Bruce Dickinson gets real on vocal decline and rock singers who can no longer perform
Author Benedetta Baldin - 17.6.2026
Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson discussed long-time drummer Nicko McBrain’s decision to stop touring with the band because of health concerns in a recent interview with Kerrang! magazine, as per Blabbermouth.
I had an argument with a journalist about it, when he said that if he can’t do his very best, he’ll pack it in, to which the writer told him, ‘You can’t do that, you’ve got to go on.’ I said [to the writer], ‘Look, there are loads of singers whose voices are shot and everybody knows it.’ He goes, ‘Yeah, but they’re legends.’ They’re not fucking legends, They’re people who can’t sing anymore. When they were singing, they were legends. When they can’t sing anymore, they’re not legends anymore.
That’s the end of that, the brutal truth, I couldn’t go on stage if I didn’t think I could do it. I don’t know how people get onstage when they can’t do it anymore. Obviously, it’s their life, but it’s not my way.
Does that worry him?
No. It’s just a fact of life that one day it may or may not happen. You take each day as it comes, and you try to give the best performance of your life every night. That’s the rules of the game.
Upcoming shows:
JUNE 2026
- 17 – Milan, ITALY – San Siro Stadium (Trivium)
- 22 – Paris, FRANCE – Paris La Défense Arena (Evergrey)
- 28 – Lyon – Décines, FRANCE – Groupama Stadium (Anthrax)
- 29 – Antwerp – BELGIUM – Middenvijver Park (Epica, Testament, Doro, Fleddy Melculy)
JULY 2026
- 07 – Lisbon, PORTUGAL – Estádio da Luz (Anthrax)
August 2026
- 29 Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena *
September 2026
- 03 Montréal, QC – Parc Jean-Drapeau *^
- 05 Harrison, NJ – Sports Illustrated Stadium *^
- 09 Boston, MA – TD Garden *
- 11 Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live *
- 12 Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion *
- 15 Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium *
- 17 Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life Festival
- 19 Shakopee, MN – Mystic Lake Amphitheater *
- 22 Chicago, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre *
- 25 Los Angeles, CA – BMO Stadium *^
- 29 San Antonio, TX – Alamodome *^
* Megadeth ^ Anthrax
- Wednesday, November 7, 2026 – Auckland, New Zealand – Spark Arena (with Megadeth)
- Wednesday, November 11, 2026 – Adelaide, Australia – Adelaide Entertainment Centre (with Megadeth)
- Friday, November 13, 2026 – Melbourne, Australia – AAMI Park (with Megadeth)
- Sunday, November 15, 2026 – Sydney, Australia – Allianz Stadium (with Megadeth)
- Wednesday, November 18, 2026 – Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Centre (with Megadeth)
