love his playing and hope that Maiden records forever. And please, listen to their newer stuff. It's awesome: Wickerman, Ghost of the Naviigator, Blood Brothers, Fallen Angel, Out of the Silent Planet, Dance of Death, Montsegur, Paschendale, etc...great stuff. Don't get me wrong, the classic stuff is cool but Maiden lives and is still making progress.
 
Nicko is awesome! I always loved his sound and style. I still get chills when I hear the intro to "Two Minutes to Midnight"...those toms....YEAH!
 
Hi Guys

I consider my self to be one of nicko's number 1 fans.

I have met him on numerous ocasions.

He has been my inspiration for drumming, and have based my own kit and playing around his style, im currently found the secret of nicko fast triplets when I spoke to him recently. And am making great progress with my dw5000 Nicko's main work horse.

My dream came true when I was able to play the grey sonor hitec kit from Somewhere in time tour (wasted years video, and more recently from here to eternity, and be quick or be dead video) ever since that day I wanted that kit.

Since last year I have been colecting through the internet and various other sources drums and cymbals, and am well on target for next year to have a full size Sonor Nicko kit of my very own.

Paul (Nicko Fan)
 

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Nicko Fan said:
Hi Guys

I consider my self to be one of nicko's number 1 fans.

I have met him on numerous ocasions.

He has been my inspiration for drumming, and have based my own kit and playing around his style, im currently found the secret of nicko fast triplets when I spoke to him recently. And am making great progress with my dw5000 Nicko's main work horse.

My dream came true when I was able to play the grey sonor hitec kit from Somewhere in time tour (wasted years video, and more recently from here to eternity, and be quick or be dead video) ever since that day I wanted that kit.

Since last year I have been colecting through the internet and various other sources drums and cymbals, and am well on target for next year to have a full size Sonor Nicko kit of my very own.

Paul (Nicko Fan)

How do you like the "power tom" depth drums? Do they have enough definition (punch) or are they just for a really big sound? They used to be everywhere in the 80's but faded away for the most part.
 
Mcbrain said:
Try these 2 songs on for size. Where eagles dare on Piece of Mind and Face in the Sand on there latest Dance of death. WOW....you wanna talk about a FOOT..............Cheers

Actuly Iron Maidens old drummer Clive Burr ( think it was him, or one of the other drummers. not Nicko i no that for sure ) made the drum line for Where eagles dare. But yes Nicko did play it when he Joined the band. But another song i found simply amazing is Dream of Mirrors when you first start listening to that song you think its easy but listen to the whole thing and you will no what i mean!!

- John
 
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