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Nicko McBrain |
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Michael Henry "Nicko" McBrain (born June 5, 1954) is an English musician, best known as the drummer for Iron Maiden, which he joined in 1982. The nickname 'Nicko' originated from when the keyboard player Billy Day introduced him as "My Italian drummer, his name’s 'Nicko'". McBrain himself states that as a child he had a stuffed animal (bear) named "Nicholas" that he always carried with him so much so that his parents began calling him Nicky also.[1] Only when he may have been in trouble was he called by his given name. McBrain is credited as being an early pioneer of the heavy metal sound[2] and passes his experience on through drum clinics.
McBrain is frequently included in top drummer league tables and rankings as a result of his very influential and skillful performances in studio and on stage. Recently, he has been ranked at No. 18 in Rhythm Magazine's 50 Greatest Drummers Of All Time [3].
Known for his affable joking personality, eagerness for interviews and public appearances, McBrain is considered by his bandmates as Iron Maiden's spokeperson.
In response to questions from Maiden fans[4], McBrain highlighted that it was 'not a coincidence' that Piece Of Mind had many references to brains and minds, after he, with the surname McBrain, had recently joined the band.
McBrain has stated on recordings for the Paiste website while promoting his signature drum sticks, that he first wanted to learn drums at a young age after watching a performance of Joe Morello, which immediately led him to play drums with kitchen utensils and pots, to the dislike of his father. After studying engineering at City & Guilds (which his father had wanted him to complete), he was able to pursue drumming at a professional level.
McBrain's drumming is an important element of the Iron Maiden sound from 1983's Piece of Mind on. As described in detail on the band's 2008 'Live After Death DVD', 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. This song has since been explained in the drummer's numerous clinics, and is considered very complex and masterful.[5][6]
On this same video documentary, McBrain's drum technician notes that, on the World Slavery Tour, drummers such as Tommy Lee called McBrain an 'octopus' after witnessing the way in which the drummer's stamina gives him the ability to use all of his signature large drum kit in shows[7].
McBrain often employs the back end of his left hand drum stick to get more aggressive sound of the snare drum. He is able to play a variety of styles, with time signatures such as the 7/8 riff which follows the second chorus of "Alexander the Great". The 7/4 riff on the song "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns" and the 14/8 riff that follows the second chorus on the song "The Longest Day" are other examples of his versatility. He is known not to use a double bass pedal (in 2008's Live After Death DVD, Bruce Dickinson says that Nicko considered double pedals as 'undrummerish'). Instead, he prefers to employ a fast, bare foot technique using a single pedal, as seen in the Flight 666 video on "Rime Of The Ancient Mariner (Part 1)" at the 5:18 mark, and emphasized in the song "The Evil That Men Do".[8] It is for these reasons that Steve Harris remarked 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"[9] After McBrain joined the band in 1982, Harris also noted how much easier playing with McBrain was for a songwriter.[10]
His drumkit's array is notoriously high, almost completely concealing him when playing live. This display allows bigger drums and cymbals to be placed within reach; he also places the snare drum higher and closer to the rest of the drumset, facing towards him; this allows him to have the bass drum closer to the hi-hat, giving him a more relaxed sitting posture.
McBrain currently uses Premier drums and Paiste cymbals (Bruce Dickinson mentioned, in the song "Sanctuary" on the "A Real Dead One" Album, that they do not pay him enough to play Paiste cymbals). Previously he had been endorsed by Sonor drums and switched to Premier in the early 1990s when Sonor were sold. 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. 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. He endorses Vic Firth signature drum sticks, also using them for his own drumming.
Premier Elite Drums with custom finish
Drumheads
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.
McBrain converted to Christianity in 1999 after an experience in the Spanish River Church, near his Boca Raton, Florida home. His wife Rebecca 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."[13][14]
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 judgment 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.” [15]
McBrain also has a pilot's license, for which he has a twin engine rating.[16] He is a close friend of the well-known Swedish singer-songwriter Lasse Berghagen.[citation needed]
McBrain has two sons: Nicholas (born 1983) and Justin (born 1992).