Paul Di'Anno, the original lead vocalist of the renowned metal group Iron Maiden, has tragically died at 66.
The legendary frontman who sang for Iron Maiden between '78 and '81 had his death confirmed on a social network page dedicated to him this past Monday. Di'Anno's passing was announced through an emotional statement from his record label, which said: "On behalf of his family, Conquest Music are sad to confirm the death of Paul Andrews, professionally known as Paul Di'Anno. Paul passed away at his home in Salisbury at the age of 66."
Adding to the solemn news, the statement highlighted: "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.
"Conquest Music are proud to have had [Paul] in our artist family and ask his legion of fans to raise a glass in his memory," reports the Mirror.
Di'Anno was kicked out of the band, paving the way for Bruce Dickinson, the current longtime vocalist. Post-Iron Maiden, Di'Anno led various bands like Killers and Battlezone, while also launching solo albums.
Fans flooded X with their tributes to the man, with one writing: "Damn!!! The voice that started Maiden...LEGEND!", as another added: "Totally saddened, but not shocked given he’s been dealing with health issues over the years. Shame he didn’t get better. I dig Bruce but the Di’Anno albums hit so much different ! Hope he’s catching up with Clive… Rage In Power, Paul".
A third chimed in: "RIP underrated frontman did alot for the band during its inception. Killers is a top 3 maiden album and def has the most consistent track list." A fourth tweeted: "As soon as I heard 'walking through the city looking all so pretty', I knew I was hooked. While Bruce might of been a better performer, he still couldn't quite capture the raw energy of the song Iron Maiden or Running Free. Rest in peace Paul and thank you."
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