Paul Di'Anno, former Iron Maiden frontman, dies aged 66 | metal

Paul Di'Anno, the veteran heavy metal singer best known as the frontman of Iron Maiden at a young age, has died at the age of 66.

His label Conquest Music confirmed he had died at home in Salisbury, adding: “Despite suffering serious health problems in recent years which prevented him from performing in a wheelchair, Paul continued to entertain his fans around the world and counted well over 100 fans.” Shows since 2023.”

Born Paul Andrews in Chingford, east London, to a Brazilian father and a British mother, after an audition in November 1978, Di'Anno joined the up-and-coming Iron Maiden, who had been formed three years earlier by bassist Steve Harris.

Iron Maiden had already experienced two frontmen, and Di'Anno was initially unimpressed: “Their old singer had this silly sword and fake blood dripping out of his mouth, and my buddy and I were cracking up laughing,” he later said. “But when we started playing together it just seemed right.” In another interview, he explained: “The Maiden boys were nice young people who you could have introduced to your grandma. She would have loved them. But if she had hit me, she would have died of a heart attack within a minute… I brought them madness and an exaggerated look.”

Di'Anno sang on the band's 1980 self-titled debut, which reached No. 4 in the UK charts, and sang with an impressively direct and raunchy roar, as well as on its 1981 follow-up, Killers.

However, by his own admission, Di'Anno had problems with substance use. “I didn't just snort a little bit of cocaine… I just enjoyed it non-stop, 24 hours a day, every day,” he later said. “I just couldn't see it through to the end.” He also described personal conflicts with Harris. He was fired after the Killers' world tour and replaced by Bruce Dickinson, who has been the band's frontman ever since (except for most of the 1990s).

Iron Maiden paid tribute to Di'Anno, saying, “Paul's contribution to Iron Maiden was immense and helped set us on the path we have taken as a band for nearly five decades.” His groundbreaking presence as a frontman and vocalist, both on the stage as well as on our first two albums, will be fondly remembered not only by us, but also by fans all over the world.”

Di'Anno progressed with his own music, first with a self-titled project, then with the equally short-lived supergroup Gogmagog, which included former Iron Maiden drummer Clive Burr and future guitarist Janick Gers. His next band, Battlezone, fared better, releasing two studio albums in 1986 and 1987.

Di'Anno fronted the heavy metal band Praying Mantis for a while before forming another new band, Killers, which also released two studio albums. Other projects included the groups Nomad and RockFellas.

He was imprisoned in the US in the early 1990s after attacking a girlfriend with a knife. He later said: “What I regret most is the incidents of domestic violence in my past, I'm really ashamed of them.” But then it was prison that finally made me order my life so that there was something good in it.” He was also charged with drug and firearms offenses and later said, “I was in jail a few times for guns and drugs.” He was banned from touring in the United States for several years.

He later sustained knee injuries in a stage accident and while riding a motorcycle and began using a wheelchair. In 2011 he was sentenced to nine months in prison for welfare fraud after telling the Department for Work and Pensions that he was unfit to work while continuing to perform around the world. His lawyer said at the time: “He was obsessed with music and performing. He is very naive in business matters and has no formal training.”

Di'Anno suffered further illnesses, including an eight-month hospitalization due to sepsis in 2015. However, he continued to perform live and announced his retirement from touring in smaller venues earlier this year, but said he was still open to performing at festivals in 2025.