Watch: BRUCE DICKINSON Pays Emotional Tribute To NICKO MCBRAIN At Drummer's Final Concert With IRON MAIDEN

IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson paid emotional tribute to Nicko McBrain after the drummer announced he was quitting touring with the group after 42 years.

The 72-year-old British musician, whose real name is Michael Henry McBrain, announced his retirement earlier today (Saturday, December 7) in a statement on MAIDEN's web site and social media. He also said tonight's concert at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil would mark his final show with the legendary rock band.

Dickinson addressed McBrain's retirement before launching into the third song, "The Writing On The Wall", of MAIDEN's set at Allianz Parque earlier tonight. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Tonight is a very special night, as some of you, I think probably all of you, will know, because this morning we announced, Nicko announced that he was stepping back from playing live drums with IRON MAIDEN.

"For 42 years Nicko's been in this band," Bruce continued. "He was a drummer before I was a singer, he was a pilot before I was a pilot, and now he's not leaving the band, but he's just not playing live with us anymore.

"So, we have a lot more music to get to tonight, and I want the rest of the night to be a celebration of Nick, a celebration of the joy that he's brought to everybody around the world, not just here in Brazil," Dickinson added. "All right? And with that, on we go!"

In his statement announcing his retirement, McBrain said: "After much consideration, it is with both sorrow and joy, I announce my decision to take a step back from the grind of the extensive touring lifestyle. I wish the band much success moving forward."

"What can I say? Touring with MAIDEN the last 42 years has been an incredible journey! To my devoted fan base, you made it all worthwhile and I love you!" McBrain added.

Despite the fact that he is stepping away from touring, McBrain said that he will remain closely connected to IRON MAIDEN and continue to be involved in "a variety of projects" with the band, while also focusing on personal ventures and his existing businesses.

"I look into the future with much excitement and great hope! I'll be seeing you soon, may God bless you all, and, of course, 'Up the Irons!'" he wrote.

MAIDEN's longtime manager Rod Smallwood of Phantom Music Management expressed his gratitude to McBrain, writing in a separate statement: "Thank you for being an irrepressible force behind the drum kit for MAIDEN for 42 years and my friend for even longer. I speak on behalf of all the band when I say we will miss you immensely!"

Smallwood also referenced MAIDEN's deep connection with Brazil, where they have been performing to massive crowds since appearing at the 1985 edition of the Rock In Rio festival. "To bow out of touring in front of 90,000 fans here in São Paulo over two nights is poetic," Rod continued. "Nicko is and will always be part of the MAIDEN family."

MAIDEN's manager went on to say that the band has "already chosen" its drummer and indicated that his identity will be revealed "very shortly."

Saturday's performance marked the the final show of IRON MAIDEN's "The Future Past" world tour, which began in May 2023.

MAIDEN will return to the road in 2025 for the "Run For Your Lives" world tour, which is scheduled to launch in May.

In January 2023, Nicko was at his home in Boca Raton when he suffered a stroke with partial paralysis.

When Nicko first went public with his stroke in August 2023, the drummer said in a statement that the episode left him "paralyzed" down one side of his body and "worried" that his career with the band was over.

Four years ago, McBrain was diagnosed with stage 1 laryngeal cancer and opened up about it in a single interview in 2021 but otherwise kept it mostly under wraps. The musician received his cancer diagnosis after undergoing an endoscopy at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University Of Miami Health System and the Miller School of Medicine. Within a week, McBrain's cancer was surgically removed and he now gets check-ups every few months to make sure the cancer hasn't returned.

Tapped to replace Clive Burr in 1982 after touring activities for "Number Of The Beast" concluded, McBrain brought a degree of finesse and technicality that was largely missing from IRON MAIDEN's early output. Whereas Burr was often lauded for his heavy-handed, punk-oriented style, McBrain was largely the opposite, playing with a degree of dexterity and flair that helped primary songwriter Steve Harris take MAIDEN down more adventurous paths. He eventually became the third longest-tenured member of MAIDEN, behind Harris and guitarist Dave Murray.

McBrain spent his early drumming years playing for the likes of Pat Travers and French rockers TRUST, eventually falling onto the radar of Harris and MAIDEN during the group's initial European tour.