[Music] RIP Paul Di’Anno

[Superphil]

Paul Di'Anno, the singer on Iron Maidens seminal early albums, Iron Maiden and Killers.

He was only 66, and was touring very recently too. Great voice, immense personality, paved the way for many a hard rock and heavy metal vocalist.

 

[METALMICKY]

As a complete Maiden fanatic this is sad but not totally unexpected news. There is no doubt his less typical more punk style gruff vocal delivery helped Maiden break through and stand out from the crowd on the first two albums. For that Maiden fans have always been grateful.

Sadly in the ensuing years he did himself no favours by slagging off Maiden whilst vigorously living off the association. Aside from bouts of serious illness there was also the conviction for benefit fraud. His recent performances were also embarrassing and sad compared to what he did for Maiden in his youth.

Thankfully, he'd recently kissed and made up with both Bruce Dickinson and Steve Harris and they paid his extensive medical bills.

RIP Paul and let's remember you at your best!

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Iron Maiden by Iron Maiden is one of the grestest debut albums of all time. Rip Paul

 

[hart's shirt]

*raises a glass of Lucozade in appreciation*

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Sad. He’s had various health issues so it doesn’t surprise me. He leaves behind two iconic albums. RIP

 

[Driver8]

Sad. I preferred his vocals to Bruce’s but seem to remember he had issues playing live. Bruce definitely the better front man. RIP.

 

[Muhammad - I’m hard - Bruce Lee]

Fronted the band the first time I ever saw them around 1979-80ish.
Hadn’t gone to see them, had never heard of them. They were supporting Judas Priest.
Only support act I’ve ever seen to clear the bar area and get 4 encores.

 

[METALMICKY]

With all these Resting In Peaces does it mean the death rate is up or are there more people that qualify for an "official" Rest In Peace. Thoughts and Prayers will always be welcome but not always appreciated when action is required.

Sorry really not sure what you're saying in your second statement? And apologies if I've wrongly interpreted your first sentence but it looks facetious. If you neither know or care who Paul Dianno was just move along and let those of us who think he contributed something musically to our lives pay tribute.

 

[METALMICKY]

Sad. I preferred his vocals to Bruce’s but seem to remember he had issues playing live. Bruce definitely the better front man. RIP.

Paul's problem was 'playing' too hard away from the stage with the usual rock star attraction to booze and substances. His performances on stage started to suffer and he couldn't cope with the all ready punishing touring schedule. Bruce not only had a much wider vocal range but as you suggest knows how to work a crowd.

 

[The Clamp]

I have enjoyed Iron Maidens since the mid 80’s but their early performances are almost indistinguishable from This Is Spinal Tap.

“Women in Uniform”

Beehive hairdo, 45 on the hip
Patrolwoman Saunders, don't you give her no lip
Took me to the station for a breathtest
then back to the bedroom for some house-arrest
Women in uniform, sometimes they look so cold
Women in uniform, but, Oh! They feel so warm


Coming back to London on a 747
Stewardess made me feel like I'm in heaven
Looking up the aisle to see what I could see
She leaned over said; COFFEE, TEA OR ME ?


White apron, brown leather shoes
The nurse at the clinic left my heart all bruised
BROKE MY LEFT LEG, sprained my right
Now she takes my temperature every night
Women in uniform, Women in uniform
Women in uniform, Women in uniform


Commando raid on the Lebanese border
Sergeant Anita, she gives the order
Khaki jacket and a STEN gun
Baby, I surrender, let's have some fun


Women in uniform, Women in uniform
Women in uniform, Women in uniform
Women in uniform, Khaki, white and blue
Women in uniform, coming after you
Women, women, Women in uniform
Women, women, Women in uniform
Women in uniform, sometimes they look so cold
Women in uniform, but, Oh! They feel so warm

 

[Randy McNob]

Iron Maiden by Iron Maiden is one of the grestest debut albums of all time. Rip Paul

I used to be into Maiden back in the 90's and I think Killers is their best album

 

[METALMICKY]

I have enjoyed Iron Maidens since the mid 80’s but their early performances are almost indistinguishable from This Is Spinal Tap.

“Women in Uniform”

Beehive hairdo, 45 on the hip
Patrolwoman Saunders, don't you give her no lip
Took me to the station for a breathtest
then back to the bedroom for some house-arrest
Women in uniform, sometimes they look so cold
Women in uniform, but, Oh! They feel so warm


Coming back to London on a 747
Stewardess made me feel like I'm in heaven
Looking up the aisle to see what I could see
She leaned over said; COFFEE, TEA OR ME ?


White apron, brown leather shoes
The nurse at the clinic left my heart all bruised
BROKE MY LEFT LEG, sprained my right
Now she takes my temperature every night
Women in uniform, Women in uniform
Women in uniform, Women in uniform


Commando raid on the Lebanese border
Sergeant Anita, she gives the order
Khaki jacket and a STEN gun
Baby, I surrender, let's have some fun


Women in uniform, Women in uniform
Women in uniform, Women in uniform
Women in uniform, Khaki, white and blue
Women in uniform, coming after you
Women, women, Women in uniform
Women, women, Women in uniform
Women in uniform, sometimes they look so cold
Women in uniform, but, Oh! They feel so warm

You do realise that that was not their own song but a cover version they felt pressured into releasing by their then publishing company Zomba. They've always denounced it's release as a mistake.

 

[Jackthelad]

Some people are just not made for it long-term in that high profile position. There are rare people like Dave Mustaine who lived the life got kicked out by Metallica but had a great career with his own band. At his youth peak he had a better voice than Bruce who I also like. Anyway RIP Paul, sounds like he had a good career in music was busy.

 

[Kosh]

Me and my bro used to listen to the debut quite a bit back in our youth… some great memories for me personally around that time and my discovery of all that rocks…

Maiden, Purps… Wishbone Ash, Heep, Angel Witch… pretty much guided me along a dark tree shrouded path from which I never returned…

RIP Paul

 

[METALMICKY]

Some people are just not made for it long-term in that high profile position. There are rare people like Dave Mustaine who lived the life got kicked out by Metallica but had a great career with his own band. At his youth peak he had a better voice than Bruce who I also like. Anyway RIP Paul, sounds like he had a good career in music was busy.

That's a pretty fair assessment. Fame and it's pressures came too quickly and early for Paul. Steve Harris and their manager Rod Smallwood ( lives in Hove ) were never going to let Paul's frailties derail the Maiden promotional juggernaut back then which was based on relentless touring.

You make a brilliant observation about Mustaine who was similarly sacked by Metallica for drinking too much but in the ensuing years he turned it round to have his own successful band. If only Paul could have done that. Instead he had a distinctly modest career that lived off the Maiden association whilst he slagged them off.

At his peak he had a distinctly different voice to Bruce. The short hair and the rasping more growling punk style delivery helped them stand out from the crowd who had more typical vocalists. His contribution to their success can never be denied or under stated and it's sad how it ended.

 

[The Clamp]

You do realise that that was not their own song but a cover version they felt pressured into releasing by their then publishing company Zomba. They've always denounced it's release as a mistake.

I’m aware it was a cover.

My point still stands I think. They resembled Spinal Tap in the early years.

 

[Kosh]

I’m aware it was a cover.

My point still stands I think. They resembled Spinal Tap in the early years.

I suspect ‘tap chose to resemble them to be fair… which is probably enough to suggest that Maiden we’re good enough to parody whilst producing awesome piss takes like Stone’enge …

Maiden never took themselves too seriously, theatrics aplenty … they even seemed to parody Deep Purple (Perfect Strangers vid) for the obviously tongue in cheek Holy Smoke which inspired me to try and write a song called unholy nuns… I never got beyond the opening line:

“kneel and pray, the father, the son… time to flee, time to run… up from the crypt, rise the unholy nuns…”

Brilliant band from the outset imho.

 

[METALMICKY]

I’m aware it was a cover.

My point still stands I think. They resembled Spinal Tap in the early years.

If anything the Spinal Tap charge is perhaps more valid from the mid 80's when Paul had left and the stage sets became more spectacular and elaborate. However, I'd always argue that Maiden's approach has always been greatly tongue in cheek with few ' collapsing Stone Henge' moments. The whole Eddie mascot and the Maiden font has proven to be a brilliant marketing ploy and exercise in branding. People might not like them but the world has heard of them!

 

[The Clamp]

If anything the Spinal Tap charge is perhaps more valid from the mid 80's when Paul had left and the stage sets became more spectacular and elaborate. However, I'd always argue that Maiden's approach has always been greatly tongue in cheek with few ' collapsing Stone Henge' moments. The whole Eddie mascot and the Maiden font has proven to be a brilliant marketing ploy and exercise in branding. People might not like them but the world has heard of them!

Yeah, I’d agree with that.

I didn’t really listen to them before Bruce took the reins and I don’t much like the Paul Dianno era.

Nothing against the guy, just not my thing.

Maiden are one of my favourite bands for all the reasons you write and nobody can deny they are just one heck of a rollicking band.

Seen them live a few times and alongside AC/DC they are one of the best live rock bands I’ve seen.



Yeah they are a bit tongue in cheek and silly but when it comes to laying down pure rock belters they bring it.

 

[METALMICKY]

Yeah, I’d agree with that.

I didn’t really listen to them before Bruce took the reins and I don’t much like the Paul Dianno era.

Nothing against the guy, just not my thing.

Maiden are one of my favourite bands for all the reasons you write and nobody can deny they are just one heck of a rollicking band.

Seen them live a few times and alongside AC/DC they are one of the best live rock bands I’ve seen.



Yeah they are a bit tongue in cheek and silly but when it comes to laying down pure rock belters they bring it.

My only criticism in recent years is they've over done it with the too many prog rock like tracks dominating their albums. Too many 6 minute plus songs isn't always easily digestible. You need light and shade with a mix of the sprawling story telling epics and the 3 minute belters.