Nicko McBrain made his last concert with Iron Maiden in São Paulo, Brazil in the end of 2024 and he was replaced by Simon Dawson. The band’s longtime drummer had to leave the group due to the health issues he was facing after he suffered a stroke that changed his ability to perform the songs like they were originally made. In an interview with Metal Hammer España, Adrian Smith said that the change had to be made for the band to continue.
Adrian Smith says Iron Maiden had to replace Nicko McBrain in order to continue
“I think the Maiden drumming gig is one of the toughest, for sure. It’s very, very physical. And Nick, he had this stroke… He had a sort of a — not a full recovery. And that, unfortunately, really affected his playing. But thank God he’s doing okay now. But, yeah, it’s a serious thing. And this is life. And let’s face it, we’re not kids anymore.”
“It was very difficult. Very difficult. I mean, he tried the tour before last we did, Nick did his best (keep going), but he knew himself that he couldn’t do what he used to do. So, we had to make the change for the band to continue. And it was heartbreaking, really. Nick was such a big — and he still is, really — a big part of the band, and he always will be. He just had a massive presence. And people love him. We all love him. And he’s an incredible drummer,” Adrian Smith said (Transcribed by Blabbermouth).
Simon Dawson has been the drummer of British Lion, Steve Harris’ side-project, for the last 12 years.. He is known for being a praised session drummer and already was a touring member of the British Pop Rock/New Wave group The Outfield. The band will continue to tour the world in 2026 celebrating their 50th anniversary.