During a brief interview with Modern Drummer magazine, Alex Van Halen was honored with the 2023 Modern Drummer Hall of Fame award. The award was presented by former Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain, who jokingly referred to Alex as the second-best drummer in the world.
“It gives me the greatest pleasure and the honor to present to you this 2023 Hall Of Fame award, and you truly deserved it, mate. I love you to death, and you’re still the second-best Hall of Fame drummer in the world,” McBrain said.
While laughing, Van Halen responded, “I don’t know what to say other than thank you. Nicko is someone I’ve known for a long, long, long time. We’re both soldiers in the same kind of line of work.”
He also took a moment to acknowledge the recent losses caused by the wildfires in Los Angeles. “This is kind of a bittersweet moment because I do want to say a shoutout to all the people in L.A. who may have lost. I know several people have lost their lives, everything in the fires. So let’s keep them in mind.”
Nicko McBrain’s Future Plans After Retirement
McBrain officially retired from Iron Maiden in December 2023 and has since announced several new projects. He recently held a ‘Meat and Greet’ event at Rock N Roll Ribs and plans to perform occasionally.
Beyond music, McBrain has also been exploring new opportunities. “I’ve also got a British Drum Company that I can possibly put. There’s some new design stuff that I’ve been asked to work on for some of the hardware. So that’ll take up a nice bit of time, but primarily, it gives me time to be with my family get back into my family life, and then Titanium Tart. That will be the primary focus to playing,” he shared in an interview with Chaoszine.
Another Honor for Alex Van Halen
In addition to his Modern Drummer Hall of Fame induction, Alex Van Halen was also recognized at the 2024 Drumeo Awards with the Buddy Rich Award. The honor was given to him for his lasting influence on rock music.
