Paul Di’Anno’s representatives confirmed his passing to Fox News Digital on Monday, stating that the singer died at his home in Salisbury, England.
In a statement to The Daily Mail, Di’Anno’s representatives and family said, “On behalf of his family, Conquest Music is saddened 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. Born in Chingford, East London, on May 17, 1958, Paul first gained prominence as the lead singer of the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden from 1978 to 1981.”
Di’Anno was the vocalist on Iron Maiden’s first two albums, Iron Maiden (1980) and Killers (1981).
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Paul Di’Anno joined Iron Maiden in 1978, after the band had undergone several lineup changes with different singers and musicians.
According to Ultimate Classic Rock, tensions within the band, along with canceled gigs and inconsistent live performances, eventually led to Di’Anno’s departure in 1981. He was subsequently replaced by Bruce Dickinson.
In a 2020 interview with Metal Hammer, Paul Di’Anno reflected on his departure from Iron Maiden, saying, “I don’t blame them for getting rid of me. Obviously, the band was Steve’s [Harris] baby, but I wish I’d been able to contribute more. After a while, that got me down. In the end, I couldn’t give 100 percent to Maiden anymore, and it wasn’t fair to the band, the fans, or myself.”
He also expressed pride in the legacy of his work with the band, adding, “The two albums I made with the band were pivotal [to the metal genre]. Later in life, when I met Metallica, Pantera, and Sepultura, and they told me those albums were what got them into music, it made me incredibly proud.”
“Conquest Music are proud to have had Paul Di’Anno in our artist family and ask his legion of fans to raise a glass in his memory.”
The statement also highlighted Paul Di’Anno’s extensive career after leaving Iron Maiden, stating, “Since leaving Iron Maiden, Paul Di’Anno had a long and eventful recording career with Battlezone and Killers, along with numerous solo releases and guest appearances.” It also mentioned that his first career retrospective album, The Book of the Beast, was released in September 2024, showcasing key highlights from his post-Iron Maiden recordings.
In the 2010s, Di’Anno began facing health challenges, including knee surgery in 2014 that led to him performing in a wheelchair at times. He also had a cancer scare.
Speaking to Classic Rock, Di’Anno recalled, “I collapsed at home after returning from Argentina, and a scan revealed a massive black shadow on my lungs. I thought I was on my way out, but it turned out to be non-malignant.”
He explained that it was actually a large infected abscess. “It was the size of a rugby ball. It turns out I’ve been living with this thing inside me for the last few years,” Di’Anno shared.
Di’Anno reflected on his health challenges, saying, “I suppose I’m pretty damn lucky, but the last six months have been hard.”
In a statement to the Daily Mail, his family noted, “Despite struggling with severe health issues in recent years, which confined him to performing in a wheelchair, Paul continued to entertain fans worldwide, completing over 100 shows since 2023.”
