“The news of Paul Di'Anno's passing has deeply saddened us.” Thus begins the message spread by Iron Maiden after the death of their former singer. Di'Anno, who was 66, was not Maiden's first ever singer, but he was instrumental in the early records, singing in Iron Maiden And Killersonly to be replaced by Bruce Dickinson. His story will be told in a documentary that will be released in 2025 and on which the singer worked before his death.
«The contribution he gave to Iron Maiden is immense», continues the Maiden message, «he helped us embark on the path we have been on for almost five decades. We will fondly remember her presence in the pioneering years as frontman and singer, both on stage and on the first two albums, and like us she will be remembered by fans around the world. We're grateful to have had the chance to meet up again a couple of years ago and spend some more time with him.”
In the same social message, Steve Harris expresses his sadness at the passing. «We had recently resumed contact, massaging ourselves over the ups and downs of West Ham», the London football team. “At least until recently he was still going around singing, performing whenever he could helped him keep going.”
Serious health problems had in fact forced Di'Anno to perform in wheelchairs for some time. He had gone to Croatia to have a knee operation which would have been too expensive in England. He had also taken some time off from touring “for my own sanity, I've had suicidal thoughts in recent years, it's just too much, I'm not one of those guys who can sit around all day.”
However, going on tour was not recommended for his health. “It prevents me from getting the physical therapy or lymphatic drainage that I need,” he said months ago. «Sometimes I succeed, but not always. It's very difficult. And obviously there are transfers, airplanes, buses. But playing live is good for the mood.”
«I spend a lot of time alone, I live in the countryside and not many people come to visit me. And I've been very ill in the last few months, I've been getting one infection after another, last year I got pneumonia in Mexico where I went for physiotherapy after the tour.”
After publishing a collection of post-Maiden material entitled The Book of the BeastDi'Anno had announced a farewell tour that would end in 2025. Four dates were planned in Italy in December. A few months ago the production of a documentary about him was announced, produced by Wes Orshoski, the same as Lemmyabout the Motörhead singer, and of The Damned: Don't You Wish That We Were Dead.
Orshoski himself wrote after his death that Di'Anno “struggled to get back on his feet, literally, emotionally and professionally.” The film, which will be released next year, «will show how hard his life was in the last decade and how much he fought to change things. Maybe he has finally found peace. Say hello to Clive for us, legend!