Iron Maiden’s drummer Nicko McBrain has always endeared himself to metalheads with his cheery antics, but it turns out he can be pretty damn wholesome too.

The band, currently on a huge North American tour, were in Nashville last month, but band members Adrian Smith (guitars), Steve Harris (Bass) and McBrain headed to the city’s hardrock cafe the night before their performance.

It just so happened that Iron Maiden tribute group Iron Tribe were performing that night.

Far from psyching the band out with their presence, Smith and Harris watched on as McBrain got up behind the kit and leant some o.g. skinsmanship to deep cut Flight of Icarus and record store classic Run To The Hills.

Crazy celebrity encounter (for the metal world) aside, the band sounded pretty damn good, with frontman Steve Libby doing one hell of a Bruce Dickinson impersonation. Hell, he probably would have kicked out rough security guards, as the real Bruce Dickinson did recently if he was given the chance. Check out the videos of McBrain playing below.

Run for the Hills

Posted by Paul Neighbours Jr on Monday, 19 August 2019

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Flight of Icarus

Posted by Paul Neighbours Jr on Monday, 19 August 2019

The footage is just another gem in an already bursting online chest of musicians surprising cover artists. Check out three more of our favourite below.

1) Ed Sheeran surprises fan at shopping centre

The current king of filling stadiums with his easy-listening pop jams (just check his Instagram out), the worlds most loveable ginger took some time to surprise this fan who was having a crack at his catalogue. Some solid harmonies here too.

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Rod Stewart surprises street musician

A busker got the shock of his life recently when covering Handbags & Gladrags, with Rod Stewart himself walking past, jumping on the mic and giving his vocal chords a solid workout. Credit to the busker for remaining cool. Let’s hope the crowd gave him one hell of a tip.

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Bruce Springsteen crashes busker, casually walks off

Given this footage is from a time before iPhones, it’s worth every damn grainy second. On the streets of Copenhagen in 1988 The Boss joined in with a Busker to perform songs I’m On Fire, The River and Dancing In The Dark. Pub rock classics on the streets of Denmark, followed by Springsteen casually strolling off. Priceless.

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