June 05

 Nicko McBrain

June 5, 1952

In 1975, the aggressive live circuit was shifted when Nicko McBrain joined the Streetwalkers under his birth name, Michael Henry McBrain. He anchored the rhythm section for the hard rock ensemble, tracking their standout releases Downtown Flyers and Red Card. Nicko was the drummer for the group. He then migrated to the Pat Travers Band in 1977, laying down the driving foundation for the studio albums Makin Magic and Putting It Straight. He rounded out the decade by providing heavy session work and short tenures for Stretch and Blazer Blazer.

A massive career milestone arrived when he joined Iron Maiden as an official member late in 1982, a definitive role he occupied from 1982 to 2024. His precise, rapid single-bass drum technique and thunderous fills quickly became a hallmark of the signature heavy metal sound. He powered the unit through decades of global arena tours and massive studio albums, beginning with the 1983 classic Piece of Mind. He remained a constant, driving force for the ensemble until stepping down from heavy touring duties.

🎸 🎸 🎸

Tom Evans

June 5, 1947 – November 19, 1983

As the primary bassist and founding anchor for the Iveys, Tom Evans helped lay the groundwork for a melodic rock evolution before the quartet morphed into Badfinger late in 1969. His soaring vocals and rich melodic sensibilities became defining elements of the band's signature power pop sound, famously earning him the lead vocal role on their breakout international hit single. Tom Evans played the bass guitar and acoustic guitar. He co-wrote the timeless ballad Without You and propelled a string of classic hit albums like Magic Christian Music, No Dice, and Straight Up through the early seventies.

A series of industry hurdles disrupted their momentum mid-decade, but he persevered through the changing musical landscape by later forming the short-lived rock outfit the Dodgers. He tracked an album with the new unit before orchestrating a revival of Badfinger alongside former bandmate Joey Molland in 1978. This reconstituted lineup produced the albums Airwaves and Say No More, extending his recording and touring career with the name through 1983.

🎸 🎸 🎸

< Yesterday

Tomorrow >