Nicko McBrain

Nicko McBrain
Nicko McBrain

Nicko McBrain in Costa Rica during the Somewhere Back in Time World Tour
Background information
Birth name Michael Henry McBrain
Born 5 June 1952 (1952-06-05) (age 59)
Hackney, London, England
Genres Heavy metal, blues rock, hard rock
Occupations Musician
Instruments Drums, percussion
Years active 1975–present
Associated acts Iron Maiden, Pat Travers, Streetwalkers, Trust, The Entire Population of Hackney

Michael Henry "Nicko" McBrain (born 5 June 1952) is an English musician, best known as the drummer for Iron Maiden, which he joined in 1982, prior to which he had played for Streetwalkers, Pat Travers, and the French political band, Trust.

Contents

Biography

McBrain first wanted to learn the drums at a young age after watching Joe Morello performing with The Dave Brubeck Quartet on television.[1] At the age of ten, he started to play drums with pots, pans and other kitchen utensils, before, to his parent's dismay, he began drumming on the gas cooker with a pair of knives and chipped off the paintwork.[1] McBrain recalls that he was eleven or twelve before his father bought him his first drum kit, "which was basically one snare, one tom-tom, one cymbal, two drumsticks and a pair of brushes."[2] He soon started playing The Rolling Stones and The Beatles covers with school bands, before he began regularly playing "pubs and weddings" by the age of 14.[2]

Upon leaving school, McBrain paid his rent by undertaking session work, before deciding to join his first "proper" band, "The 18th Fairfield Walk", later known as "Peyton Bond".[3] A small pub band, which he decided was "never gonna go anywhere" as they only performed Otis Redding, The Beatles and The Who covers, McBrain soon left to join "The Wells Street Blues Band", which renamed themselves "The Axe" in 1969.[3] Although this group would play their own material, the band split up after an argument between the singer and the guitarist, and McBrain began playing with Billy Day, a singer and keyboardist, and Michael "Mickey" Lesley, a guitarist, in 1971.[4] At that point, he was known as "Nicky", a nickname given to him by his parents after his teddy bear, Nicholas,[1] until an intoxicated Billy Day introduced him to Dick Asher, head of CBS Records, as "Neeko", while they were recording at CBS Studios, Whitfield Street.[4] McBrain liked the name, changing it to Nicko "so that it sounded more English," and decided to keep it even after leaving the group.[5]

In 1975, he began playing with Streetwalkers,[5] before joining Pat Travers and then the French band, Trust,[6] with whom he met Iron Maiden for the first time, while touring together in 1981.[7] In 1982, the band asked McBrain to replace their previous drummer, Clive Burr,[6] and, as news of Burr's departure hadn't yet been announced, made his first appearance with Iron Maiden on German TV disguised as Eddie.[8] He formed a close partnership with bassist, Steve Harris,[8] and completed what many critics consider the band's "definitive" lineup,[9] releasing a series of gold and platinum selling albums throughout the 1980s.[10] Although the band's lineup altered drastically in the 1990s, McBrain remained in Iron Maiden and, since the return of Adrian Smith and Bruce Dickinson in 1999, the group has undergone a resurgence in popularity,[11] and are now considered by some as "bigger than ever".[12] Although he writes the drum parts for all the band's songs, McBrain registered his first and only songwriting credit for "New Frontier," from 2003's Dance of Death.[13]

Drumming style

McBrain's drumming has been an important element of Iron Maiden's sound from 1983's Piece of Mind onwards, with guitarist Adrian Smith remarking that, "he always had the chops and the technique, but in Maiden he really exploded, to the point where a lot of stuff we did after he joined was then founded on his playing, all those busy patterns he does, displaying tremendous technique."[8] As described in detail on the band's 2004 The Early Days documentary, the opening track of "Where Eagles Dare" famously displays McBrain's ability to use the single drum pedal very quickly, plus his rapid tom fills.[14]

He is often considered among the best and most influential heavy metal drummers.[15][16][17] In the 2008 Live After Death DVD, Steve Gadd, McBrain's then drum technician, comments that, on the World Slavery Tour, drummers such as Tommy Lee would refer to McBrain as an 'octopus' after witnessing the way in which his stamina gives him the ability to use all of his large signature drum kit in concert.[18]

McBrain often employs the back end of his left hand drum stick to get more aggressive sound of the snare drum.[19] He is known for not using a double bass pedal, with Bruce Dickinson commenting that he refused to use one on "Where Eagles Dare", considering them 'undrummerish'.[14] He claims to have only ever used a double pedal once on "Face in the Sand", from Dance of Death, preferring to use a DW 5000 Accelerator single pedal.[20]

Steve Harris remarks that "...he can play all kinds of music. Drummers from other bands sit round the back of him to see what he’s doing, but he’s got his kit set so he doesn't even look at what he's hitting half the time"[21] After McBrain joined the band in 1982, Harris also noted how much easier playing with McBrain was for a songwriter,[22] with Adrian Smith claiming that, "Steve loves playing with him. [They] used to work for hours going over these bass and drum patterns."[8]

Equipment

McBrain currently uses Premier drums and Paiste cymbals.[23][24] Previously he had endorsed Sonor drums but switched to Premier in the early 1990s when Sonor were sold.[citation needed] For A Matter of Life and Death he used his Ludwig metal shell LM 402 snare drum which was purchased in 1975, making it the oldest drum in his kit.[25] Nicko has been a long-time user of the Ludwig Speed King pedal, but since the middle of the '90s he uses a 1993 DW 5000 Turbo Single Chain and a newer DW 5000 Hi-hat stand.[citation needed] He endorses Vic Firth signature drum sticks, also using them for his own drumming.[26]

Tour Kit

Premier Elite Drums with custom finish:[23]

  • 6" x 6" Maple Tom
  • 8" x 8" Maple Tom
  • 10" x 10" Maple Tom
  • 12" x 12" Maple Tom
  • 13" x 13" Maple Tom
  • 14" x 14" Maple Tom
  • 15" x 15" Maple Tom
  • 16" x 16" Maple Tom
  • 18' x 16" Maple Floor Tom
  • 24" x 18" Gen-X Bass Drum
  • 14" x 5.5" Maple Snare Drum

Cymbals by Paiste:[24]

  • 15" Signature Reflector Heavy Full Crash (custom)
  • 19" Signature Reflector Heavy Full Crash
  • 16" Signature Reflector Heavy Full Crash
  • 20" Signature Reflector Heavy Full Crash
  • 18" Signature Reflector Heavy Full Crash
  • 14" Signature Heavy Hi-Hat (Reflector Finish) (custom)
  • 13" Formula 602 Heavy Bell (discontinued)
  • 22" Signature Reflector Bell Ride "Powerslave"
  • 17" RUDE Crash/Ride
  • 20" Signature Crash (prototype)
  • 22" Signature Reflector Heavy Full Crash
  • 20" Signature Reflector Heavy China (custom)
  • 40" Symphonic Gong (Custom Brilliant Finish)

Sticks

McBrain's drum kit and cymbals do not bear the standard Premier and Paiste logos. They are labelled with the brand name using the Iron Maiden logo font.

Personal life

McBrain converted to Christianity in 1999 after an experience in the Spanish River Church, near his Boca Raton, Florida home.[27] His wife, Rebecca (from Whitman, West Virginia), had been asking him to attend with her, and upon entering the church, McBrain soon found himself crying as he experienced a "calling". Recounting the tale, he said "I just sat there thinking, 'I didn't drink last night…why can't I stand?' I had this love affair with Jesus going on in my heart."[28][29]

In an interview, McBrain was asked if he felt it was appropriate to be a member of Iron Maiden in light of his Christian views. He responded by saying, “When you become a Christian, you don’t become sinless. The idea is to sin less. We’re all sinners. We’re never going to be clean till the day the good Lord is standing in front and judgement comes. But to me, I try to live my life. I do fall off, and occasionally I fall off hard and I have to get down on my knees and beg forgiveness. So it’s not an easy ride, and it’s not professed to be either.” He was also asked if he shared his religious views with his band mates, and if so, how they felt about it. McBrain responded, “We’ve had some incredibly deep conversations amongst each of us. I can’t say to you that I’m trying to convert all these guys in my band to be Christians. I’m leading them on my route, and if they choose to follow what God’s plan is in the Bible, that’s up to them. I say to them all, you know, look, in my belief, at the moment, if you turn to your saviour Jesus Christ, I’ll have eternal life in Heaven with you! … We don’t talk about it every time we get together, but we’ve had some interesting conversations over the years.” [30]

In 1988, McBrain appeared as a guest on the The Sooty Show, in which he played drums with Sooty and Sweep.[31] In reference to his appearance on the show, McBrain's drum kit has since been decorated with a Sooty puppet, which is often dressed accordingly with the band's corresponding tours.[32] He also has a pilot's license, for which he has a twin engine rating,[33] and in 2009 opened a restaurant called Rock 'N' Roll Ribs in Coral Springs, Florida.[34] In 2003, McBrain was arrested for allegedly striking a parking attendant with his car after refusing to let him into the Jones Beach Theatre in Wantagh, New York, where Iron Maiden were due to play a concert.[35][36] McBrain has two sons: Nicholas (born 1983) and Justin (born 1992).[37][27]

Discography

Streetwalkers

  • Downtown Flyers (1975)
  • Red Card (1976)

Pat Travers

Trust

  • Marche ou Crève (Original French Release)/Savage (English Language Version) (1981)

WhoCares

Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden in the Palais Omnisports of Paris-Bercy (France crop).jpg Iron Maiden portal
Main article: Iron Maiden discography

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Wall 2004, p. 235.
  2. ^ a b Wall 2004, p. 236.
  3. ^ a b Wall 2004, p. 237.
  4. ^ a b Wall 2004, p. 238.
  5. ^ a b Wall 2004, p. 239.
  6. ^ a b Wall 2004, p. 240.
  7. ^ Wall 2004, p. 234.
  8. ^ a b c d Wall 2004, p. 241.
  9. ^ Prato, Greg. "Piece of Mind > Review". Allmusic. Macrovision Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r9912. Retrieved 3 November 2008. 
  10. ^ Wall 2004, p. 242.
  11. ^ "Iron Maiden From Fear to Eternity – The Best of 1990-2010 Review". http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/h8d3. Retrieved 2011-10-05. 
  12. ^ "Iron Maiden: doing it their own way". http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/7915012/Iron-Maiden-doing-it-their-own-way.html. Retrieved 2011-10-05. 
  13. ^ Ling, Dave (2005). "Nicko McBrain". Metal Hammer presents: Iron Maiden 30 Years of Metal Mayhem: 103. 
  14. ^ a b The History Of Iron Maiden – Pt. 1: The Early Days (DVD). Sony. 23 November 2004. 
  15. ^ "50 greatest drummers of all time: part 2". MusicRadar.com. 2009-11-05. http://www.musicradar.com/news/drums/50-greatest-drummers-of-all-time-part-2-225815/8#content. Retrieved 2010-11-09. 
  16. ^ "Rolling Stones: 100 Greatest Drummers of All Time". http://www.ranker.com/list/rolling-stones-100-greatest-drummers-of-all-time/music-lover?page=2&format=GRID&sortby=&sortdir=. Retrieved 2011-10-06. 
  17. ^ "The 100 Best Drummers Ever". http://www.totaldrumsets.com/best-rock-drummers-2.html. Retrieved 2011-10-06. 
  18. ^ Live After Death- the History of Iron Maiden pt. 2 (DVD). EMI. 4 February 2008. 
  19. ^ "Nicko McBrain fan club interview". http://maidenfans.com/index.php?ACT=module&name=rwarticles&show=25. Retrieved 2011-10-05. 
  20. ^ "Nicko answers your 20 questions". http://www.ironmaiden.com/index.php?categoryid=31&p2_articleid=1146. Retrieved 2011-10-05. 
  21. ^ "Nicko McBrain". ironmaiden.com. http://www.ironmaiden.com/index.php?categoryid=14&p2_articleid=334. Retrieved 2009-06-02. 
  22. ^ 'Band' interactive sub section of the Enhanced CD-ROM Piece Of Mind (1998 re-master edition)
  23. ^ a b "Premier Artists- Nicko McBrain". http://www.premier-percussion.com/artists/nicko-mcbrain. Retrieved 2011-11-17. 
  24. ^ a b "Nicko McBrain's cymbals". paiste.com. http://www.paiste.com/e/endorser_det.php?page=setup&endorserid=1309. Retrieved 2008-03-14. 
  25. ^ A Matter of Life and Death: Documentary (DVD). EMI. 28 August 2006. 
  26. ^ a b "Vic Firth Signature Artist: Nicko McBrain". vicfirth.com. Archived from the original on 2008-03-31. http://web.archive.org/web/20080331103836/http://www.vicfirth.com/artists/nicko_mcbrain.html. Retrieved 2008-09-06. 
  27. ^ a b Brannigan, Paul (2002). "Nicko McBrain". Kerrang! Legends (2): 38. 
  28. ^ "Nicko McBrain". godscare.net. http://www.godscare.net/witness/Iron%20Maiden.htm. Retrieved 2009-06-02. 
  29. ^ WCA News (March and April 2001). "Cracking Through a Heart of Iron". http://www.willowcreek.com/news/story.asp?id=WN02022001. Retrieved 2009-06-02. 
  30. ^ Martin, Geoff (2009-04-18). "Iron Maiden undergoes a renaissance". Canada.com. http://www.canada.com/topics/entertainment/story.html?id=41753537-c41f-4f04-9c43-99def58956ef&k=3874. Retrieved 2010-11-09. 
  31. ^ "The Sooty Show- Hidden Talent". http://www.thesootyshow.org/episodeguide/1988/hiddentalent.html. Retrieved 2011-10-05. 
  32. ^ Simpson, Dave (26 July 2011). "Iron Maiden Guardian review". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/jul/25/iron-maiden-review. Retrieved 2011-08-30. ""On drums ... Sooty," yells Dickinson. And sure enough, perched on Nicko McBrain's drum kit, there's a tiny bear." 
  33. ^ Wall 2004, p. 267.
  34. ^ "Nicko's Rock N Roll Ribs - now open!". http://www.ironmaiden.com/index.php?categoryid=8&p2_articleid=1173. Retrieved 2011-10-04. 
  35. ^ "IRON MAIDEN Drummer Arrested After Hitting Man With Car". http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=13961. Retrieved 2011-10-04. 
  36. ^ "IRON MAIDEN Singer Comments On NICKO MCBRAIN's Arrest". http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=14138. Retrieved 2011-10-04. 
  37. ^ Iron Maiden. "Iron Maiden Thank- Nicko McBrain:". From Fear to Eternity Booklet. 

References

  • Budofsky, Adam; Heusel, Michele; Dawson, Michael Ray; Parillo, Michael (2006). The Drummer. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9781423405672. 
  • Wall, Mick (2004). Iron Maiden: Run to the Hills, the Authorised Biography (third ed.). Sanctuary Publishing. ISBN 1-86074-542-3 

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