Nicko announces he's retiring from touring

[dmbrocker]

[joey78]

Have Maiden ever performed live without Nicki since he joined the band ?

I’m guessing they cancelled shows if he wasn’t able to perform .

Wonder who they will announce

[Zabooka]

Have Maiden ever performed live without Nicki since he joined the band ?

I’m guessing they cancelled shows if he wasn’t able to perform .

Wonder who they will announce

According to their website, their last show of the tour was Dec 7. Their next tour begins in May 2025. It’s likely they knew this was coming so nothing was canceled.

[NeonKnite]

Even when he had his stroke a few years ago, he was still able to do the shows (albeit it was evident he wasn't 100%).

Now let's all guess who the replacement will be...

[Zabooka]

Even when he had his stroke a few years ago, he was still able to do the shows (albeit it was evident he wasn't 100%).

Now let's all guess who the replacement will be...

Police were called about a noise complaint. Someone was repeatedly blasting the intro to Run to the Hills at the Blotzer house.

[NeonKnite]

Apparently the drummer has been chosen:

Statement from Rod Smallwood on behalf of Iron Maiden:

Nicko,
And we all love you too!!

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!

Ever since Rock in Rio in 1985 we have had a special relationship with Brazil so to bow out of touring in front of 90,000 fans here in Sao Paulo over 2 nights is poetic and you are deserving of all the accolades I am sure these marvellous fans will give you on this last show.

Phantom look forward to many more years of working with you on the projects you mentioned and I am sure we can find a few more special ones around the Maiden family and FC!

The band and I all have a thousand great memories of the past 42 years, great gigs, copious platinum and gold discs and awards, love from the fans and one beer too many on too many occasions! Such a bond is forever! And, as Steve Harris says, ‘Nicko is and will always be part of the Maiden family’.

Rod, Andy, Steve, Bruce, Davey, Adrian & Jan

P.S. Maiden always get their man and our already chosen new drummer will be announced very shortly.

[soulonfire]

We knew it was coming but still hurts. I always felt Nicko was a huge component to their sound and a new drummer just won't be the same. As for the new guy , it's most likely Joe Lazarus who is Steve's nephew, the drummer in a Maiden tribute band, and known as Nicko jr. He's apparently been on standby this past tour.

[DemonFilth2001]

We knew it was coming but still hurts. I always felt Nicko was a huge component to their sound and a new drummer just won't be the same. As for the new guy , it's most likely Joe Lazarus who is Steve's nephew, the drummer in a Maiden tribute band, and known as Nicko jr. He's apparently been on standby this past tour.

It’s just a drummer. No biggie.

[EzyRider]

Surprised, but not surprised after thinking about it for a minute.

What a gig to score! Is it a name or no name?? Very intrigued who it will be!!!

[joey78]

The new drummer is Blaze Bayley

[Whatever Happened To…]

Eric Singer would look good in Nicko's makeup.

[Zabooka]

Eric Singer would look good in Nicko's makeup.

He'd have to wear a pushed-in nose prosthetic.

[Brainy Lane]

Eric Singer would look good in Nicko's makeup.

He'd have to wear a pushed-in nose prosthetic.

He would.

[Anthrax442]

Can't remember which social media it was, but on one of them, they were saying it's going to be Steve Harris' nephew.

[VicStelly]

Nigel Glockner. Replace old with old.

[Anthrax442]

Knew this was going to happen. He’s fucking stuff up every night and then they announced that massive tour next year.

Wasn't there some video going around a month or two back where Bruce was just glaring at him because he missed his queue to start playing, so Bruce ended up just standing around waiting on him?

72 is a good run, and the drums are the toughest to keep playing. Seen this time and again, Bill Ward, Joey Kramer, Larry Mullen Jr., and it wouldn't surprise me at all if the reason why Phil is done with AC/DC is actually this, and the legal stuff is just an excuse. Even Tommy Aldridge spent a good portion of his second run in Whitesnake on the shelf due to injury.

[NineteenEightyFour]

Mission from 'Arry accomplished

[Lobo]

Nicko admitted after the stroke that there's certain stuff he can't play anymore.

This past tour they put in a couple of tunes the band hasn't done in many years. He found that he was having some trouble with some parts so when he and Steve were rehearsing for the tour they came up with ways to change up his parts to make it easier on him, like playing a little more straight ahead while leaving out some fills.

I saw the band last month and didn't notice any glaring mistakes, he sounded just fine.

I'm glad that they did what they had to do to make it work and now he's decided to hang up the drumsticks for good. He sees he's just not the same, at least he bowed out gracefully. The Bill Ward departure from Sabbath was kinda ugly.

[Gibsonite]

About fucking time. I usually check out the recent live shows from Maiden on YT, but his playing on this tour has made them unwatchable for me. Kudos to him for keeping going through his problems, and to the band for trying to pull him through but enough is enough

[Anthrax442]

Don’t remember that one, but there was one with Adrian.

https://youtube.com/shorts/R2yFpWg8MEE? ... -iSYzTqFx3

That's the one, I mixed up Bruce and Adrian. I can see why he'd want to step down, Maiden isn't known for fuckups like that, unless it's a situation where they're messing around on purpose.

[Ozzy Stradlin]

Knew this was going to happen. He’s fucking stuff up every night and then they announced that massive tour next year.

Wasn't there some video going around a month or two back where Bruce was just glaring at him because he missed his queue to start playing, so Bruce ended up just standing around waiting on him?

Don’t remember that one, but there was one with Adrian.

https://youtube.com/shorts/R2yFpWg8MEE? ... -iSYzTqFx3

Ouch!

That is….just, bad.

[dmbrocker]

I’m waiting for the penny to drop amongst Maidentards that they announced next year’s tour knowing full well they’d have a scab drummer. Most of those shows are sold out I believe.

At the moment they’re all “thanks for your service” but it’ll hit them soon that this was all orchestrated long ago.

Technically Nicko was the OG scab drummer of Maiden when you consider Clive Burr.

[skinni]

Ideal replacement would be someone entertaining like Zoltan Chaney

[dmbrocker]

Technically Nicko was the OG scab drummer of Maiden when you consider Clive Burr.

Not a scab. He didn’t play like Clive and played on new material from the word go.

Fair point. Of course, there are plenty of hardcore Clive/Di'Anno era fans out there who prefer his drumming to Nicko's and might be dumb enough to consider him a scab.

[drumkey]

Apparently the drummer has been chosen:

Statement from Rod Smallwood on behalf of Iron Maiden:

Nicko,
And we all love you too!!

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!

Ever since Rock in Rio in 1985 we have had a special relationship with Brazil so to bow out of touring in front of 90,000 fans here in Sao Paulo over 2 nights is poetic and you are deserving of all the accolades I am sure these marvellous fans will give you on this last show.

Phantom look forward to many more years of working with you on the projects you mentioned and I am sure we can find a few more special ones around the Maiden family and FC!

The band and I all have a thousand great memories of the past 42 years, great gigs, copious platinum and gold discs and awards, love from the fans and one beer too many on too many occasions! Such a bond is forever! And, as Steve Harris says, ‘Nicko is and will always be part of the Maiden family’.

Rod, Andy, Steve, Bruce, Davey, Adrian & Jan

P.S. Maiden always get their man and our already chosen new drummer will be announced very shortly.

Jason Bonham!

[drumkey]

Ideal replacement would be someone entertaining like Zoltan Chaney

reliable source says Jason Bonham

[DemonFilth2001]

Ideal replacement would be someone entertaining like Zoltan Chaney

Couldn’t think of a better replacement!!!!

[WOLF]

Maiden have had a drummer ready, rehearsed, and on tour with them, in case Nicko experienced issues. His name is Joe Lazarus and he will be the touring drummer quite likely. I believe he’s Steve Harris’ nephew and/or godson, and is a respected session player and was also in the band Gun.

[Anthrax442]

Edit: Sorry I just hit post reply wo reading all the posts. Sorry Wolf.


Steve Harris has a nephew named Joe Lazarus and he's my guess. Family, so rest of the guys probably know him.
Also the kit he's playing in the vid is Nickos brand.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k9M_SY1pzE

This is the guy I mentioned earlier.

[fret123]

This gig has Rikki Rockett written all over it