Photo Credit: Paul Di’Anno and Steve Harris in 1980 by Howard “Harry” Potts / CC by 2.0
The original Iron Maiden frontman, Paul Di’Anno has passed away at age 66, his label confirmed via the singer’s family.
Former Iron Maiden frontman Paul Di’Anno, the band’s original lead singer, has died at the age of 66. The news was confirmed by Di’Anno’s label, Conquest Music, per the singer’s family.
“On behalf of his family, Conquest Music are sad to confirm the death of Paul Andrews, professionally known as Paul Di’Anno,” reads a statement from the label. “Paul passed away at his home in Salisbury at the age of 66.”
“Born in Chingford, East London on 17th May 1958, Paul first came to prominence as lead singer of English Heavy Metal band, Iron Maiden, between 1978 and 1981. He sang on their groundbreaking debut album, Iron Maiden, and the influential follow-up release, Killers,” the statement continues.
“Since leaving Iron Maiden, Paul Di’Anno had a long and eventful recording career with Battlezone and Killers, as well as numerous solo releases and guest appearances.
“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.
“His first career retrospective album, The Book of the Beast, was released in September 2024 and featured highlights of his recordings since leaving Iron Maiden,” the label’s statement concludes. “Conquest Music are proud to have had Paul Di’Anno in our artist family and ask his legion of fans to raise a glass in his memory.”
Paul Di’Anno joined Iron Maiden in 1978 after he was invited to audition for the band, although he later claimed he he wasn’t sure if he was a perfect fit for the group. But he ultimately got the job, where his “reckless, mischievous energy” gave Iron Maiden an edge that helped set them apart from other groups in the early New Wave of British Heavy Metal.
His battles with addiction, distaste for life on the road, and frequently butting heads with Steve Harris led to his eventual dismissal from Iron Maiden.
“I don’t blame them for getting rid of me,” said Di’Anno in an interview with Metal Hammer. “Obviously, the band was Steve’s baby, but I wish I’d been able to contribute more. After a while, that got me down. In the end, I couldn’t give 100% to Maiden anymore and it wasn’t fair to the band, the fans, or to myself.”
Though his career was often beset with various health battles, Di’Anno continued to release music for over 40 years after his time with Iron Maiden. This includes his solo work and that with numerous metal and hard rock bands, most notably Battlezone and Killers, as well as the supergroup Gogmagog.
In the past ten years, Di’Anno continued to tour somewhat regularly and play live, despite continued health issues confining him to a wheelchair for much of that time. His final show was earlier this year at Hype Park in Krakow, Poland, on August 30.
