Drummer Nicko McBrain may have taken a step back from touring with Iron Maiden. But that doesn’t mean he can’t have fun joking with his old bandmates.

The drummer, 73, played a show with his side project, Titanium Tart, this past Saturday in Clearwater, Fla. During the show, McBrain spoke to the audience about his touring hiatus, and had some words for his current replacement, Simon Dawson.

Iron Maiden is currently on a world tour celebrating their 50th anniversary. After stating Dawson was “a baby with a tiny drum set,” he made some declarations about his looks and standing as the quintessential drummer (all in good fun).

“But here’s the thing: you may ask yourself, how do I feel about a new drummer taking my place after 42 years?” said McBrain as transcribed by Blabbermouth. “Well, the simple answer is I’m still the best-looking bloke in Iron Maiden. I don’t know whether Simon would agree with me ‘cause he probably thinks he‘s the best-looking (member of Iron Maiden), which I can assure you is not the case. Bless his heart. But he’s doing a wonderful job and I’m glad that you lot have welcomed him to the family. And regardless of whether or not he’s me, he’s not — there’s no one that can replace me.”

McBrain joined the band in 1982 and has played on all of Iron Maiden’s releases since the band’s fourth album, “Piece of Mind” (1983).

In December 2024, the drummer announced his retirement from touring with Iron Maiden, but remained a member of the band. McBrain suffered a stroke in 2023 that paralyzed the right side of his body and threatened his playing career. Physical therapy allowed the drummer to resume playing on Maiden’s “The Future Is Past” tour.

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Murjani Rawls may be reached at mrawls@njadvancemedia.com

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