Nicko McBrain
Nicko McBrain during a concert in Barcelona 30 November 2006.
Background information
Birth name	Michael Henry McBrain
Born	June 5, 1952 (1952-06-05) (age 55) Hackney, London, England
Genre(s)	Heavy metal
Instrument(s)	Drum kit
Years active	1983–present
Associated acts	Iron Maiden, McBrain Damage
Notable instrument(s)
Premier drums, Paiste cymbals

Michael Henry McBrain (born June 5, 1952 in Hackney, London, England) is the drummer for heavy metal band Iron Maiden. The nickname 'Nicko' is from Michael’s childhood, where his favourite stuffed animal was named ‘Nicholas the bear’. Due to this, his parents called him ‘Nicky’. 'Nicko' was spawned when he was meeting a manager from CBS Records, with the keyboard player Billy Day. Billy introduced him as "My Italian drummer – His name’s 'Neeko'". Michael liked the moniker, so he decided to use it as a stage name, after adapting the spelling slightly. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 545 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (768 × 845 pixel, file size: 184 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Location Coordinates : Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Barcelona (Catalan) Spanish name Barcelona Nickname Ciutat Comtal (Catalan) Postal code 08001–08080 Area code 34 (Spain) + 93 (Barcelona) Website http://www. ... November 30 is the 334th day of the year (335th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... June 5 is the 156th day of the year (157th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... The London Borough of Hackney is a London Borough in the east end of London and part of inner London. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the Queen England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 967 AD  Area  -  Total 130,395 km²  50,346 sq mi  Population  -  2007 estimate 50... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Heavy metals, in chemistry, are chemical elements of a particular range of atomic weights. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... A drum kit (or drum set or trap set) is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments arranged for convenient playing by a single drummer. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from east London. ... Premier Percussion Limited is a Leicestershire-based manufacturer of drums and percussion instruments. ... The Paiste logo A Paiste 2002 Sound Edge hihat. ... June 5 is the 156th day of the year (157th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The London Borough of Hackney is a London Borough in the east end of London and part of inner London. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the Queen England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 967 AD  Area  -  Total 130,395 km²  50,346 sq mi  Population  -  2007 estimate 50... A drummer in Action A drummer is a person who plays the drums, particularly the drum kit, marching percussion, or hand drums. ... Heavy metal (sometimes referred to simply as metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. ... Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from east London. ... Columbia Records is the oldest continually used brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888. ... Bold textA stage name, or a screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers (such as actors, comedians, musicians, clowns, and professional wrestlers. ...

Biography

In the 1970s, Nicko played drums on some Pat Travers albums, and also played for Streetwalkers from 1975 to 1976; he also appeared in the band McKitty in the early 1980s. It was during a McKitty gig in Belgium that he first met Iron Maiden bassist and founder Steve Harris. He joined Iron Maiden in 1983 for the Piece of Mind album, replacing Clive Burr, after Nicko's previous band Trust had supported Iron Maiden on the 'Killers' world tour in 1981. As part of this tour, Nicko had to dress up as the devil and scare the audience before confronting Eddie. On one night of this tour, he stood in for Burr, and he has been with Iron Maiden ever since. In his role in Iron Maiden he has been cited as a major influence by many modern drummers in a wide range of styles, and often holds drum clinics for fans and drummers alike. The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979. ... Patrick Henry Travers (born April 12, 1954) a native of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a Hendrix-influenced guitarist who began putting out albums on Polydor Records in the mid 1970s. ... Streetwalkers were a British rock band of the mid-1970s led by two former members of Family, vocalist Roger Chapman and guitarist John Charlie Whitney. ... This article cites very few or no references or sources. ... Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from east London. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Piece of Mind is the fourth studio album by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. ... Clive Burr (b. ... Bernie Bonvoisin (left) and Norbert Krief (right) Trust was a famous hard rock band seen by many in its early years as the French AC/DC. // Band history Trust was founded in 1977 by: Bernard Bernie Bonvoisin (vocals, lyricist) Norbert Nono Krief (guitar, composer) Raymond Ray Manna (bass guitar) Jean... The Devil is the name given to a supernatural entity who, in most Western religions, is the central embodiment of evil. ... Eddie, the iconic mascot of Iron Maiden, has been featured on the artwork of almost every Maiden album and single Eddie, whose full name is Eddie the Ead or Edward the Head also known as Edward the Great (see below), is the British heavy metal band Iron Maidens mascot. ...

Nicko's first songwriting credit with the band is on the song "New Frontier" from the their 2003 album Dance of Death. Nicko also claimed he had written a song for 2006's A Matter of Life and Death but because he met with the band late in the writing process, there was no space on the album for it. ^[1] 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dance of Death is Iron Maidens 13th studio album, released first in Japan on September 2 and rest of the world on September 8, 2003. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... A Matter of Life and Death is the 14th studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. ...

He has filmed several short videos for the band's official website and keeps a diary when the band is on tour, which can be read by Fan Club members. These diaries reveal his endearing, wacky sense of humour and his affection for his fans. A fan club is a group that is dedicated to a well known person, group, idea (such as history) or sometimes even an inanimate object (such as a famous building). ...

Style

His presence can be said to have added a large amount to the Iron Maiden sound and was felt immediately on the first album he recorded with the band, Piece of Mind. Nicko has been known to be able to play a variety of styles and with that time signatures, such as the 9/8 riff that features on "Alexander the Great", the 7/4 riff on the song "Brighter than a Thousand Suns" and the 15/8 riff that follows the second chorus on the song "The Longest Day". This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Riff is also an alternate spelling of Rif, a region of Morocco. ... Alexander the Great is a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. ... For the album by Killing Joke see Brighter Than a Thousand Suns. ... The Longest Day is a song by British Heavy Metal band Iron Maiden and is composed and written by Adrian Smith, Steve Harris, and Bruce Dickinson. ...

Nicko Mcbrain has used double bass in many recordings over the years of iron maidens history however, he does not endorse the use of double pedals but instead uses a foot technique known as heel toe tehcnique, which gives a very fast response speed on the pedal to give out 2 and with practice 3 beats.

Equipment

Nicko currently uses Premier drums and Paiste cymbals. Previously, he had been a long-time endorser of Sonor drums but he switched brands to Premier in the early 1990s. For the A Matter of Life and Death album, he brought his "beast" snare drum "out of retirement". It is a Ludwig metal shell LM 402 snare drum, and was purchased in 1975, making it the oldest drum in his kit. Premier Percussion Limited is a Leicestershire-based manufacturer of drums and percussion instruments. ... The Paiste logo A Paiste 2002 Sound Edge hihat. ... SONOR is a German percussion manufacturer. ... A Matter of Life and Death is the 14th studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. ...

Faith

Nicko converted to Christianity in 1999 after an experience in the Spanish River Church, near his Boca Raton, Florida home. His wife, Rebecca, a Christian, had been praying for him, and on entering the Church Nicko 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." ^[2][3] Christianity percentage by country, purple is highest, orange is lowest Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch... Boca Raton is a city located in Palm Beach County, Florida. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ...

Trivia

• Nicko is a keen golfer.
• He frequently plays the drums during Maiden downtime both in his drum clinics and his McBrain Damage band. He also formed a side project band called 7x70 with Dan Spitz from Anthrax and Vanilla Ice, but is unknown if they are still active. ^[4]
• On the No More Lies EP, he contributes with the lyrics.
• He currently manages New York metal band Voices of Extreme (or V.O.X).
• Nicko has also appeared as a guest on the children's television show Sooty and Sweep, where he was asked by Sue to "play something funky, Nicko". ^[5]
• On 22 March 2007, Nicko was banned from driving for six months and fined £500 after being found guilty of speeding on the M74 motorway near Lockerbie, Scotland. He was clocked doing 116mph and pleaded guilty to the offence by letter, as he could not attend court as he was on tour.

Golf is a sport in which individual players or teams hit a ball into a hole using various clubs, and also is one of the few ball games that does not use a fixed standard playing area. ... Dan Spitz (Born: January 28, 1963) is the current lead guitarist of the heavy metal band Anthrax. ... Robert Matthew Van Winkle (born October 31, 1968), better known as Vanilla Ice, is a Grammy Award nominated, American Music Award winning American rapper and actor known mostly for the single Ice Ice Baby. He found major mainstream success and was one of the few successful white rappers in the... Sooty the Puppet Sooty is a British puppet and childrens book character popular in the United Kingdom, Australia and other countries. ... Lockerbie Town Hall, 2006. ... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic)1 Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic, Scots Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II...

Discography

Pat Travers

• Making Magic (1977)
• Putting it Straight (1977)

Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ...

Trust

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

Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ...

Iron Maiden

• Piece of Mind (1983)
• Powerslave (1984)
• Live After Death (1985) Live Album
• Somewhere in Time (1986)
• Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)
• No Prayer for the Dying (1990)
• Fear Of The Dark (1992)
• Live at Donington (1992) Live Album
• A Real Live One (1993) Live Album
• A Real Dead One (1993) Live Album
• The X Factor (1995)
• Virtual XI (1998)
• Brave New World (2000)
• Rock in Rio (2002) Live Album
• Dance of Death (2003)
• Death on the Road (2005) Live Album
• A Matter of Life and Death (2006)

Piece of Mind is the fourth studio album by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... Powerslave is the fifth studio album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 3 September 1984. ... Year 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar). ... Live After Death is a live album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on October 14, 1985. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... Somewhere in Time is the sixth studio album by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 29 September 1986. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, commonly abbreviated SSOASS, is a heavy metal album by Iron Maiden. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... No Prayer for the Dying is the eighth studio album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Fear of the Dark is the ninth studio album released by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Live at Donington was the recording of the Iron Maidens second headlining appearance at the UK festival at Castle Donington on August 22, 1992. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... A Real Live One is a live album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released in March 1993. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... A Real Dead One is a live album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, recorded in 1992/93 at concerts across Europe, and released on October 25, 1993. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... The X Factor is a heavy metal album released October 2, 1995 by Iron Maiden. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Virtual XI is the British heavy metal band Iron Maidens 11th studio album, released March 23, 1998. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Brave New World is the twelfth studio album by Iron Maiden released on the 30th of May, 2000 (see 2000 in music). ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rock in Rio is a live album recorded during Iron Maidens 2001 headlining performance at the Rock in Rio festival. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Dance of Death is Iron Maidens 13th studio album, released first in Japan on September 2 and rest of the world on September 8, 2003. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Death on the Road is a live CD, LP, and DVD released by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden on August 30, 2005 (CD & LP version), respectively on February 6, 2006 (DVD version). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A Matter of Life and Death is the 14th studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

References

1. ^ http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=54636
2. ^ http://www.godscare.net/witness/Iron%20Maiden.htm
3. ^ http://www.willowcreek.com/news/story.asp?id=WN02022001
4. ^ http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=40005
5. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nV-21pDxjic

External links

• Interview with Nicko in web magazine Drummer's Digest
• Profile on official Iron Maiden website