Original Iron Maiden Singer Paul Mario Day Dies at 66

Paul Mario Day, the first lead singer of Iron Maiden and later the frontman for the New Wave of British Heavy Metal band More, has passed away at the age of 69.

The band More announced his death on Facebook, expressing their sorrow:

“We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of the great Paul Mario Day. He played a key role in the NWOBHM movement, from his early involvement with Iron Maiden to his incredible work on our Warhead album.”

They praised his legacy in British rock and highlighted his performance at the legendary 1981 Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donington, sharing the stage with AC/DC and Whitesnake. The band also remembered touring alongside icons like Iron Maiden and Def Leppard.

Current More vocalist Mike Freeland described Day as a “bloody great vocalist,” and the band stated they’ll always think of him when performing “Warhead.” They extended condolences to Day’s loved ones and fans, encouraging everyone to “play his music loud and sing along.”

Career Highlights

Born on April 19, 1956, Day joined Iron Maiden in December 1975 at age 19, though his time with the band was short—he was replaced in October 1976 by Dennis Wilcock.

He later formed More in 1980, leading them through their debut album Warhead in 1981 before leaving prior to their second release, Blood & Thunder, in 1982.

Day went on to briefly front Wildfire (1983–1984) and then joined a reformed version of glam rock band Sweet in 1985. Alongside guitarist Andy Scott and drummer Mick Tucker, he performed on their 1986 live album Live at the Marquee.

Scott honored Day on social media, recalling how Day impressed him immediately during auditions. Their first gigs in Australia sold out, followed by strong success in Europe and three sold-out shows at London’s Marquee Club. Scott praised Day’s lasting vocal performance on the Live at the Marquee release.

Day on His Time With Iron Maiden

In a 2019 interview with Danish site Power of Metal, Day reflected on his early Iron Maiden days. At the time, he had little experience and was just starting to explore singing.

He approached bassist Steve Harris about joining the band, though Harris initially declined. A short time later, Harris invited him to audition, and Day became the band’s singer, performing Harris’s early compositions.

However, he was eventually let go due to what was seen as a lack of stage presence. Day recalled Harris urging him to be more dynamic and commanding on stage. Despite receiving repeated warnings, Day admitted he didn’t know how to improve his presence.

Being dismissed from the band was a painful but pivotal moment for him. “It was the worst experience,” he said, “but also the best lesson.” He used that hardship to grow and improve as a performer.