NICKO MCBRAIN Believes IRON MAIDEN Should Have Tuned Down At Least Half A Step To Accommodate BLAZE BAYLEY’s Singing Voice
Nicko McBrain says Iron Maiden should have lowered the tuning by at least half a step to better suit Blaze Bayley’s voice during Bayley’s time as the band’s singer. His comments revisit a difficult period after Bruce Dickinson left in 1993, and raise how the band’s musical choices may have affected Bayley’s fit.
McBrain said he had resented the way Dickinson’s departure was handled, but the two later reconciled when Dickinson returned. Bayley fronted Iron Maiden from 1994 to 1999 and recorded *The X Factor* and *Virtual XI*, which sold less and charted lower in the UK than earlier releases. Dickinson returned for *Brave New World* in 2000, which McBrain described as a strong comeback.
In short
- McBrain thinks Maiden should have tuned down for Bayley.
- Bayley sang with the band from 1994 to 1999.
- McBrain says he and Dickinson made peace after his return.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Lowering the tuning by half a step could have made the songs more comfortable for Bayley to sing, allowing the band to adapt its arrangements to the singer it had chosen. That might have supported stronger performances and helped the period feel more cohesive, without requiring a judgement that Bayley lacked ability.
The case against
Iron Maiden had an established sound and catalogue built around its existing tuning, so changing it could have altered the songs’ character and added practical complications for the band. The commercial and chart results of Bayley’s albums do not show that tuning was the cause, and other factors may have shaped how audiences responded.
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