Clive Burr

ChrisCirino

Senior Member
I have found some discussion of Clive in numerous threads, but none dedicated solely to his playing. I have recently been woodshedding about 20 Maiden tunes for an Up the Irons style tribute show. During a recent practice my bandmates brought up the "who's better, Clive or Nicko" argument. Though I think Nicko is a great and unique drummer, I prefer the Clive-era Maiden. Always influential in my own playing, I have only recently begun to understand Clive's unique contribution to the band. The lightning fast right hand, the creative fills, inventive intros and solid beats drive the first three albums. I have yet to see anyone that can properly play the one-handed 16th note pattern in Wrathchild all the way through the song, including Nicko. I'm happy when I see his name mentioned by guys like Ulrich, Lombardo and Bittner as an influence. I'm just curious if he'll ever he gets his due from the general public as the incredibly influential drummer I believe he is.

For you Nicko lovers, I love his playing, but personally think he blew his load on his first two recordings with the band. I just don't see a lot of new stuff happening after Powerslave.

Clive is currently suffering from multiple sclerosis and will never play at the level he did in the early 80's again. Too bad, I would have liked to see a Nicko vs Clive showdown.

Thoughts?
 
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When I listen to the instrumental song "Genghis Khan" that's Clive Burr. He had such an energy, that tone coming out of the drums and the feel, made him unique on the first Maiden's albums. He developed that sort of rhythmic-based marriage with Steve Harris while playing.

I trust he is keeping very well.....
 
i agree with you dude. Clive just has the outrageous chops and i honestly like him better than Nicko. theyre both great but their playing styles are so contrasting. you'll hardly ever catch Nicko on his hi hats and hes more long tom rolls and flowy. but Clive with his one handed 16th notes and chops is completely different. dont get me wrong i like nicko, my drum teacher knows him well and says hes a cool dude and hes a great drummer. but i love Clive. they should do an episode of deadliest warrior with Clive and Nicko on it
 
Nicko was a great replacement for Clive. No doubt! Great in his own right. But I, also, tend to favor Clive Burr. The original drummer of Iron Maiden. Loved his style, chops, and his sound. I miss his playing.
 
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Clive vs Nicko......Burr vs McBrain......man, that's an exceptionally tough call. I like 'em both and think they are equally suited to Maiden.

A far easier question to answer is Dickinson vs Di'Anno!
 
"Genghis Khan" vs. "Losfer Words Big 'Orra." / Killers vs. Piece of Mind. / The Number of the Beast vs. Powerslave......Sorry, fellows I don't want to get caught in that (vs.) issue.
 
I learned to play the drums playing along The Numbert Of The Beast record (and also Kiss Alive!). Hallowed Be Thy Name was my favorite track to play along to!

I really love Clive's Burr playing on the 3 Maiden albums he was on. McBrain sure is a great drummer in his own style but CB had some kind of groove in his playing that makes it sooooo good!
 
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Burr was perfect for the first three albums. Love the drumming on the Killers album and Gangland on Number of the Beast is cool. He's a straight ahead drummer w/ some chops, but Nicko took them to a new level. Where Eagles Dare anyone. Not saying Burr couldn't play it, just don't think he would've come up with the part. Love them both.
 
I learned to play the drums playing along The Numbert Of The Beast record (and also Kiss Alive!). Hallowed Be This Name was my favorite track to play along to!

I really love Clive's Burr playing on the 3 Maiden albums he was on. McBrain sure is a great drummer in his own style but CB had some kind of groove in his playing that makes it sooooo good!

Agree completely. Burr had a great jazz feel to his playing and is especially comes out on Killers. As a teenager, before I had a set, I used to air drum to Maiden until my arms hurt.
 
Same with me, I used to air drumming Genghis Khan / Wrathchild / Murders In The Rue Morgue / The Number of the Beast - to complete exhaustion.

As a teenager, before I had a set, I used to air drum to Maiden until my arms hurt.
 
Does anyone know what sizes his Ludwig kick &toms were?,
I know he used a Ludwig Black Beauty 6.5 even when he switched to Tama Rockstar? series before NOTB album&tour,
Sadly by the time they arrived/came&travelled to Australia for TNOB tour,
He's replaced by Nicko McBrain.
 
I listened to the Killers album for the first time in years on my way to work this morning. I've always been ( and still is) a massive Nicko fan and he was a huge influence on my playing. But listening to Clive Burr's (RIP) playing this morning made me realize what an incredible player he was - funky, jazzy, groovy - with great chops, tasty rolls and fills and nice variation (also between hats and ride) and dynamics. I'm not saying he was better or worse than Nicko, but they are distinctively different drummers. I think both worked very well in the Maiden environment. Run to the Hills would never have sounded as it did (fast hats - I'm still battling to keep those 170BPM 16ths up for a whole song) had Nicko originally recorded it (he would probably have popped onto the ride cymbal in no time), but then songs like Aces High, Powerslave and Somewhere in Time would never have been the same had it not been for the typical driving Nicko bell / ride pattern on his 22" Sound Creation Bell Ride. I think they both were in the band at the right time.
 
Does anyone know what sizes his Ludwig kick &toms were?,
I know he used a Ludwig Black Beauty 6.5 even when he switched to Tama Rockstar? series before NOTB album&tour,
Sadly by the time they arrived/came&travelled to Australia for TNOB tour,
He's replaced by Nicko McBrain.

I found this:

Ludwig kits: Burr had 2 Ludwig Maple drum sets; the earlier in an off-white colour, the later in white cortex. His 2nd kit used the same sizes as his Tama, minus the gong drum and octobans. His 1st Ludwig kit, which he usually played without bottom heads, had the same sizes as his second, but without the 8" tom, and a 14" added after the 13".

from here:

http://www.liquisearch.com/clive_burr/equipment
 
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I think Nicko McBrain was the perfect choice to drive the mighty Iron Maiden after Clive Burr left and I think Nicko is an incredible drummer but honestly, I like Clive Burr 100% better as a drummer. I find Clive to have so much more feel and be way more creative in his parts. Also if you listen to Live After Death I find Nicko's approach and feel to the material that they recorded with Clive lacks the power, punch, and feel the tracks need and had with Clive. Definitely Clive Burr is the best Iron Maiden drummer in my opinion and always will be... R. I. P. Clive Burr
 

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Clive Burr was the first drummer i ever saw live. I saw Maiden on their first US tour ( killers). They opened for judas priest on the point of entry tour. I absolutely love Clive and he was a huge indluence. Killers is Maidens best album in my opinion and one of my all time favorites. I totally lost interest in iron maiden after piece of mind.
I love the intro to murders in the rue morgue. Lets not forget prisoner, gamgland, and run to the hills.
Clive was very influenced by Ian Paice.
 
Clive Burr was the first drummer i ever saw live. I saw Maiden on their first US tour ( killers). They opened for judas priest on the point of entry tour. I absolutely love Clive and he was a huge indluence. Killers is Maidens best album in my opinion and one of my all time favorites. I totally lost interest in iron maiden after piece of mind.
I love the intro to murders in the rue morgue. Lets not forget prisoner, gamgland, and run to the hills.
Clive was very influenced by Ian Paice.

Clive was the second drummer I idolized after Neil Peart...such a great, frenetic, swinging, punky feel that he had!!! I used to sit and draw his drum kit in class when I should have been paying attention.

I first saw him in the Run To The Hills video on a very young, unknown cable channel called MTV...that video was THE NUMBER ONE biggest influence to me deciding to be a drummer/musician for my life.

Also love Nikko as well, and he brought a completely different vibe to the world. I could not imagine POM-Fear of the Dark era Maiden with any other drummer. And he seems to be a great guy...when have you ever seen him without a huge grin on his face!!!
 
Iron Maiden is my favorite band I grew up listening to them. Number of the Beast was the first album I got. I was 9 0r 10 at that time. It blew me away and changed my life forever. Clive Burr will be missed I think he was one of the greatest drummers in Heavy Metal. Huge influence on me I'm also a Nicko fan. But Clive will always be my favorite. RIP
 
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