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Nicko McBrain

Nicko McBrain

Actor · Born June 5, 1952 (74) · Hackney, London, England

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Michael Henry "Nicko" McBrain (born 5 June 1954) is an English musician, best known as the drummer for Iron Maiden, which he joined in 1982. Prior to joining Iron Maiden, McBrain drummed for Pat Travers from 1976 to 1978, as well as the French political punk band Trust. His first formal band was The Streetwalkers, a blues band. The nickname 'Nicko' originated from when the keyboard player Billy Day introduced him as "My Italian drummer, his name’s 'Nicko'". McBrain himself states that as a child he had a stuffed animal (bear) named "Nicholas" that he always carried with him so much so that his parents began calling him Nicky also. McBrain is frequently included in top drummer league tables and rankings as a result of his very influential and skillful performances in studio and on stage. Recently, he has been ranked at No. 18 in Rhythm Magazine's 50 Greatest Drummers Of All Time. McBrain is known for his affable joking personality, eagerness for interviews and public appearances. Description above from the Wikipedia article Nicko McBrain, licensed under CC-BY-SA,full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 5, 1952 (74)
From
Hackney, London, England
Works as
Actor
Titles
4 on MovieCove · 56 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 24% in 30 days

What are Nicko McBrain's films like?

Across a limited sample of 3 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Society
48%
Self
32%
Bonds
20%
Ambition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLegacy2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 3 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 3 · Serious 0 · Dark 0

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 2 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 1 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 3 · Shifting 0 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 3 · Engaged 0 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 3 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings shown from 5 titles

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Triumphant
3
Joyful
2
Thrilling
1
Contemplative
1

How their films linger

Rousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Nicko McBrain's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 2 of their 4 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Nicko McBrain's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted.

Filmography

56 credits, 4 with a MovieCove page; 25 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Iron Maiden: The Future Past in Amsterdam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden - Hellfest 2023 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: The Book of Souls: Live Chapter(2017)

    as Drums

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Iron Maiden: The Book of Souls - Live Chapter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: The Book of Souls - Live at Wacken Open Air 2016 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: Download Festival 2016 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [2016] New York, NY (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden - Rock am Ring 2014 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: Rock in Rio 2013 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [2012] Irvine, California (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Drums

  • Girls Gone Dead(2012)

    as Nicko McBrain

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Iron Maiden: En Vivo!(2012)

    as Drums

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Iron Maiden: [2011] Soundwave Festival (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Drums

  • Live at Wacken 2008 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: Quilmes Rock Festival (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [2008] Somewhere Back in Chile (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden - Porto Alegre, Brazil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden - The Albatross Follows On (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [2008] Stranger in Mexico (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Drums

  • The History of Iron Maiden: Part 2(2008)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Iron Maden - Somewhere Back in Time World Tour '08, Mumbai India (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Drums, percussion

  • Iron Maiden: Live at Donington 2007 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden - Abbey Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden - Eddie Rips Up Gothenburg (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: Live At Ullevi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden - Rock am Ring 2005 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: Death On The Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [2003] Camden, New Jersey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden - Rock am Ring (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden - Live in Santiago de Chile (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Actor

  • Iron Maiden - Scream For Me Chile (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [2000] Red Rocks, Colorado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [2000] Roskilde Festival (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [2000] Gods of Metal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [2000] Dynamo Open Air (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [1999] Gothenburg, Sweden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [1999] Hamburg, Germany (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [1998] Virtual Buenos Aires (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [1998] Live in Curitiba (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [1998] Poland TV Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [1996] Obras Sanitarias Stadium (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [1996] Live in Chile (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Actor

  • Iron Maiden: [1996] Monsters of Rock Brazil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [1995] Sofia, Bulgaria (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: Raising Hell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [1993] Vienna, Austria (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [1992] Mexico City, Mexico (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [1992] Live in Argentina (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: Maiden England (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: [1987] Caught Somewhere in Troy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Paris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden - Live in Gothenburg [1986] (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: Behind The Iron Curtain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Drums

  • 1983 Dortmund Pop Rock Festival (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Drums (Iron Maiden)

  • Iron Maiden - Night Of The Dead, Legacy Of The Beast: Live In Mexico City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Drums

  • Iron Maiden: Welcome to Brasil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 54th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 56 titles, 54 of them dated from 1983 to 2023.

Biggest box office

Iron Maiden: Flight 666 (2009)

$233K worldwide

Highest rated

Iron Maiden: Flight 666 (2009)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting56 of 56: 56 only acting, 0 with another role

By decade

1980s6 · acting1990s13 · acting2000s22 · acting2010s11 · acting2020s2 · acting

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it.

How do Nicko McBrain's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 91st percentile, the median of all 4; across a limited sample of 3 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 97th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

97thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Approval · how many liked their films

98thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Reach · how many have seen their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Midcredits score across 4 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

2 of their 4 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · actor

Girls Gone Dead (2012)

76th percentile spread · 65% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The History of Iron Maiden: Part 2 (2008)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Nicko McBrain work with?

People who share at least 2 of Nicko McBrain's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Adrian Smith shares the most, 3.

Actors

Cinematographers

Producers