Piece of Mind

Nicko McBrain joined Iron Maiden in late 1982, replacing drummer Clive Burr, and 'Piece of Mind' (1983) was his first studio album with the band. Burr's departure was due to health and personal issues, and McBrain was recruited from the French/British band Trust.

At the beginning of the track 'Still Life,' there is a backwards-recorded spoken-word message by Nicko McBrain that, when played in reverse, says: 'Hmm, what ho said the thing with the three bonces, don't meddle with things you don't understand.' This was a playful response to the Satanic panic accusations that had dogged heavy metal bands.

The album includes 'Flight of Icarus,' which was released as a single and became one of Iron Maiden's most well-known songs, along with 'The Trooper,' 'Revelations,' 'Die With Your Boots On,' 'Still Life,' 'Quest for Fire,' 'Sun and Steel,' and 'To Tame a Land.' The lyrics reference everything from Greek mythology to Frank Herbert's 'Dune.'

Yes, Iron Maiden recorded 'Piece of Mind' at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, with their longtime producer Martin Birch. This was the same studio where they had recorded 'The Number of the Beast' (1982), and the tropical recording environment became a signature part of the band's early-1980s creative process.