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Paul Di'Anno

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Paul Di'Anno, whose real name was Paul Andrews, was born in 1958 in Chingford, Essex, and became an English heavy metal singer. His father was Brazilian. As a teenager he sang in various rock and metal bands and worked as a butcher and a cook. He came to Iron Maiden through the drummer Doug Sampson, an old friend of the bassist and founder Steve Harris. From 1978 to 1981 he was the band's lead singer.

Music and breakthrough

With him Iron Maiden recorded two albums: the self-titled debut Iron Maiden from 1980 and Killers from 1981, plus the live EP Maiden Japan. The debut is regarded as a classic of the genre. On it the band combined the energy of punk with the riffs of metal and the complexity of progressive rock. That became a model for later thrash metal and speed metal. Di'Anno's drug use made him increasingly unreliable in 1981, and Iron Maiden looked for a singer who could cope with a long tour. His place went to Bruce Dickinson, formerly of Samson. His last performance with the band was on 10 September 1981 in Copenhagen.

Influence

Afterwards Di'Anno made countless records, as a solo artist and with bands such as Di'Anno, Gogmagog, Battlezone, Killers and Praying Mantis. His first project after Maiden sounded more American, in the direction of Journey and Foreigner. He died in 2024. His singing from those years is part of the sound with which Iron Maiden began.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Remember Tomorrow by Iron Maiden. Notice Di'Anno's singing, and how punk energy and metal riffs come together.

Discography

Studio albums

Categories: Artists