IRON MAIDEN's NICKO MCBRAIN On Why He Doesn't Play Double-Bass Drums: 'I Found One Was Hard Enough'

Drummerzone has uploaded a full video of last year's "An Evening With Nicko McBrain" event at The UK Drum Show in Manchester, United Kingdom. You can now watch it below.

Asked once again why he has steadfastly refused to incorporate a double-bass setup into his playing technique, McBrain said: "I was quoted years ago saying it's very undrummerish, it's very unmusical. And I really spoke out of turn, because it's not that. I just felt that I didn't wanna use two, because I found one was hard enough. Why compound the issue with two? But in fact, when you learn to play with two bass drums and you use your left limb, it becomes easier to do quarter-note fills and stuff like that… So I just thought, 'I'm not gonna use two. I've been practicing on one forever.' And I just didn't have that gene in me that said, 'Yeah, go for it.' I mean, I've sat at home and played with a double pedal, and believe me, once you get into it, it's very hard to remove yourself from it, 'cause you start thinking, 'Oh, that sounds really good.' [Laughs] So I decided — made a conscious decision not to go with two bass drums, or one bass drum with two pedals. I have used a double-bass pedal on a song called 'Face In The Sand' off 'Dance Of Death'."

He added: "So, the double-pedal thing, it's like anything else — you practice it and you get through it and it's not a chore. And when it is, then you think, 'Well, I have to use two,' like I did in 'Face In The Sand'. Adrian [Smith, MAIDEN guitarist] wanted a particular rhythm to it; I tried it on one [but] my stamina wasn't there."

Last year, McBrain announced the launch of his first drum store, Nicko McBrain's Drum One.

IRON MAIDEN kicked off the 33-city North American leg of "Legacy Of The Beast" on July 18 at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida.

McBrain recently said about the trek: "When you're there in the flesh and you see this incredible stage set and the production we put into this show, you're going to be absolutely astounded."

The concept for the "Legacy Of The Beast" tour was inspired by MAIDEN's mobile game and comic book of the same name. The stage set design features a number of different but interlocking "worlds" with a setlist covering a large selection of 1980s material with a handful of surprises from later albums to add diversity.