No drummer, no band. As much as other musicians will argue this reality, it is fact. The drummer/percussionist is the heart of every musical organization. From jazz greats, such as Buddy Rich and Max Roach, to rock leaders, such as Neil Peart and Joey Kramer, to metal favorites, such as Mike Portnoy and the late great Joey Jordison and more, drummers have proven time and again over time why they are not just the drooling neanderthals that people would have one another believe we are. On Nov. 10, another famous drummer, Nicko McBrain will further prove that to be the case with his new memoir, Hello Boys and Girls! Already published overseas in late October, this nearly 350-page book will be published here in the United States through Harper Collins. The story featured in the book’s pages follows the veteran musician from his earliest exposure to drumming to his professional beginnings to his four-decades-plus as the heart of one of hard rock and metal’s most revered acts, all the way to his 2024 retirement. The general writing style that McBrain uses throughout his story makes for its own interest to the presentation. At the same time it is a little bit of a concern. However, it is not enough to doom the book by any means. To that end, there is still one more positive to note, that being the insight that McBrain offers in regard to so much of the band’s catalog. When this item is considered alongside the story itself and the manner in which it is delivered, the whole therein makes Hello Boys and Girls! an offering that Iron Maiden fans and those of McBrain himself will appreciate, as will any casual hard rock and metal fan.
Hello Boys and Girls!, the brand-new memoir from former Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain, is a presentation that is sure to find wide appeal among readers. That is due in no small part to the book’s story. The story in question begins with McBrain’s childhood in a happy, middle-class home in the United Kingdom. This is not some rags to riches story. McBrain explains that what would become his lifelong career began with his exposure to drummer Joe Morello as he performed ‘Take 5,’ the timeless song from the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Yes, this metal/hard rock drummer’s roots are in jazz, not metal. As a matter of fact, as McBrain’s story continues, readers will be interested to learn that even early along his journey, McBrain did not even play hard rock and metal, but instead handled plenty of far more mainstream styles and sounds, including funk, rock, and jazz. He played with a number of acts over the years, too, making for his formative years.
It was not until a chance encounter later in his younger years, that McBrain would eventually become the heartbeat of Iron Maiden. That whole encounter is shared here, too. From that point on, readers get quite the tale from McBrain, including playing and composing alongside his bandmates, the surprising tales of the band’s lineup changes, the brotherhood that he formed with his fellow musicians, his own multiple near departures from the band, and even the difficulties that he himself overcame along the way. Those difficulties included overcoming drugs and alcohol, as well as even finding God. Yes, for all you so-called Christians out there, how’s that for a big surprise? Yes, he is proof that despite being a drummer, he is a largely straight-laced Christian who is also a loving husband and father. So yes, it is possible to be a rocker and still live the straight and narrow. So, all you so-called Christians out there who love to be so judgmental, McBrain’s story proves every one of you wrong. To Mr. McBrain, thank you personally for proving that argument true
The story that McBrain shred throughout the pages of his new memoir is fully engaging and entertaining from its beginning to its finale. That is not just due to its content. As a matter of fact, the very manner in which it is told plays just as much into the appeal as the story itself. From its opening pages to the final line of its acknowledgements (yes, this drummer/percussionist/bookworm even reads books’ acknowledgements sections), McBrain’s delivery style is fully conversational. There is no air of ego at any point throughout. It is like taking in a story from a good friend that a person has known for years. In other words it is just so personal, which makes for so much appreciation in its own right.
At the same time that the noted conversational tone really personalizes McBrain’s story, it does prove a little bit problematic throughout the book, too. That is because as with any conversation, it comes across as being very stream of consciousness. In other words, McBrain tends to let himself constantly go off on tangents throughout the book. The result is that in order to really take in the whole and follow everything, readers really must fully immerse themselves in McBrain’s story. Otherwise readers may find themselves getting at least somewhat lost along the way more than once. Now, this is not necessarily enough to doom the book by any means, but it is an item that cannot be ignored, at the same time. Section breaks are finally incorporated into the book late along the way and certainly would have helped throughout, considering all of the asides that McBrain reaches.
Knowing that McBrain’s storytelling style is not enough to doom his new memoir, there is one more positive to note of the book, that being the background that he shares in regard to the band’s catalog. McBrain makes clear at one point that he and his now former bandmates knew (and know) of the undeserved reputation that the band had for years as being some evil, devil worshipping act. It is a reputation that they and so many of their contemporaries have been labeled as being by the religious right (again here is the irony considering that McBrain himself is a declared Christian. It makes for its own discussion point). Throughout the course of his tale however, McBrain makes clear that Iron Maiden has never been what those religious zealot nutjobs would like people to believe. Rather, the songs that the band has crafted are the kind of content that would make fans of Sabaton and others proud, being based in real history, literature, and life in general. Case in point are brief anecdotes about songs, such as ‘Aces High’ and ‘Paschendale,’ which were spawned from events of World War I and World War II. In another example, McBrain reveals later in his memoir that the song, ‘New Frontier,’ which he himself wrote is lyrically about cloning. He muses in this anecdote that in this song, he wondered if clones have souls. Therein is the religious theme. The song would go on to be included in Iron Maiden’s 2003 album, Dance of Death. In yet another prime example, ‘These Colours Don’t Run’ is actually allegedly tied to an incident involving none other than Sharon Osbourne during a performance at Ozzfest, according to McBrain. The item in question involved a quarrel between Sharon and front man Bruce Dickinson. That tale will be left for readers to discover for themselves. Simply put, the songs examined (and so much more of Iron Maiden’s songs) sure as heck do not come across as being evil or even the slightest bit Satanic. They are proof that as a matter of fact, the band’s material is quite intellectual, which makes for even more reason for audiences to take in this book and the band’s music in general. When the stories of the band’s songs are considered along with the book’s overall story and the manner in which it is delivered are considered in whole, that entirety makes Hello Boys and Girls! an absolute must read for so many audiences.
Hello Boys and Girls! is schedule for release Nov. 10 in the United States through Harper Collins. More information on this and other titles from Harper Collins is available along with all of Iron Maiden’s latest news at:
Website: https://harpercollins.com
Facebook: https://HarperCollins
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HarperCollins
Website: https://ironmaiden.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ironmaiden
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IronMaiden
To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to https://facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Pick’s blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.