On this day (October 21) in 2024, Paul Di’Anno, former vocalist for Iron Maiden, died at the age of 66. He was the legendary band’s lead singer from 1978 to 1981, long enough to appear on their first two albums: Iron Maiden and Killers. However, his career didn’t end after he left the band. Instead, he continued to make music until the end of his life.
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According to The Guardian, Di’Anno worked as a butcher and sang in a punk band in the years before he joined one of the biggest bands in the world. Then, in 1978, he met Steve Harris at the Red Lion pub in Leytonstone, England. Not long after they met, Di’Anno auditioned for Iron Maiden and got the gig.
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The late 1970s saw the rise of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, a group of groundbreaking metal bands that influenced bands around the world. For example, bands like Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer looked to groups under the NWOBHM umbrella for inspiration. Iron Maiden was one of the most successful bands in this rising movement. As a result, their early albums were hugely influential.
Going into their sophomore album, Killers, the band began making more complex music. At the same time, their rising popularity opened the door for large-scale touring. Di’Anno wasn’t interested in either of those things. As a result, he turned to substance abuse to ease his mind. Hard drugs and booze made the vocalist unpredictable and unreliable. So, in 1981, they opted to fire him and move forward with Bruce Dickinson.
Paul Di’Anno’s Career After Iron Maiden
Paul Di’Anno had a long career after leaving Iron Maiden. He formed and joined several bands and found moderate success throughout the years. He toured heavily in South America and Europe through the years, gathering countless fans along the way.
First, he formed Di’Anno. They released a live album and their self-titled debut album in 1984. He then shelved the project for nearly two decades. The band released Nomad in 2000 and The Book of the Beast in 2024. In 1985, Di’Anno joined the supergroup Gogmagog, which released a single album. The band consisted of Clive Burr (ex-Iron Maiden), Janick Gers (ex-Gillan), Pete Willis (ex-Def Leppard), and Neil Murray (ex-Whitesnake).
Di’Anno formed Battlezone in late 1985. This project would carry him through the remainder of the 1980s. They released two studio albums and a compilation in the ’80s. Then, in 1998, they released their final studio album. The 1990s saw Di’Anno and some former Battlezone members form Killers. The band was active through most of the decade before taking a five-year hiatus and returning in 2001.
In the late 2000s, Di’Anno formed Rockfellas, a short-lived group based in Brazil. He continued touring Europe and Asia with different backing bands throughout the 2010s. However, as the new decade dawned and his health got worse, Di’Anno slowed down, performing very few concerts.
On October 21, 2024, Paul Di’Anno died in his home in Salisbury, England, from an aortic dissection. However, he left behind an immortal legacy that helped shape the face of heavy music for generations to come.
Featured Image by Paul Natkin/Getty Images
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