Late last year Nicko was invited by his friends Ian Gillan and Tony Iommi to record some songs, along with fellow musicians Linde Lindström, Jon Lord and Jason Newsted, as part of the charity project Rock Aid Armenia, with all proceeds going towards the rebuilding of an earthquake-damaged music school in Gyumri, Armenia.

These recordings are now due to be released by Ear Music on May 6th 2011 under the name WHO CARES. "Out Of My Mind" and "Holy Water" are the two brand new studio tracks which will be made available as digital download / 2 track CD single + video + 30min documentary / Super Deluxe 7" vinyl edition limited to 1000 units worldwide! To view a video of the recording session and to find out more about Rock Aid Armenia click here: http://www.youtube.com/earmusicofficial#p/u/12/alwYQMGtvzE

London, 11 April 2011 -- Artists and songwriters including Katy Perry, The Beatles, David Bowie, The Beach Boys, Iron Maiden, Gorillaz, Sting, David Gilmour and Tinie Tempah have donated exclusive personal items and memorabilia to the second phase of the EMI family's charity auction to raise funds to help the Red Cross support people affected by last month's earthquake and tsunami in Japan. 

The latest round of the charity auction, which is one of the biggest in eBay's history, kicks off today and closes on April 21.

All funds raised from the charity auction will be used towards the Japanese Red Cross disaster relief efforts to help those affected by the earthquake and tsunami. Funds will be used for the on-going provision of immediate relief to support the affected population during their recovery. EMI Group has committed to match all funds raised from the auction up to a maximum of one million euros.

Premier Music International Limited is delighted to announce a unique and wide ranging licensing deal in association with Nicko McBrain and Iron Maiden. This exclusive series of professional and mass-market branded drum products will be launched in September 2011. Last year Premier supplied the new Premier Series Elite kit with custom artwork for Maiden's "The Final Frontier World Tour" which opened in North America in June 2010, and is currently underway in South America before heading into Europe where it will culminate with a UK Arena tour in July and August.

Nicko and Premier will be collaborating on a series of professional signature items including drumsets and snare drums alongside reissuing authentic replicas of Nicko's tour kits including the iconic monochrome kit used on the 2003  "Give Me Ed 'til I'm Dead" tour. This creative relationship  provides, for the first time, a range of Nicko and Iron Maiden-inspired drumset products, officially authorised by Nicko on behalf of the band.