Video Review: Nicko McBrain, "Rhythms of the Beast"

My worst nightmare came true, a drum solo in my own front room. What git gave me this to review? (you're fired - Ed) Personally I'd rather sit through a party political broadcast by the Green Party.

This is purely for the techno drummer who has an hour and a half to learn everything I never wanted to know about paradiddles, piddlediddles, and thingy m' doodles. The captive audience ask dead interesting questions like 'how do you tune your drums?' to which Nicko gives a lengthy response sipping on a chef's hat to show one that he's prepared earlier.

Given the choice between watching this or turning into a pillar of salt, I'd definitely go for the latter. He's a nice guy Nicko, you're regular cheeky cockney lad with all the wise cracks, some of which aren't so wise. Check this out for jargon: 'the 3 accent on the 16 going into 32.' The next time I'm stuck for something to say at a posh party, I'll just drop that one into the conversation. That'll make 'em think! It's much better than the supercalafragibollocks that Poppins chick comes out with.

Great camera work...does it sound like I'm a clutching at straws?

We also see a vid about how they make Nicko's exclusive cymbal at the Paiste factory in Switzerland, I can't remember the exact dimensions of this fascinating piece of equipment because my attention span had decided to go for a meal and then take in a club. But I do remember that we met Zeppy the ice cool cymbal hammerer from the planet Wonga Wonga and his even cooler partner in this terrifying job, Paul. Then it was Eddie the spinners turn, I was blown away!

Just as I was recovering from this wild trip (man)...Shit-a-rooney! if it ain't a vid on how they make the mics he uses. I'm driven to striking myself with a selection of blunt objects to make sure I haven't gone completely numb. Did you know that some firm make his drumsticks especially for him? I'm a fucking mine of information.

To cap this all off, the band arrive to treat us to a rendition of Rhythm Of the Beast. What can I say? For drummers and train-spotters only.

Peter Grant
Riff Raff
August 1991

Revenge...?

Riff Raff was a legendary rock magazine based in London in the late 1980s and 1990s. Edited by the ultimate music biz insider, Mark Crampton, and employing such talents as Mark Blake, Jerry Ewing, Mike Harris, Paul Smith, Chris Collingwood, Alan McCrorie, Simon Robinson, Lyn Guy, Anna Marx, Nick Douglas, Marion Garden, Peter "Grunty" Grant, Joe "The Crow" Mackett, Billy "The Kluck" Kulke, and, lastest and mostest, the incredible Liddell Brothers, Mark (a.k.a. "El Perro") and Colin (a.k.a. "Der Fly"). Unfortunately, Riff Raff was just too R n' R for its own good. A genuine working class rock mag, written, edited, and translated into 16 European languages in a drug-N-Jack-D-fuelled haze, often on the back of motorbikes, with spell checking by our staff of attentive rock bimbos (chosen purely for their blondeness and big knockers), it soon fell behind more trainspotterly, nerdish, and politically correct publications like Q, Kerrang, Mojo, Metal Hammer, and Horse & Hound. This website is an archive and kind of shrine dedicated to the writing of its greatest writers, some of whom, luckily for the Rock Kosmos, still continue to write about music. This is the REVENGE of Riff Raff...Rock on!