Nicko McBrain, the iconic drummer of Iron Maiden for 42 years, recently retired from touring, has teamed up with Modern Drummer CEO, David Frangioni, to bring fans the heavy metal podcast they’ve been waiting for: Metal Sticks.
Dedicated to interviewing iconic artists, educating drummers of all styles and genres, amplifying young talent, and showcasing Nicko’s archive of iconic gear & memorabilia, Metal Sticks aims to inspire all generations of heavy metal fans. While drummers will find invaluable tips and insight, all musicians and fans will be thrilled to watch the unpredictable and always entertaining antics of the legendary drummer. Built on the pillars of Inspiration, Access, and Heavy Metal history, Metal Sticks fuels the passion of the genre while letting fans into the world of Nicko & Modern Drummer.
“Heavy metal, drumming, and Iron Maiden have been my life, and have given me so much,” said Nicko McBrain. “I am a huge fan of Modern Drummer, having been inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2019. Now, David Frangioni and I can host a show that brings the audience inside the process, celebrating heavy metal, Iron Maiden, and the amazing community that it embodies. We created the show that we would love to watch as both fans and musicians alike.”
Metal Sticks Season One is now available on all streaming platforms, with a Deluxe version of the show available below.
Utilizing bespoke video production as you’ve come to expect from Modern Drummer, each of the eight episodes from Season One contains the following segments:
Face2Face: Nicko & David interview world-famous musicians such as Alex Van Halen, Steve Vai, Charlie Benante, Ian Paice, and many more. These interviews are true peer-to-peer sit-downs exploring topics that Nicko and their guests can relate to as internationally touring and recording musicians for decades.
Listen with Nicko: A nod to the infamous “Listen with Nicko” segments famously heard on Iron Maiden’s “The First Ten Years” box set. Each new segment will feature a new, unique 2025 “Listen with Nicko” boys and girls!
Wear, Tear, and Care: Nicko shares important maintenance & professional tips for keeping your drumming gear in tip-top shape!
Roll with Nicko: Nicko takes the viewer inside his personal archive of Iron Maiden snare drums, memorabilia, and one-of-a-kind rock’n’roll mementos collected over the past 50 years.
“Drumming, Modern Drummer, and the entire world of heavy metal are such a passionate group of fans that it was a natural fit to collaborate with Nicko and Iron Maiden. We all share a love of heavy metal and conversations, community, and the energy around it is truly infectious. My career working with iconic artists combined with Nicko’s incredible journey brings each episode to life with both entertainment and infotainment that we can uniquely discuss with musicians, fans, and metalheads of all ages,” said co-host David Frangioni.
