Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain’s Launching a New Podcast Called ‘Metal Sticks’

Right off the bat, I must address the elephant in the room. No, it’s not a MetalSucks affiliated show regarding happy dogs and the sticks they found while out on a walk. Though that would be a great premise for a show…

No, Drum Sticks is the podcast co-hosted by Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain and Modern Drummer CEO David Frangioni. Is it in anyway associated with similarly named Metal Sucks? No, though I certainly wish that were the case. Described as a show where artist interviews, gear deep-dives, lessons, and stories from McBrain’s career in one series.

McBrain himself explained what the show was all about, stating that it was just an extension of his interests.

“Heavy Metal, Drumming and Iron Maiden have been my life, and have given me so much. Now David 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.”

Similarly, Frangioni said the show was meant for anyone even remotely interested in rock, metal, or drumming.

“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. 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 Metal Heads of all ages.”

According to folks behind the show, its first season will be split up into eight episodes, with the deluxe video version airing on YouTube. The eight episodes are as follows:

• Face2Face: peer-to-peer interviews with icons like Alex Van Halen, Steve Vai, Charlie Benante, Ian Paice, and more.
• Listen With Nicko: a revival of McBrain’s cult-favorite commentary segments from Maiden’s The First Ten Years box set, updated for 2025.
• Wear, Tear and Care: pro tips from McBrain on gear upkeep and maintenance.
• Roll With Nicko: a tour of his personal archive of Iron Maiden snares, memorabilia, and unique rock’n’roll relics collected over 50 years.

You can check out the first episode below.