Original Iron Maiden singer Paul D'Anno has died aged 66

Paul Di'Anno, the original singer of heavy metal band Iron Maiden, has died aged 66.

Born Paul Andrews, the musician featured on the band's first two albums, Iron Maiden and Killers, making them an important part of the new wave of British heavy metal.

He left the band in 1981 and was replaced by Bruce Dickinson. Di'Anno later admitted that he partied “non-stop, 24 hours a day” and that the effects of his lifestyle “wasn't fair to the band, the fans or myself“.

However, he had a long and eventful career as a musician with groups like Battlezone and Killers and had spent this summer touring European rock festivals.

His death was announced on behalf of his family by the record label Conquest Music.

A statement said Di'Anno “passed away at his home in Salisbury.” A cause of death was not given.

“Conquest Music is proud to have Paul Di'Anno in our artistic family and asks his fans to raise a glass to him,” they added.

Di'Anno was born in Chingford, east London, in 1958 and sang in numerous bands as a teenager while working as a butcher and chef.

In 1977, he became friends with bassist Steve Harris, who was looking for a singer for his up-and-coming metal band Iron Maiden. Di'Anno auditioned and got the job.

Their sound was exceptional during the rise of punk rock and they struggled to get gigs outside of London. To address the problem, they decided to create a demo tape to boost business.

The three-track demo known as the “Soundhouse Tapes” achieved cult status and sold 5,000 copies by mail order.

By 1979 they had signed a record deal with EMI and began recording their self-titled debut.

Although it was put together in a hurry, the album had a huge impact – with its combination of punk intensity and rock riffs, it set the template for heavy metal in the 1980s.

In April 1980 it entered the UK album charts at number four and the success of the single “Running Free” earned the band a coveted spot on the music TV show Top of the Pops.

The follow-up album “Killers” from 1981 again had a harder sound. However, after a world tour, Di'Anno was either kicked out of the band or left the band of his own accord.

Either way, he said success took him to a dark place.

“I was quite an exaggerated character, but I really gave it my all,” he told Rock Hard magazine in 2004.

“I was on another planet, just like the rest of the band.”

With the takeover by Dickinson, Iron Maiden developed into one of the most successful rock groups with genre-defining hits such as “Run To The Hills” and “Can I Play With Madness”.

But Di'Anno never held a grudge against the band or his successor.

“Everyone thinks we hated each other, which is (completely wrong)” he told SDTV in an interview last month. “That’s the press for you.”

He also denied rumors that he was underpaid for his contribution to Iron Maiden's first two albums, which included co-writing credits on key tracks such as “Remember Tomorrow,” “Killers,” “Sanctuary” and “Running Free.”

“To be honest, it's nobody's business, but I was paid very well,” he told Rock Hard in 2022.

“They took care of me. End of story.”

After leaving Iron Maiden, Di'Anno's harsh, aggressive vocals were cited as an influence by metal bands such as Metallica, Pantera and Sepultura.

He remained faithful to music, both as a solo artist and as a member of bands such as Gogmagog, Battlezone, Praying Mantis and Killers.

In recent years, he has had to use a wheelchair due to serious health problems, including lymphedema, a condition that causes swelling of the body's tissues. In 2022, fans helped him raise money for major knee surgery in Croatia.

Despite this, he maintained a solid touring schedule, playing more than 100 shows in 2023 and 2024.

Last month, a career retrospective album, The Book of the Beast, was released, containing highlights of his solo career and two “reworked” versions of Iron Maiden songs Tomorrow and Wrathchild.

A documentary about his life is scheduled to be released at the end of the year.