Steve Harris, Iron Maiden’s bass player, spoke about drummer Nicko McBrain’s exit from the band. The switch marks the first shift in the band’s members since 1999.
“To be honest, we didn’t really have a choice and had to make the change after Nicko suffered his health issues. … It was what it was, and we had a decision to make as to whether we wanted to carry on or not. Obviously, we had a tour booked at the time that it happened, and the rest of us all wanted to continue. But ultimately, after we got through all that, it was Nick’s decision to step away, and we all respected the fact that he’d decided to do that,” Harris said, per Blabbermouth.
He added that the band will continue their performances to honor McBrain’s legacy. The full talk appears in Rock Candy Magazine‘s Issue 52 as part of a detailed 24-page feature about Iron Maiden.
After a stroke in 2023, McBrain left the metal group. His final show took place at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil, on December 7, 2024. Simon Dawson replaced him. The drummer worked with Harris previously, playing shows with British Lion. The band kept up its packed schedule of stadium shows worldwide during the switch.
Fresh crowds still flock to see them play their classic sound. “In general, we haven’t done much at all. And yet all the same, nowadays we’re seeing a lot of younger people coming to gigs, which means that it’s happened naturally,” Harris said.
The music moves from parents to kids, Harris thinks. “I presume it’s because people pass down their musical tastes to their sons and daughters — or even their grandsons and granddaughters! We’re lucky that we’re able to pull people of all different ages.”
Laura Adkins
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