Nicko McBrain Retires: Iron Maiden's Future Past Tour and New Drummer Simon Dawson
Nicko McBrain, the longtime drummer of Iron Maiden, recently announced his retirement from touring with the band due to health issues. Iron Maiden's leader, Steve Harris, shared that the band had to make a decision about their future after McBrain suffered a stroke in early 2023. Despite McBrain's participation in the Future Past Tour, he decided to step back from the extensive touring lifestyle at the end of 2024.
Harris explained that the band had to face the reality of McBrain's health issues and consider whether they wanted to continue without him. Ultimately, after the tour and discussions, McBrain made the decision to retire, which was respected by the rest of the band. Since then, McBrain has been involved in projects like playing with his Iron Maiden tribute act, Tiutanium Tart, and co-hosting the Metal Sticks Podcast with David Frangioni.
Following McBrain's departure, Simon Dawson joined Iron Maiden as the new drummer for their live performances. Dawson made his debut with the band at the Sports Arena in Budapest in May during the Run For Your Lives tour. The tour is set to resume in May 2026 with various dates across Europe, including stops in Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Czech Republic, Italy, France, and more.
If you're a fan of Iron Maiden and want to catch them live, make sure to grab your tickets for their upcoming tour dates.