The legendary heavy metal band Iron Maiden announced that their longtime drummer of over 42 years, Nicko McBrain, was retiring from touring. The news came as quite a shock to Maiden fans and the metal community, as McBrain has been an integral part of Iron Maiden ever since he joined the band in its early years in 1982. Not only has Nicko contributed on every one of Iron Maiden’s studio albums since 1983’s Piece of Mind, but Iron Maiden hasn’t toured with any other drummer since McBrain joined the band. Drummer Simon Dawson will be replacing Nick McBrain as Iron Maiden’s New Drummer.
Many Iron Maiden fans are unfamiliar with the band’s new drummer, Simon Dawson. However, for fans who’ve followed Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris, Simon Dawson has been the drummer for the Harris’s side project, British Lion. Dawson has performed with the Steve Harris and his side project for the last 12 years, making it easy to understand why Dawson might’ve been the first and only drummer that Iron Maiden had in mind to sit behind the kit.
However, Dawson’s drumming career stretches far beyond British Lion. Dawson has been the drummer for a number of lesser known acts throughout the last several decades including Deep Switch, The Outfield, Dirty Deeds, Air Race, and Dearly Beheaded. His body of work showcases his versatility and prowess with the drums — Dawson’s playing in the death metal band Dearly Beheaded is particularly technical.
While it remains a mystery on whether Simon Dawson is the right fit for the band, his prior work and long history with Iron Maiden’s members already paints him as a perfect choice for the band. Additionally, Steve Harris’s side project British Lion is sonically similar to Iron Maiden, so technically Dawson is already a great match. Fans also need to keep in mind that when Nicko McBrain replaced Clive Burr, McBrain brought his own feel and a completely unique style to Iron Maiden. With Dawson now replacing McBrain, fans should expect the same to follow with Dawson’s drumming.