Life in the US: Missing Family & Food, Perseverance in the Face of Adversity - Ep. #47 Nicko McBrain

Summary In this episode of the Washington Tattoo podcast, the hosts interview Nicko McBrain from Iron Maiden. Nicko shares his journey into music, starting from playing on pots and pans as a child to being inspired by drummers like Joe Morello, Ringo Starr, Keith Moon, and John Bonham. He talks about how he joined Iron Maiden and the role of being in the right place at the right time. Nicko also discusses his move to the US and what he misses most about the UK. He shares some memorable stories from his travels with Iron Maiden. Nicko shares his experiences of performing live shows and highlights the uniqueness of each performance. He recalls memorable moments, such as the first show at Rock in Rio with over 300,000 fans in the audience. Nicko also discusses his recovery from a TIA and the challenges he faced in getting back to playing drums. The conversation then shifts to the Mountbatten Festival and the experience of performing with the Royal Marines. Nicko expresses his gratitude for the opportunity and the magic of playing with an orchestra. He concludes with words of wisdom, encouraging perseverance and faith in the face of adversity. Takeaways - Nicko McBrain’s journey into music started with playing on pots and pans as a child. - He was inspired by drummers like Joe Morello, Ringo Starr, Keith Moon, and John Bonham. - Nicko joined Iron Maiden through a series of fortunate events and being in the right place at the right time. - He moved to the US and misses his family and the food from the UK. Nicko has many memorable stories from his travels with Iron Maiden. Each live show is unique, with different audience reactions and memorable moments. - Recovering from a health setback requires perseverance and determination. - Performing with the Royal Marines and an orchestra was a magical experience. - Faith and keeping the faith are important in overcoming challenges. - Never give up and make the best of what you have.