NICKO MCBRAIN: The True Power Of The Music Of IRON MAIDEN Humbles Me

Camille Dodero of The Village Voice recently conducted an interview with IRON MAIDEN drummer Nicko McBrain. A couple of excerts from the chat follow below.

The Village Voice: At the beginning of "Flight 666", there's talk about how you guys have always been a private band. Why'd you finally decide to allow a film crew along with you?

Nicko: It was a little bit of a difficult decision. There were two or three of us in the band — myself included — that had a little bit of trepidation about it because we have always been private people. When we're on stage, that's our domain. But we've never been a band who searched out paparazzi and would want to go to nightclubs where we'd know we could get our picture in OK magazine or People magazine. We've always shied away from that kind of limelight. And having a camera crew 24/7 in your face, for seven, eight weeks was not our idea of being private. So it was discussed — and there were mumblings and grumblings and moans and groans all over the place. And finally, we kind of relented, and thought, "It is such a historical event. And it is something we've never done before. And it should be something that could make a great piece of film." So we all kind of agreed.

I have to be honest though, Camille, there were times over those seven-eight weeks when the [film crew] boys were out with us on the airplane that they got into trouble, verbally, none more so than my good self. I actually threatened to throw them off the plane while it was in the air one time. [Laughs]

But what happened when we all sat back and watched the roughs of this film just before Christmas, I was gobsmacked. And I thought, "My Lord, these two guys, Scotty McFadyen and Sammy Dunn, they did such a great job." And those moments when you thought, "I don't want to do this. I don't want these guys here. I don't want them in the dressing room," yaddy yah, the moans and groans, were all worthwhile, because it all came out so well. And they are so much a part of our family now. I think the proof is in the finished product.

The Village Voice: The crowd footage in the film is insane. Which show from that tour sticks out in your mind as the most unbelievably absurd and why?

Nicko: I think perhaps Costa Rica. It was our first time. There's always that extra kind of excitement when you go somewhere for the first time. And my Lord, kids were camping out. Not saying that we base our laurels on this, or that we got kind of used to this, megastardom, if you like — I'm not saying that — because every gig is as though it's the first gig you've ever played. But the vibe that we had from all the people even the hotels, even the police and the escorts and the miliatary — there was quite a bit of military presence there — but most of them were fans.

The Village Voice: What specific image from the tour that sticks in your mind the most?

Nicko: In the film, there is a shot of a guy holding my drumstick and he just starts crying. That shot — it's funny because when I first saw it, I says, "Is he kind of crying because he got my drum stick? Or is he crying because he didn't get Dave's pick and he only got my drum stick?" HAHAHAHAHA. "Or is he crying because he's a Nicko McBrain fan? Oh no! He's crying because the show is finished and this guy's just had such a immense time."

It pulled a string in my heart and I'm going, "Look at the passion in these people." I don't get to see that [from the stage]. I don't even think the band realized that this is going on after we've left the stage. But that kid, the crying man — I did actually get to meet him, this year when we went back. But that memory really struck home with me: The true power of the music of IRON MAIDEN, what it means to an immense amount of people around the world. And that really does humble me.

The Village Voice: The band has studio time booked for early 2010?

Nicko: Oh yeah. The actual studio is actually booked. But the plan is in November, we congregate somewhere, probably in Europe, to write the album. Bruce and [guitarist] Adrian [Smith] [are over there], [bassist/songwriter] Steve's [Harris] over here in this part of the world, David lives in Hawaii, so to get together for writing before we all get together is a bit difficult at the moment. We'll probably get together in November, first week probably, and go to right before Christmas, writing the album. I'm really looking forward to that: just being with the guys, getting back, writing new songs, and playing them is always very special.

The Village Voice: And you'll tour again?

Nicko: We haven't really scheduled a tour at the moment. But Rod [Smallwood, manager] was talking, like, around fall time [2010]. I said to him, "That could be the end of September, early October." I said, "Well, the Ryder Cup is the first week of October?" Ha ha ha ha! And he went, "Good point, Nick." Hee hee hee.

I was blessed to be in the 2008 Ryder Cup as a special guest of Nick Faldo and the European team. I'm not going there as a guest of the team this year, but I've been invited just to go and hang out and enjoy the whole event, which is just awesome. I said to Rod, "We can't be touring unless we have a week off." [Laughs]

Nah, obviously, look. If I did happen to miss the Ryder Cup, I've got a television on the road with me and I'd watch it on the telly.

Read the entire interview at The Village Voice.