Being a professional musician is not always as easy as it looks and can be a very stressful, difficult role especially when a prolific touring schedule is involved. But Nicko McBrain, the drummer of the legendary rock band Iron Maiden, has a hidden source of energy and inspiration to keep him energised and focused whatever happens.
Formed in 1975, Iron Maiden are known as the pioneers of the new wave of British heavy metal genre. The band have released in total 41 albums, 13 live albums, four EPs, and seven compilations. Their discography includes 47 singles, 20 video albums, and 2 video games. The band have played over 2,500 live shows across the world.
A powerful drummer is essential for a heavy metal band and Nicko McBain became Iron Maiden‘s drummer in 1982. His career highlights have seen him playing to hundreds of thousands of fans in sold out arenas around the world. But despite all of the hype and the acclaim, he says that the most important moment of his life did not happen behind a drum kit on a stage in front of thousands of adoring fans, it happened in a church.
Nicko attended Sunday school as a child and was a believer in his young days, but he admits that as he grew older he no longer kept God at the centre of his life. Then something unexpected happened. Nicko’s wife became a devout Christian and invited him to church. He went along to keep her happy, but admits that his first few visit did not convince him. But he persevered and they found a church where Nicko sensed the presence of God in a very tangible way. He was deeply moved by the worship and the message. The pastor invited people to open their hearts to Christ, and Nick says it was a powerful encounter with God that he has never forgotten. He says that at that moment, “I gave my heart to God, and I asked Jesus into my life.”
Old habits die hard
Giving his life to Christ was just the beginning, Nicko continued to struggle with old habits and he found it hard to stop drinking to excess. Alcohol had long held a deep controlling influence on him. But a few years later, the band’s lead singer Bruce Dickinson faced a challenging battle with cancer. Nicko decided it was time to get serious with God and to pray fervently for his bandmate and fiend. He prayed, asking God for help him to give up alcohol and the controlling power it had over him. He realised that he could not conquer darkness on his own, the power of God was needed. Nicko said he came to realise that, “Jesus never makes you sinless, He makes you sin less!”
He realised that the day he asked Jesus into his life he did not become the perfect Christian. Instead, he opened the door to Christ who then began a lifelong work of transforming him from the inside out.
The Number of the Beast
Heavy metal music uses all kinds of imagery, some connected with the occult. Nicko had to address this issue and the choose whether to continue his career within the genre. The Bible, in the Book of Revelation, describes an end-times evil world leader called ‘The Beast’ and mentions that the number of the beast will be 666. Iron Maiden’s famous song ‘The Number of their Beast’ has been construed as glorifying the devil, but Nicko explains that this was never the intention. In fact, since becoming a Christian, when people ask him about Iron Maiden songs and meanings his faith has given him the opportunity to explain what he believes and to point others toward Christ.
Christ can save anyone
Heavy Metal music has often been criticised for having a bad influence on followers, but it is just another music genre with good and bad incumbents. The Bible shows us that some people will tend to ‘judge’ without investigating first. Some religious leaders even tried to ‘judge’ Jesus — who was and is God himself! But God can save anyone who has a heart open to him. Christ appeared to and saved, the apostle Paul (formerly a self-righteous persecutor of Christians, even gloating over their deaths), the impetuous and sometimes violent fisherman Peter, Matthew the unscrupulous tax collector, and countless former rogues who became saints. It was St Paul himself who wrote,
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Heavy Metal music will undoubtedly contain some villains, but it also includes household names like Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne and Dave Mustain, who claim Christianity as their faith. As the Bible boldly states, “God doesn’t show favouritism” (Acts 10:34)
Hall of Fame
Iron Maiden were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2026. It is a great honour for rock musicians here on planet earth, but even better, Nicko McBain has been inducted into the heavenly hall of fame alongside the billions of people who have put their trust in Jesus Christ over the centuries.
Story by Ralph Burden
Photo: Nicko McBain in 2008. Lcensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
