In a brand new interview with the “Speak Is Jericho” podcast, hosted by FOZZY frontman and wrestling famous person Chris Jericho, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson spoke in regards to the spring/summer time 2025 European leg of the band’s “Run For Your Lives” world tour. The trek, which launched on Might 27 in Budapest, Hungary and concluded on August 2 in Warsaw, Poland, marked MAIDEN‘s first run of exhibits with new drummer Simon Dawson, who changed the group’s longtime drummer Nicko McBrain final December. Requested what it was like taking part in with out McBrain throughout the tour, Dickinson replied (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): ”Clearly, it was totally different, as a result of Simon is just not Nick. He isn’t a duplicate of Nick. His emphasis when it comes to the way in which he drums, the sound of his drums is totally different. He is a unique kind of drummer. However he does all the pieces {that a} drummer ought to do, which is he retains the time. And that is it.
“Nick was like a human fireworks show each night time when it comes to his drumming, character and all the pieces else,” Dickinson defined. “And Simon‘s not; he is low key. He’s not precisely the polar reverse to Nick, however he is totally different. He is extra considerate. He is very analytical. He warms up for, like, two hours, and he is simply placing issues collectively and refining and tweaking issues and stuff like that. So he is a unique drummer, however the songs are the identical. And he is pleased. Everyone within the band is completely pleased. However they are not the identical. You’ll be able to’t change Nick with a clone.”
After Jericho famous that “Simon‘s acquired a little bit little bit of a Clive Burr-type vibe” to his taking part in, a reference to the late MAIDEN drummer who preceded Nicko, Bruce concurred. “His pure really feel is that, that inclination,” Dickinson mentioned. “And I used to be shocked at how I used to be, like. ‘Oh my God. I am having a flashback right here,’ trying over my shoulder, going, ‘Wow.’ ‘Trigger his pure really feel is to be form of like across the beat, nearly like a swingtime factor, like an Ian Paice-type really feel. And it is simply nuance. However Clive was nice. I liked taking part in with Clive.”
Bruce beforehand spoke about Simon‘s addition to MAIDEN this previous August in an interview with “Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern”. Requested if it was “bizarre” and “surreal” not seeing McBrain sitting behind the equipment throughout the tour, Dickinson replied: “It isn’t bizarre from the attitude that what I am listening to behind me is just not Nicko. So I do not anticipate to see Nicko as a result of all the pieces about Simon is totally different. His drums are tuned in another way, he performs the songs with a unique really feel to Nick. So due to that, I do not flip round and go, ‘Oh, shock. Nicko ought to be there,’ as a result of it is apparent he is not there from the sound. The drums are tuned so much decrease, they are much fatter. And Simon form of sticks with this system when it comes to the tempo of the tune and all the pieces. He is completely scrupulous about chopping the correct tempo each time. So we really, as a band, actually form of recognize that. ‘Trigger all of the guitarists have massive smiles, like Cheshire cats, [and MAIDEN bassist] Steve [Harris is] the identical. ‘Trigger all people’s not feeling, like, ‘Whoa, hey, regular on there, set off. Whoa, decelerate there.’ So that is what Simon brings to it — there’s stability. And he is does not attempt to be Nicko. You’ll be able to’t be Nicko. I imply, there’s just one Nicko; he’s distinctive. That is why we did not choose a clone. And there have been loads of drummers who might copy what Nicko did, however we do not need a type of. We wished any individual that had a unique really feel.”
The now-73-year-old McBrain, whose actual title is Michael Henry McBrain, introduced his retirement on December 7, 2024 in an announcement on MAIDEN‘s website and social media. He additionally mentioned that night time’s live performance at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil would mark his ultimate present with the legendary rock band.
The band’s supervisor, Rod Smallwood, mentioned on the time: “Thanks for being an irrepressible drive behind the drum equipment for MAIDEN for 42 years and my buddy for even longer. I converse on behalf of all of the band once I say we are going to miss you immensely!”
On December 8, 2024, IRON MAIDEN introduced Dawson as its new touring drummer.
A local of Suffolk, England, Simon first teamed up with Harris again in 2012. He debuted on three tracks on the primary album from Steve‘s BRITISH LION mission and all of BRITISH LION‘s second LP, the critically acclaimed “The Burning”, plus the various subsequent excursions within the U.S., Europe, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Mexico and South America.
In January 2023, Nicko was at his residence in Boca Raton when he suffered a stroke with partial paralysis.
When Nicko first went public along with his stroke in August 2023, the drummer mentioned in an announcement that the episode left him “paralyzed” down one facet of his physique and “apprehensive” that his profession with the band was over.
5 years in the past, McBrain was identified with stage 1 laryngeal most cancers and opened up about it in a single interview in 2021 however in any other case saved it principally underneath wraps. The musician obtained his most cancers prognosis after present process an endoscopy on the Sylvester Complete Most cancers Middle, a part of the College Of Miami Well being System and the Miller Faculty of Medication. Inside every week, McBrain‘s most cancers was surgically eliminated and he now will get check-ups each few months to ensure the most cancers hasn’t returned.
Even though he was stepping away from touring, McBrain mentioned that he would stay carefully linked to IRON MAIDEN and proceed to be concerned in “a wide range of initiatives” with the band, whereas additionally specializing in private ventures and his current companies.
McBrain joined IRON MAIDEN in 1982, changing Burr, who had carried out on the group’s first three albums.
Picture credit score: John McMurtrie
