Paul Di’Anno, the journeyman heavy metal vocalist best known for fronting Iron Maiden in their early years, has died aged 66. His label Conquest Music confirmed that he died at home in Salisbury, adding: “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.”
Born Paul Andrews in Chingford, east London, to a Brazilian father and British mother, Di’Anno joined the nascent Iron Maiden after an audition in November 1978, the band having been formed by bassist Steve Harris three years earlier.
Iron Maiden had already gone through two frontmen, and Di’Anno was initially unimpressed: “Their old singer had this silly sword and fake blood dripping from his mouth and me and my mate were pissing ourselves laughing,” he later said. “But when we started playing together it just seemed to gel.” In another interview, he explained: “The Maiden boys were lovely young people you could have introduced to your nan. She would have loved them. But if she’d met me, she’d have died of a heart attack within a minute … I brought them madness and an over-the-top aspect.”
Di’Anno suffered further illness, including an eight-month spell in hospital due to sepsis in 2015. But he continued to perform live, announcing his retirement from touring smaller venues earlier this year while saying he was still open to performing at festivals in 2025.