Linda McDonald

Linda McDonald
Linda McDonald during her Phantom Blue days
Background information
Birth name	Linda Ann McDonald
Also known as	Nikki McBurrain (The Iron Maidens) Brandy Castillo (The Little Dolls)
Origin	Great Falls, Montana, U.S.
Genres	Heavy metal, hard rock, tribute
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Drums
Years active	1989—present
Labels	DRZ, Powerslave, Geffen, Roadrunner, Shrapnel
Associated acts	The Iron Maidens, Phantom Blue, The Little Dolls, Crabby Patty (I'm So Unclear!), Unholy Pink, Valley Dolls, Carina Alfie, Meldrum
Website	Linda McDonald on Myspace
Notable instruments
DW Drums Paiste Cymbals

Linda McDonald is the drummer of the all-female tribute band The Iron Maidens (billed as the "World's Only Female Tribute to Iron Maiden"). In addition, she is a member of the Ozzy Osbourne tribute band The Little Dolls (billed as "All Female, All Ozzy, All The Time...Covering All Eras Of Ozzy") and the cover bands Valley Dolls, Crabby Patty (I'm So Unclear!) and Unholy Pink. Prior to those works, McDonald was the drummer/co-founder of the all-female heavy metal band Phantom Blue from its inception in 1987 to its demise in 2001.

Of Irish and Japanese descent, Linda McDonald was inspired to take up instruments after listening to her brother's copy of Iron Maiden's Maiden Japan live EP. While she took up piano, guitar and violin, her self-taught drumming skills stood out the most. Following a short stint with a three-piece female band called Andromeda, McDonald became a founding member of Phantom Blue. And while the band found some success with their self-titled debut album in 1989, the rest of their career was marred by instability with management, record labels and numerous personnel changes. By the late 1990s, McDonald was the only original member of Phantom Blue. Their last recording was the EP Full Blown (1998) before they went their separate ways in 2001.

Shortly after Phantom Blue's demise, McDonald - along with band mate Josephine Soegijanty and ex-Bandit member Sara Marsh - joined vocalist Jenny Warren and bassist Melanie Sisneros to form The Iron Maidens, an all-female tribute band to Iron Maiden. McDonald has remained the original band member since then. As a member of The Iron Maidens, McDonald's stage name is "Nikki McBurrain," an amalgamation of Iron Maiden's former drummer Clive Burr and their current drummer Nicko McBrain. And much like McBrain with his drum kit, McDonald has hers decorated with a Sooty puppet. Her favorite Iron Maiden songs are "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", "Children of the Damned" and "The Prisoner"