IRON MAIDEN drummer NICKO McBRAIN has been reflecting on half a century of the band, appearing on Modern Drummer's "Metal Sticks" podcast to discuss the official 50th-anniversary book "Iron Maiden: Infinite Dreams — The Official Visual History."
Published worldwide in hardback in autumn 2025 by Thames & Hudson, the lavish volume traces MAIDEN's journey from their earliest London pub gigs in 1975 through to 2021's double album "Senjutsu." McBRAIN shared first-hand recollections spanning his decades behind the kit: his early meetings with manager Rod Smallwood, joining the band, the sessions behind their most revered albums, and the staging of their legendary world tours.
Arranged chronologically, the book follows IRON MAIDEN from their first record deal in 1979 through the breakthrough of 1982's "The Number Of The Beast" to stadium-conquering landmarks like "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son." It devotes considerable space to the "Somewhere Back In Time" 2008 world tour, which made global headlines when vocalist Bruce Dickinson piloted the band's custom Ed Force One Boeing 757.
The book is packed with rare, previously unpublished photographs and archival material from the members' personal collections, including images by renowned photographers Ross Halfin and John McMurtrie, plus a history of mascot Eddie told with exclusive commentary from creator Derek Riggs. Curated by Ben Smallwood and co-edited by Alexander Milas and Terry Burrows, it opens with a foreword by founder and bassist Steve Harris and closes with an afterword by Dickinson.
McBRAIN's appearance serves as a fitting companion to the publication, offering fans the behind-the-scenes anecdotes and personal reflections that bring IRON MAIDEN's remarkable half-century into focus. The drummer, who retired from touring with the band in 2024, remains a central voice in telling their story.