Nicko McBrain, Iron Maiden’s drummer, announced this Thursday that he carried out the band’s last tour, which stopped in Murcia on July 20, facing the aftermath of a stroke he suffered last January and which had caused him functional difficulties in half of his body. The British musician decided to report now on his state of health, one day after finishing the concerts that the group has scheduled for Europe, because he did not want to be “a distraction” or “make a scandal”, according to his manager, Rod Smallwood.
McBrain explained that last January he suffered a transient ischemic attack (ITA), a type of mild stroke that left him “with the right side of the body paralyzed, from the shoulders down.” The percussionist then began a rehabilitation treatment that allowed him to recover “close to 70%” of mobility after “ten weeks of intense therapy”, just in time to start pre-tour rehearsals.
“I feel it is important to let you know this now, and not before, because I was worried about doing my job and focused on getting back to 100% fitness. I’m not there yet, but thank God I’m getting better and stronger as the weeks go by.”
At 71, Nicko McBrain is the oldest member of Iron Maiden and his role as a drummer is the most physically demanding. In Murcia he exhibited a good level of interpretation during the two hours of the concert, although he was somewhat more restrained than usual. What seemed like a strategy to dose his energies has turned out to be related to some health problems that had not been made public until now.
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“Me and the rest of the band believe that what Nicko has achieved since his attack shows incredible conviction and willpower, and we are very proud of him. With a new and very complex ‘set list’ ahead, he lowered his head and concentrated on recovering. Honestly, we didn’t know if he was going to be able to play a full concert until rehearsals started in May,” Iron Maiden’s manager Rod Smallwood continued.
Once the European leg of their tour ‘The Future Past Tour’ has finished, the British sextet will offer a few performances in Canada and California during the months of September and October, after which Nicko McBrain will be able to resume his recovery process.
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