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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Nicko McBrain’s final Iron Maiden show was the band’s December 7, 2024, concert in São Paulo, Brazil, at the end of the Future Past Tour. Although the news was widely described as a retirement, McBrain said he was stepping back from the “grind” of extensive touring—not leaving the Iron Maiden family or ending all musical activity.
What did Nicko McBrain announce?
Iron Maiden published McBrain’s announcement on December 7, 2024, the day of the São Paulo performance. He said it would be his last gig with the band after 42 years touring with Maiden. In his statement, McBrain described his decision this way: “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.” Iron Maiden’s announcement also quoted him saying, “Today, Sat, Dec 7th, Sao Paulo will be my final gig with Iron Maiden.”
Rod Smallwood, speaking on behalf of the band, said São Paulo was the final show of the Future Past Tour and that Iron Maiden had already chosen a new drummer. Smallwood thanked McBrain for being “an irrepressible force behind the drum kit for Maiden for 42 years and my friend for even longer.”
Why is “retirement” an incomplete description?
McBrain’s announcement was specifically about leaving Iron Maiden’s extensive touring schedule. He said he would “remain firmly part of the Iron Maiden family” and work on projects his managers had in mind. He also named areas he planned to focus on: The British Drum Company, Nicko McBrain’s Drum One, Titanium Tart and Rock-N-Roll Ribs. That statement does not establish that he would continue performing live with Iron Maiden.
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Who drums for Iron Maiden on tour now?
Iron Maiden’s official band biography identifies veteran British Lion drummer Simon Dawson as the drummer for the band’s 2025–26 Run For Your Lives Tour. This is the documented succession for touring: McBrain played his final show with Maiden in São Paulo, and Dawson was named for the later tour.
Did McBrain’s health lead to the decision?
The band biography says McBrain recovered from a transient ischemic attack in 2023 that initially left him unable to use his right side, then returned to the drum kit for the Future Past Tour. The band’s account places his final Maiden performance at that tour’s São Paulo conclusion. His December 2024 retirement announcement did not identify the TIA as the sole cause of his decision, so the health episode should not be treated as a stated explanation for stepping back from touring.
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Could he record with Iron Maiden again?
In a September 2026 interview with Metal Hammer, McBrain said, “If Iron Maiden went into the studio, I’d be delighted to get back on with them,” adding, “But it’d have to be something more simple really.” His remarks express conditional interest in recording if the band made another album; they are not confirmation of a planned session or album.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known about McBrain’s autobiography?
Metal Hammer reported on September 13, 2026, that HarperNonFiction had scheduled McBrain’s autobiography, Hello Boys and Girls, for October 22, 2026. That date was still in the future as of October 8, 2026, the date of the report’s status check cited here, so the scheduled date should not be taken as confirmation that the book has since been released.
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