Iron Maiden: See Freak Accident of Gong Falling on Nicko McBrain

Iron Maiden experienced a freak accident during their recent show in Dublin that could've been so much worse.

During a performance of their epic "Alexander The Great," Bruce Dickinson hits a large gong behind drummer Nicko McBrain. After striking the gong with a sizable mallet, the gong falls off its hanging device and hits McBrain in the back. Ever the pro, McBrain manages to keep on going. Footage of the moment is below.

Iron Maiden is currently on tour in Europe until early August. While in Europe, the legendary metal band is headlining the Wacken Open Air festival on August 4 in Wacken, Germany.

Maiden is one of six iconic acts taking part in Power Trip this Fall. The event runs October 6-8 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Calif., which is the site of Coachella. Maiden plays night one along with Guns N' Roses.

Power Trip made headlines earlier this month when Ozzy Osbourne announced he was pulling out of the event. The Prince of Darkness cited his ongoing health issues as to why he was no longer performing at Power Trip. He shared a lengthy statement saying, in part, "Unfortunately, my body is telling me that I’m just not ready yet and I am much too proud to have the first show that I do in nearly five years be half-assed."

Judas Priest is taking Osbourne's place at Power Trip, performing on night two with AC/DC. The event's third and final day features Metallica and Tool.

As Iron Maiden’s third album (and first with singer Bruce Dickinson), ‘The Number of the Beast,’ hits its 40th anniversary, the question on everyone’s mind is... how the HELL has this band not been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Go to any major rock festival in the U.S. this year (or any year), and nearly every band on the bill owes Maiden a debt (and they all probably have worn out their share of Maiden cassettes, CDs and t-shirts).

The band has released a handful of classic albums, including The Number of the Beast. And with their most recent two double(!) albums, The Book of Souls and Senjutsu , they've shown that there's still more gas in the tank. Here, we rank their classics, starting with their debut album, going all the way up through 2021’s excellent Senjutsu. And here's hoping that the Rock Hall does the right thing and puts Maiden on the ballot in 2023 (in the meantime, they'd better induct Judas Priest this year). 

The album’s title track was the one that parents and religious “leaders” were sweating (and moaning) over, but had ‘The Number of the Beast’ LP been released today, “Run To The Hills” might have gotten more attention. It depicts the colonization of America, and the first verse comes from the perspective of Native Americans. The first lines: “White man came across the sea/He brought us pain and misery.” A later verse includes the quote “the only good Indians are tame.” The song has been played so many times, and the repetition may have dulled the lyrics to those who have heard them over and over. But listen to them carefully, they’re as hard-hitting as the music (no mean feat) and are as thought-provoking as the best metal and rock and roll lyrics.