Dear old flat-nose turns 62! We celebrate with one of his many amazing moments behind the kit.

There’s no need to explain Nicko McBrain’s importance to Iron Maiden. You all know what he means. He joined the band in time for 1983’s incredible Piece Of Mind album and thus took part in the dawn of Maiden’s classic era. He’s been there ever since and is one of only two people (besides ‘Arry) who have never left the band.

There are so many fantastic moments to choose from in his 30+ years of Maiden drumming, but guest writer Adam Hansen chose the 2005 performance of Where Eagles Dare at Ullevi, Sweden as the best ever McBrain performance, saying: “Despite being a great, crowd-pleasing rocker, it’s also a triumphant celebration of everything Nicko: bombastic, single-pedal madness, head-bangingly good grooves, and epic, rolling fills that are nearly a mile long, all of which manages to compliment the other instrumental and vocal parts, and never gets in the way of the song.”

Here it is! Many happy returns, Nicko!