Welcome to blogs.villagevoice.com
Blogs
  • News
    • » Daily News
    • » Runnin' Scared - News Blog
    • » Tom Robbins
    • » Wayne Barrett
  • Music
    • » Top Picks
    • » Find a Bar or Club
    • » Pazz & Jop
    • » Down in Front
    • » Sound of the City
    • » Siren
    • » Submit an Event
    • » Jukebox
    • » Join Music Newsletter
    • » Entertainment Ads
  • Calendar
    • » Calendar Home
    • » Top Picks
    • Valentine's Day Events
    • » Comedy Events
    • » Fitness Health & Beauty Guide
    • » Submit an Event
    • » Entertainment Ads
  • Restaurants
    • » Restaurant Guide
    • » Restaurant Reviews
    • » Sietsema's Counter Culture
    • » Find a Bar or Club
    • » Fork in the Road (column)
    • » Fork in the Road (blog)
    • » Sponsored Online Menus
    • » Choice Eats Tasting Event
    • » Join Dining Newsletter
    • » Restaurant Ads
  •  
  • Arts
    • » Calendar
    • » Books
    • » Theater
    • » Art
    • » Dance
    • » Obies Theater Awards
  • Films
    • » Now Showing
    • » Movie Showtimes
    • » Reviews
    • » Join NY Film Club
    • » Movie Ads
  • The Ads
    • Ad Index
    • Flip Book
    • Media Kit
  • Classifieds
    • Personals
    • Sexy Black Book
    • Free Online Classifieds
    • Place an Ad (print)
    • Career Fair
    • Real Estate for Sale/Trulia
    • Personals Blogs
    • Real Estate For Rent
  • Blogs
    • » Runnin' Scared
    • » Sound of the City
    • » La Daily Musto
    • » Fork in the Road (blog)
    • » All City
  • Columns
    • » La Dolce Musto
    • » Tom Robbins
    • » Sex
    • » Horoscope
  • Best Of
    • » Arts & Entertainment
    • » Bars & Clubs
    • » Food & Drink
    • » People & Places
    • » Shopping & Services
    • » Sports & Recreation
    • » Best of Ads
  • Bars/Clubs
    • » Bars/Clubs Home
    • » Bars/Club Ads
  • Archives
  • Reader Recommendations
  • Promotions
    • Street Team
    • Join The Street Team
    • Contests & Promotions
    • Text Alerts
    • Buy Village Voice Merchandise
    • Supplements Archive
  • Site Map

Top

blog

Stories

  • Yes In My Backyard

    Download MiniBoone's Arcade Fire-Vibing MP3

    By Christopher Weingarten

    1
  • live

    Saying Hello to the Unsound Festival

    By Andy Beta

    2
  • goodbyes

    Interview: Just Blaze Talks Baseline Studios

    By Sean Fennessey

    3
  • interviews

    Interview: R&B Porn Godfather Andre Williams

    By Michael Hoinski

    4
  • Sharyn Jackson

    "American Idol" Auditions: Victoria Beckham Again!

    By Sharyn Jackson

    5
  • Jersey Shore

    Jerzify Your Favorite Indie Stars

    By Camille Dodero

    6
  • Yes In My Backyard

    Download This: "Beaches And Friends (New York Version)"

    By Christopher Weingarten

    7
  • Featured

    Download the New MP3 From Japanther

    By Zach Baron

    8
  • live blogging

    The 2010 Grammy Live Blog

    By Ryan Dombal and Sean Fennessey

    9
  • goodbyes

    Live From Just Blaze's Baseline Studios Farewell

    By Vijith Assar

    10
  • the law

    Lit, Other Nightclubs Grab Temporary Reprieve

    By Zach Baron

    11
  • Yes In My Backyard

    Download Burkina Electric's "Ligdi"

    By Christopher Weingarten

    12
  • Harvilla

    Live: Beach House At Bell House

    By Rob Harvilla

    13
  • Interview

    Interview: Beach House's Victoria Legrand

    By Michael D. Ayers

    14
  • Christopher R. Weingarten

    Download Dinosaur Feathers' "Teenage Whore"

    By Christopher Weingarten

    15
 
metal on metal

Interview: Iron Maiden Drummer Nicko McBrain on Flight 666, Ed Force One, and HAHAHAHAHAs

By Camille Dodero, Friday, Jun. 12 2009 @ 9:00AM
Comments (11)
Categories: Featured, Interview, Iron Maiden, interviews, things that we can't believe exist

"I actually threatened to throw the documentary crew off the plane while it was in the air one time."

nicko-mcbrain-flight666.jpg
Iron Maiden guitarist Janick Gers and drummer Nicko McBrain sightseeing in Mexico

In the annals of rock-star heroics, piloting your bandmates, roadies, and 12 tons of stadium equipment safely around the globe in a Boeing 757 is an impressively staggering feat--right up there with barely escaping a military coup by Hugo Chavez. So last year, when Iron Maiden set off for 23 concerts on five continents via Ed Force One--a customized jetliner with the band's zombie mascot Ed on the tail fin--and front-lung Bruce Dickinson was in the cockpit, the metal behemoths brought along a movie crew to document the voyage. The result is Iron Maiden: Flight 666, a 112-minute tour-film out this week on DVD (and on VH1 this Saturday at 12:30 am) that chronicles 45 days of touring faraway reaches like Tokyo, Costa Rica, and Mexico City--cities where the devil-horned dieties still fill stadiums, cause hysteria, and make grown men weep on camera.

While Ed Force One is one of Flight 666's unexpected stars, so is jovial drummer Nicko McBrain, a gregarious hoot of a man characterized in the rock-doc as "the social side of Maiden." We recently spoke with him from his Boca Raton home about nearly throwing the camera crew off the plane, being gobsmacked, and why he doesn't want Maiden to tour in the fall of 2010. (Hint: his well-documented obsession with golf.) And yes, Mr. McBrain actually laughs like this.

edforceone.jpg

At the beginning of Flight 66, there's talk about how you guys have always been a private band. Why'd you finally decide to allow a film crew along with you?

It was a little bit of a difficult decision. There were two or three of us in the band--myself included--that had a little bit of trepidation about it because we have always been private people. When we're on stage, that's our domain. But we've never been a band who searched out paparazzi and would want to go to nightclubs where we'd know we could get our picture in OK Magazine or People Magazine. We've always shied away from that kind of limelight. And having a camera crew 24/7 in your face, for seven, eight weeks was not our idea of being private. So it was discussed--and there were mumblings and grumblings and moans and groans all over the place. And finally, we kind of relented, and thought, "It is such a historical event. And it is something we've never done before. And it should be something that could make a great piece of film." So we all kind of agreed.

I have to be honest though, Camille, there were times over those seven-eight weeks when the [film crew] boys were out with us on the airplane that they got into trouble, verbally, none more so than my good self. I actually threatened to throw them off the plane while it was in the air one time. [Laughs]

But what happened when we all sat back and watched the roughs of this film just before Christmas, I was gobsmacked. And I thought, "My Lord, these two guys, Scotty McFadyen and Sammy Dunn, they did such a great job." And those moments when you thought, "I don't want to do this. I don't want these guys here. I don't want them in the dressing room," yaddy yah, the moans and groans, were all worthwhile, because it all came out so well. And they are so much a part of our family now. I think the proof is in the finished product.

 1  |  2  | Next Page >>
Comments (11) Write Comment
Share

Related Content

  • Duff McKagan Wrote About Flying for Today's New York Times, Though You Wouldn't Know It June 2, 2009
  • Badass Headbanging Lifers Discuss Life and, Not Surprisingly, Death August 29, 2006
  • Top Buried NY Post Stories: Hugo Chavez is Right, 3OH!3 Slanders Helen Keller July 21, 2009
  • Say What? May 11, 2004
  • Recall Sequel in Venezuela? Hugo Your Way, We'll Go Ours November 4, 2003

More About:

  • Nicko McBrain
  • Iron Maiden
  • Bruce Dickinson
  • Metal and Hardcore
  • Ryder Cup

Comments (11)

Hysteria says:

Sounds much the same as previous offerings by Iron Maiden. Hysteria

Posted On: Friday, Jun. 12 2009 @ 5:06PM
juliette merrolla says:

Flight 666 is Iron Maiden, big, incredible, and supremely creative and talented, and has gone to #1 (on music DVD lists) in 22 countries upon its release. The only simultaneously released documentary to sell out in theaters all over the world (sold out 5 nights in Los Angeles alone.) And all with fans knowing it would be released soon to DVD, but they went because Iron Maiden is an extraordinarily special, unique band, kings of the metal world, and anything with them on it or in it becomes a valuable object.

Posted On: Monday, Jun. 22 2009 @ 2:18PM
Bruno "The Crying Man" IZ says:

Hey!!! He talked about me!!! I'm the crying man, with the drumstick!!! =P
Is such an honor to know that is was the scene that 'sticked' on his mind, hehehe!!! =D

Posted On: Wednesday, Jun. 24 2009 @ 3:16PM
Boy C. Bronco says:

Hysteria, it has its similarities to things they've done before, but it is even bigger and better. The documentary is fascinating, particularly when they hit places like Chile, Argentina, and Costa Rica. You think fans are dedicated in the UK and the US, you ain't seen nothin' until you see this!

Posted On: Wednesday, Jun. 24 2009 @ 10:56PM
Cory says:

Bruno- I have to say, the shot of you with the drumstick was my absolute favorite shot in the whole film, too. (I know that doesn't mean nearly as much as hearing it from Nicko, of course.) Must have been an amazing experience. Up the Irons!

Posted On: Thursday, Jun. 25 2009 @ 2:47PM
Mark says:

Bruno,

That scene was also the best part of the DVD for me as well. I'm 44 and I first saw Maiden in 1982 in NYC and that would have been my reaction if I had caught an item they would have thrown to the audience. I was watching the DVD by myself and when I saw your raction, I said to myself "That's what it's all about."

Good for you Bruno...

Mark

Posted On: Thursday, Jun. 25 2009 @ 4:20PM
Juliette says:

Bruno, you are a legend! You are Iron Maiden's favourite new cousin. Welcome to the family ;)

I feel the same way you do at the end of every Iron Maiden concert. So sad that its over!! But I always try to look at the "Bright Side of Life"! hahaha

Posted On: Saturday, Jun. 27 2009 @ 8:08AM
Mark says:

cool all the way around. Only one question: when he was talking about getting back into the studio in 2010 he mentioned everyone but Janick. He didn't leave the band did he?

Posted On: Tuesday, Jul. 7 2009 @ 11:57PM
Michael says:

What is fucking "Iron Maiden"?:-)
What is going on there?
Who is fucking Bruce Dickinson?
They are crazy!!!
Iron Maiden is CRAZY BAND!!!

Posted On: Saturday, Aug. 8 2009 @ 8:53PM
Mitch says:

Michael:
To answer your questions:
1) American (which I am) radio stations for not playing Maiden music nearly enough.
2) I wish I knew.
3) Bruce's wife, most likely. Actually he is the true Renaissance man: Singer, song writer, pilot, screenwriter, producer, author, etc.
4) And we like it that way!
5) Up the Irons!!!

Posted On: Saturday, Sep. 5 2009 @ 3:03AM
Bruno "The Crying Man" IZ says:

Hehehe, thank you guys!!!
I feel happy knowing that other maiden fans enjoyed that part of the movie!!!

UP THE IRONS!!!

Posted On: Monday, Nov. 16 2009 @ 11:00PM

Write Comment


Comments may not show up immediately after submission. Please wait a minute after posting a comment for it to appear.

All reader comments are subject to our Terms of Use. By clicking "Post," you acknowledge that you have reviewed and agree to these Terms.

Tools

Search Sound of the City


Follow

Email tips to tips@villagevoice.com

SlideShows»

  • Bikini Burlesque (NSFW)
  • An Erotic Photographer's Circus Birthday Party (NSFW)
  • Haiti Benefit at the Bell House
  • More Slideshows >>

Most …

  • OK, So, Hima From Das Racist Did A Fashion Shoot For Time Out New York
  • Lil Wayne Saved By Bad Teeth
  • New Ninjasonik MP3: The Matt-and-Kim-Sampling, Dan-Deacon-Namechecking Premiere of "All Our Friends"
  • NYC Music Site Pop Tarts Suck Toasted Apparently Obliterated By Blogspot
  • M.I.A. Heads to Jamaica, Jumps on a Busy Signal Song: "Sound of Siren"
  • More Recent Entries...
  • Interview: Just Blaze Talks Baseline Studios, From the Making of Jay-Z's The Blueprint to the End of an Era (6)
  • So Let's Deal With This "Taylor Swift Is a Feminist's Nightmare" Thing (4)
  • Here Is The Peculiar Spectacle of Nicki Minaj on David Letterman (3)
  • Das Racist Cover the Beastie Boy's Paul's Boutique at Cameo Gallery, Enrage Internet (3)
  • So Is Terminal 5 Really the Third Best Club in the World? (3)
  • Announcing the Village Voice 2010 SXSW Party, Featuring Superchunk, the xx, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and Surfer Blood
  • Interview: Just Blaze Talks Baseline Studios, From the Making of Jay-Z's The Blueprint to the End of an Era
  • Interview: R&B Porn Godfather Andre Williams on Why Coke-Dealing Stories Are Better Than Alcoholic Tales, His New Book Sweets, and More
  • Jerzify Your Favorite Indie Stars: Thom Yorke, Feist, Hipster Runoff, and More
  • The Life and Death of Alan Carton, 23, the RIAA-Defying Creator of @diditleak

Find a Concert

  • Tue
    9
  • Wed
    10
  • Thu
    11
  • Fri
    12
  • Sat
    13
  • Sun
    14
  • Mon
    15

Twitter Feed

Follow Sound of the City on Twitter

More Twitter >>

Sound of the City on Digg

Entertainment

Movies

  • CLEARVIEW CINEMAS

    View Ad | View Site
  • IFC FILMS

    View Ad | View Site

Clubs

  • Blue Note

    View Ad | View Site
  • Bowery Presents

    View Ad | View Site
More >>

Links

Links

  • Artforum
  • Andy Beta
  • William Bowers
  • Robert Christgau's Consumer Guide
  • Dip Dip Dive
  • The Dizzies
  • Down in Front
  • Fanzine
  • Sean Fennessey
  • Impose
  • Left of Center
  • Not for Nothin'
  • Pitchfork
  • Rapidshare
  • Rhapsody
  • Riff Market
  • Luc Sante
  • Jessica Suarez
  • Stereogum
  • Tripwire
  • Voice's Music Section
  • Christopher R. Weingarten
About Us | Work for Village Voice | Esubscribe | Free Classifieds | Advertising | Privacy Policy | Problem With the Site? | RSS | Site Map
©2010 Village Voice Media All rights reserved.