Following recent whispers regarding the future of Iron Maiden, Brazilian music critic and journalist Regis Tadeu has once again sparked speculation regarding guitarist Dave Murray. During a recent live broadcast highlighted by the “Debate sobre Música” channel, Tadeu doubled down on his previous claims that the veteran musician is actively looking to step away from the legendary heavy metal outfit, as reported by Whiplash.net.
When a viewer asked about the possibility of a new Iron Maiden studio record, the journalist gave a blunt assessment of the band’s current timeline before pointing directly to the guitarist’s mindset.
“I honestly think there’s no more time for a studio album. It seems like Dave Murray is tired and wants to leave. Is it just him?” he said (as translated from Portuguese to English via Google Translate).
Tadeu also acknowledged that his initial comments on the matter had already made waves across the global metal community. Adding an air of mystery to the situation, he hinted that the reality behind the scenes is much more severe than what has been publicly shared.
“You know that my statement reverberated across several international portals, right? If I were to tell the story in real detail, oh my god… how much Dave Murray really wants to leave.”
These latest remarks align closely with previous claims Tadeu made during an interview with Whiplash.net. In that conversation, he stated he possessed “a very close source within the Iron Maiden circle” and alleged that if the decision were entirely up to Murray, the guitarist would have exited the group already due to severe tour fatigue and a desire to be home with his family.
During the same live broadcast, fellow journalist Fabio Christianini took a much more optimistic approach to the rumors, expressing his desire to see the iconic guitarist remain on stage no matter what.
“Let’s hope so. Hope springs eternal. Hopefully Dave Murray will play even against his will, because he plays very well, whether he wants to or not. So I’m really rooting for him.”
In a recent interview with “Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen & Shane McEachern,” Nicko McBrain addressed previous rumors that guitarist Dave Murray might be considering his own retirement. The drummer suggested that Murray has plenty of personal reasons to consider staying off the road.
“Well, yeah. We’ve all been away from our families, and David‘s family expanded, and Tasha, his daughter, had a little baby, baby boy, I believe. And he’s a granddad. And he’s ensconced himself in Maui with his wife, Tamar. And I talk to him about longevity and stuff and how physically demanding it is for us playing our kind of music — I think for anybody at our age playing any kind of music [is demanding], to be honest. [Laughs] Some are a little easier than others. I mean, we are high octane, from start to finish.”
Looking back on growing older and the realities beyond constant touring, McBrain spoke about what he still longs for from life on the road, adding that the band’s scheduled 2027 hiatus will allow each member space to reassess what comes next.
“So, I would probably say that, in my opinion, I think that this is not likely to be the end, but I think if they do go carry on — I know 2027 is a year off for ’em, and that’s okay. That’s all great. That’s like sitting back for a year and going, ‘Oh, breathing time. Back to family.’ But that’s another year older. I mean, Harry [Steve Harris] will be 71. That’s okay. I mean, I was 72 [after] I had my stroke … so age catches everybody up. Father time, he’s gonna get you in the end. I just think with Davey, he’s got more reason to wanna be at home, perhaps. I haven’t spoken to him in a couple of years about ideas of retiring. … But, yeah, everybody’s got their own thoughts about that, and I can’t really speak for anybody else. But I made my decision, and I’ve been happy about that. I do miss being on stage, looking out and seeing our wonderful fans that we have around the world. I miss that. I miss my little walks with Janick [Gers, Iron Maiden guitarist] or on my own and meeting in a coffee shop during our days off or days of the show. I do miss that. I don’t miss the travel and living out of a suitcase. That I do not [miss].”
McBrain also discussed whether Iron Maiden might record another studio album and whether he would be part of it. The drummer left the door open for a partial return to the studio, revealing a recent conversation he had with frontman Bruce Dickinson.
“Watch this space. That’s a question mark. And I can’t answer it, because I don’t know. I did speak to Bruce [Dickinson, Iron Maiden singer] — in December I [appeared at] a Monsterpalooza [convention] with him in California. And I said to him, ‘Do you wanna do another record?’ ‘What do you think”, he said, ’cause he is the baby of the band. He’s got that baby gene in him. Look, he’s just been in a studio and finished a new album, solo album, after The Mandrake Project. But he said he wanted to do one, but he didn’t know if anybody else wanted to. So that could change. That was three months ago. They obviously still talk to one another, and I don’t see why not. And if they do, I would be delighted to go in and do a couple of tracks. I don’t think I would do the whole album because [of] my handicap [following my stroke].”
As of now, neither Dave Murray nor the official Iron Maiden camp has issued a formal statement addressing these specific remarks. However, the band’s tour manager did recently deny rumors of the guitarist’s impending departure. Meanwhile, the heavy metal titans continue to gear up for their massive 50th-anniversary tour, leaving the question of a final studio album completely up in the air.
