Iron Maiden’s main vocalist on its first two albums, Paul Di’Anno, has died, according to a statement issued by his label on behalf of his family.
There was no cause of death reported, although he had been battling sickness for some years; he was 66 years old.
Di’Anno was Iron Maiden’s main vocalist from 1978 until 1981, appearing on both the band’s self-titled first album and its renowned follow-up, “Killers.” He was replaced by Bruce Dickinson, who has been the band’s vocalist ever since.
Di’Anno went on to head Battlezone and Killers, as well as record many solo albums. Despite suffering from health challenges in recent years, he has managed to play over 100 performances since 2023, according to the notice, which is reproduced below.
“On behalf of his family, Conquest Music are sad to confirm the death of Paul Andrews, professionally known as Paul Di’Anno,” according to a release.
Paul, 66, died at his home in Salisbury.
Paul was born on May 17, 1958, in Chingford, East London. He rose to notoriety as the main vocalist of the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden from 1978 until 1981. He sang on Iron Maiden’s seminal first album and its influential follow-up, Killers.
Since leaving Iron Maiden, Paul Di’Anno has had a long and exciting recording career with Battlezone and Killers, as well as several solo albums and guest appearances.
Despite being plagued by significant health concerns in recent years that forced him to perform in a wheelchair, Paul has persisted to delight his fans all over the globe, clocking well over 100 gigs since 2023.
READ MORE: Elvis Evolution: A Virtual Concert Featuring The Holographic Treatment Of The King Of Rock & Roll
His first career retrospective CD, The Book of the Beast, was released in September 2024 and included highlights from his recordings after leaving Iron Maiden.
Conquest Music is happy to have had Paul Di’Anno as a member of our artist family, and we invite his legions of admirers to raise a glass in his memory.”
Di’Anno was the voice of early Maiden classics such as “Running Free,” “Sanctuary,” “Twilight Zone/Wrathchild,” and others, and there were reports of disagreements between him, founder Steve Harris, and manager Rod Smallwood when he left the band in mid-1981, as well as dissatisfaction with his performances. However, he has strongly rejected such accusations in recent years.
“My record stands for itself,” he told Rock Hard magazine in 2022. “I’ve played more shows than Iron Maiden ever did…” So, it had nothing to do with my voice. I was simply unhappy about certain things that were secret inside the band. And although my approach to them may not have been ideal, I dealt with them nevertheless. That’s the end of it. And that’s all I’ll say.
Radiant TV, offering to elevate your entertainment game! Movies, TV series, exclusive interviews, music, and more—download now on various devices, including iPhones, Androids, smart TVs, Apple TV, Fire Stick, and more.
