Iron Maiden’s Former Singer Paul Di’Anno Passed Away At 66

Paul Di’Anno, the original frontman of heavy metal legends Iron Maiden, has passed away at the age of 66. His label, Conquest Music, confirmed the news, though no immediate cause of death was revealed.

In an official statement, the music label shared, “Despite being troubled by severe health issues in recent years that restricted him to performing in a wheelchair, Paul continued to entertain his fans around the world, racking up well over 100 shows since 2023.” Despite Di’Anno’s serious health challenges, he still shared his passion for music. His first career retrospective album, The Book of the Beast, was released in September, featuring recordings from his post-Iron Maiden years. Additionally, a documentary on his life, produced by Wes Orshoski, was reportedly in the works.

Paul Di’Anno’s Music Career with Iron Maiden

Born Paul Andrews on May 17, 1958, in Chingford, East London, Di’Anno started singing in various British rock bands as a teenager. His big break came in 1977 when he joined Iron Maiden, replacing former singer Dennis Wilcock. With his unique stage name, Di’Anno became the voice behind Iron Maiden’s first two iconic albums, music influences that would later shape the future of heavy metal.

The band’s self-titled debut album, released in 1980, was a game-changer. Combining elements of metal, punk, and progressive rock, Iron Maiden’s early sound influenced countless bands. Songs like “Iron Maiden,” “Sanctuary,” “Running Free,” and “Phantom of the Opera” became fan favorites and continue to be staples in the band’s setlists. The following year, they released Killers, which featured a more polished production and complex songwriting. Tracks like “Murders in the Rue Morgue” and “Wrathchild” highlighted Di’Anno’s vocal powers, with his intense howls becoming a signature of the band’s early sound.

Why Iron Maiden and Paul Di’Anno Parted Ways

Despite the success of Killers, Di’Anno’s time with Iron Maiden was short-lived. Tensions within the band, particularly between Di’Anno and bassist Steve Harris, began to mount during the tour for the album. After several canceled shows and concerns about Di’Anno’s vocal performances, the band decided to part ways with him. Di’Anno’s final show with Iron Maiden took place on September 10, 1981, in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Reflecting on his departure in later years, Di’Anno was candid about the split. “I don’t blame them for getting rid of me,” he told Metal Hammer in 2020.

“The band was Steve’s baby, but I wish I’d been able to contribute more. In the end, I couldn’t give 100 percent to Maiden anymore, and it wasn’t fair to the band, the fans, or to myself.”

Despite rumors that his exit was due to excessive drug use, Di’Anno denied this, stating in a 2013 interview, “I left Iron Maiden because they were going too heavy metal, and Iron Maiden is a money-making machine, and I don’t give a fuck about it. It was not about drugs.” However, he humorously added:

“But you need to take drugs when you’re with Iron Maiden because they’re so fucking boring. And the only drugs were aspirin because Steve — fuckin’ headache.”

Life After Iron Maiden

After leaving Iron Maiden, Di’Anno remained active in the music scene, though none of his subsequent projects reached the heights of his Maiden days. He formed bands like Di’Anno, Gogmagog, and Battlezone, and led the group Killers throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. He also continued to release solo albums and toured regularly.

Unfortunately, Di’Anno’s personal life was marred by legal troubles and health issues. In 2011, he pleaded guilty to benefit fraud and served two months of a nine-month prison sentence. In 2015, he battled a near-fatal case of sepsis, which left him hospitalized for eight months. Di’Anno also contracted MRSA twice, further complicating his health and delaying necessary knee surgeries.

In 2022, Di’Anno began receiving lymphatic drainage treatments in Croatia to prepare for another round of surgeries that would allow him to walk again after being wheelchair-bound for seven years. Despite his health struggles, he returned to the stage in May 2022, performing a set of Iron Maiden classics in Zagreb.

A Bittersweet Reunion

In a heartwarming turn of events, Di’Anno reunited with Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris backstage at a concert in Zagreb in 2022. It was the first time the two had seen each other in roughly 30 years. Shortly after their reunion, Iron Maiden stepped in to cover Di’Anno’s medical expenses, strengthening the bond that remained between the former bandmates. “It was quite emotional,” Di’Anno shared with The Metal Voice. “It’s made my whole year, actually. It was fantastic.”

Although Di’Anno’s time with Iron Maiden was brief, his contributions to the band’s first two albums remain foundational to the heavy metal genre. Both Iron Maiden and Killers continue to be hailed by fans and musicians alike, with Di’Anno noting in a 2020 interview:

“The two albums I made with the band were pivotal [to the metal genre]. Later on in my life when I met Metallica, Pantera, and Sepultura, and they told me that those albums were what got them into music, it made me incredibly proud.”