Longtime IRON MAIDEN drummer Nicko McBrain has spoken about the five-year period when the band was fronted by Blaze Bayley.

Singer Bruce Dickinson exited MAIDEN back in 1993, paving the way for the Bayley era and a string of four solo albums from Bruce.

The two MAIDEN albums he appeared on, "The X Factor" and "Virtual XI", sold considerably less than the band's prior releases and were their lowest-charting titles in the group's home country since 1981's "Killers".

McBrain told Kerrang! magazine that replacing Dickinson was a difficult decision, but the essence of MAIDEN remained unchanged.

However, he confessed to feeling trepidation about some performances during the tour.

McBrain also addressed his complicated relationship with Dickinson, who left MAIDEN in 1995 and returned in 1999.

When asked what it meant when McBrain told Dickinson he felt "betrayed" by his departure, McBrain explained that it was something he needed to express and that he had no regrets about saying so.

MAIDEN's return to the stage with Bruce Dickinson has been well-received, but some fans still have mixed feelings about the band's performance of songs from their Blaze era.

Singer Bruce Dickinson defended his decision to perform songs from those albums upon his return, stating that he was aware they were not in his range, but also not complaining about it.

In a recent interview with SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", bassist Steve Harris discussed why MAIDEN still include songs from their Blaze era in their setlists.

He explained that while those albums may not be as well-known as some of the band's other work, they are good songs and live, they come into their own.

Blaze Bayley has also spoken publicly about how his solo work has helped change the narrative around his time with MAIDEN.

The singer noted that he is hearing from fans more and more who are giving those albums a second chance."