Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain performs alongside Royal Marines Band ahead of performance

The Royal Marines Band Service practiced alongside the heavy metal legend at HMS Temeraire in Burnaby Road on Tuesday (March 5). They will be playing at this weekend’s annual Mountbatten Festival of Music. Nicko said the whole experience blew him away and he got involved in 2020 after listening to the orchestra at the 50th anniversary of the Mountbatten festival.

He told The News: “I was very honoured and I immediately agreed. Rehearsals have been great. My right hand doesn’t work very well, so I was super nervous about that. We got through the rehearsals really well, and we came in yesterday (March 4) with the full orchestra. The power and the sound of these great musicians in a 100 piece orchestra jamming Maiden was a joy to behold. I wanted to stop and listen to them, but I couldn’t do that. It has been wonderful.”

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For the show, Nicko is joining the Marines on classic Maiden tracks The Trooper, Wasted Years and Run To The Hills. He is playing a special kit made just for these shows, created by The British Drum Company. Stu Warmington, international sales manager for BDC, said: “For this kit, we’ve put different designs of Maiden’s mascot Eddie as Marines through history on each of the drums, from 1664 right up to the present day, so we’ve got the Yomper, at the battle of Trafalgar and so on. After the shows it’s going to be put up for auction for the Royal Marines Charity.”

For Major Andy Gregory RM, a vastly experienced band manager and conductor, the upcoming performance will be his last. He said: “I retire later this year in October, and I would have done 34 years by then. I joined in 1990 on clarinet and violin, and have been in various bands. I’ve been lucky enough to take charge of the Scotland band, Portsmouth band, Royal band and the Lympstone band. Throughout that time, there have been so many memorable trips and performances. It has been great fun.”

He said he will miss working with fine musicians the most when he hangs up his instruments. “They are so keen to make really good music, and anyone who is fortunate enough to go to the concert will realise it is at a world class standard,” he added. “It’s about the camaraderie of the people you’re with. I spent my whole career with them, and it’s been a real joy to meet lots of fantastic personalities and world class musicians.”

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Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Williams, Principal Director of Music with the Royal Marines, said the rehearsing has been going well after a few long days. He added: “The show is a variety performance of rock, pop and theatre, with some ceremonial stuff and special guests. It’s a complicated show with lots of technical elements involved. Part of the rehearsal process is about the musicians getting their arts right and dealing with the logistical challenge of putting a show together. It has been going really well. We’ve got about 100 musicians on stage, and it takes the players time to adjust.”

Lt Col Williams added that the festival has a loyal following and the performance will be a real success this year. Musician Beth McGregor will be taking part in her first performance after completing training in the summer. She said: “I’m feeling apprehensive, but I’m more excited than anything. The Royal Albert Hall is an amazing venue and it’ll be one of the best experiences I’ll have. I’ve had a passion for music since I was little. Hopefully it’ll be a really good show.”