MAIDEN’S McBRAIN TO CALL IT A DAY

After 42 years playing drums with Iron Maiden, Nicko McBrain has announced his retirement from the group. The 72-year-old musician, who will play his final gig with Maiden tonight (12/7) in Sao Paolo, where the band has enjoyed enormous success for decades, explained that he needed to “take a step back from the grind of extensive touring.”

The acclaimed drummer first joined the legendary U.K. metal band back 1982, replacing Clive Burr.

“After much consideration, it is with both sorrow and joy [that] I announce my decision to take a step back,” he said in a statement. “What can I say? Touring with Maiden the last 42 years has been an incredible journey! To my devoted fan base, you made it all worthwhile and I love you!”

Added Iron Maiden’s longtime manager Rod Smallwood, “Thank you for being an irrepressible force behind the drum kit for Maiden for 42 years and my friend for even longer… 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 two nights is poetic, and you are deserving of all the accolades I am sure these marvelous fans will give you on this last show.”