Iron Maiden founder Steve Harris shared his thoughts about former vocalist Paul Di’Anno in a recent interview with Classic Rock.
“Paul was a lovable rogue. He liked to annoy me by dressing up like Adam Ant. Anything to wind me up,” Harris said. “He liked to ruffle a few feathers, let’s put it that way. And ruffle he did. He used to call me Hitler. I’ve been called the Ayatollah and Sergeant Major, but Hitler takes the biscuit, really.”
“Paul’s voice had a certain quality to it. A rawness,” Harris continued. “But he didn’t look after himself. He had this self-destruct button. And I got the impression that he never really believed he had it in him to go to the next level. I think there was an insecurity there.”
Harris’s reflections stem from Di’Anno’s tenure with Iron Maiden. Their collaboration ended in 1981 after two albums with the band.
Di’Anno brought a distinctive punk-influenced vocal style to Iron Maiden’s early sound. His contributions shaped the band’s first two albums. Documentation from Last.fm highlights his raw, energetic vocals on the band’s self-titled debut album and ‘Killers’ as instrumental in establishing Iron Maiden’s initial direction.
The vocalist’s departure coincided with a pivotal moment in the band’s evolution. His ongoing struggles with vocal maintenance and personal issues led to his exit. Bruce Dickinson subsequently took over the vocal duties.
After leaving Iron Maiden, Di’Anno remained active in the music industry. He formed several bands including Battlezone and Killers. His presence in the metal scene continued throughout the following decades.
Health challenges marked Di’Anno’s later years. Metal industry veteran Eddie Trunk noted that despite these obstacles, Di’Anno performed whenever possible. His resilience and contributions to metal music earned lasting respect within the industry until his passing.
