[Music] RIP Paul Di’Anno

[Herr Tubthumper]

I really became aware of Maiden as a kid with Powerslave, which I adored and still do. I definitely bought No Prayer for the Dying when it came out in 1990, but I think it – and the band – got a bit lost to me during the whole grunge and indie era. Was reintroduced when someone got me a best of CD that had a couple of Brave New World tracks on it. Had a bit of catching up to do and just loved the sound of the second Bruce era. Such a fantastic band.

Same here. I first started liking them on Powerslave. I recall buying Live After Death in a record store in Lewes. Saw them twice on Somewhere Tour and then again on Seventh Son including Donington. Last album I bought was No Prayer. By this time I was at uni and listening to all sorts of stuff and my metal and rock interest dissipated. I still go to see the big bands and have seen Maiden a number of times over the past decade or so.

@thedonkeycentrehalf and myself have, unknowingly, crossed paths many times …..I have no doubt he was at one of these gigs as well. Or maybe in the record store?

 

[Trufflehound]

RIP Paul, but hardly a surprise.

Saw Iron Maiden 5 times in 1980/81 with Di'Anno. His rough and ready leather and denim approach was a breath of fresh air compared to all that crap spandex going around most of the NWOBHM scene at the time. Thanks to him I can claim:

a) to have appeared on an Iron Maiden record before Bruce Dickinson (probably) - background vocals (yo-di-yo chanting) on the live version of Drifter recorded at the Marquee that was on the B-side of Sanctuary

b) to have appeared on stage with Iron Maiden before Bruce Dickinson (probably) - 3rd air guitar from the left, several times - in the early days, Di'Anno was quite prone to saying "Right, I want to see all you lot on the stage right now"

c) to have had a pint with Steve Harris. Sheffield University, 1980. Gig cancelled at the last minute thanks to Di'Anno's alleged "sore throat" - for which read he was too off his face to get on stage. Harris, feeling bad about it, comes down to the bar to apologise in person to the few of us still sticking around and buys us all drinks.

Went off Maiden very quickly after Dickinson joined and they turned into Spinal Tap without the jokes...

 

[jamie-oh]

Prefer the Di'Anno era stuff myself as well - its just punkier and more immediate, and significantly less in the way of 14 minute nonsense epics featuring that ululating oaf Dickinson. There's always a place for Maiden, but i'm far happier with Steve Harris being the mouthpiece of the band instead of Bruce (cos hes a knob)

But that's just me, and the important bit is RIP Paul Di'Anno! Gonna bung on Killers right now

 

[METALMICKY]

I really became aware of Maiden as a kid with Powerslave, which I adored and still do. I definitely bought No Prayer for the Dying when it came out in 1990, but I think it – and the band – got a bit lost to me during the whole grunge and indie era. Was reintroduced when someone got me a best of CD that had a couple of Brave New World tracks on it. Had a bit of catching up to do and just loved the sound of the second Bruce era. Such a fantastic band.

Funny enough I think No Prayer for the Dying is easily the worst Bruce album with the exception of the title track and Holy Smoke.

The mid to late 90's nearly saw the end of Maiden. Grunge and Indie as you say was all the rage and Maiden's brand of classic rock was deemed very old hat. The hammer blow was Dickinson and Adrian Smith leaving and they recruited a decent enough vocalist in Blaze Bailey but he did not have the vocal range to sing the Bruce era songs live. They steadfastly decided to not tune down which might have helped him and the X Factor and Virtual XI were pretty weak and poorly produced. By 1998 they were no longer an arena/stadium act and were playing some pretty small gigs by their standards and could have folded.

However, the musical tide turned, they got Smith and Dickinson back in the fold and Brave New World was a brilliant album that heralded their ' second coming '. The rest is history is their career arc soared and they earned a whole new generation of fans.

 

[METALMICKY]

RIP Paul, but hardly a surprise.

Saw Iron Maiden 5 times in 1980/81 with Di'Anno. His rough and ready leather and denim approach was a breath of fresh air compared to all that crap spandex going around most of the NWOBHM scene at the time. Thanks to him I can claim:

a) to have appeared on an Iron Maiden record before Bruce Dickinson (probably) - background vocals (yo-di-yo chanting) on the live version of Drifter recorded at the Marquee that was on the B-side of Sanctuary

b) to have appeared on stage with Iron Maiden before Bruce Dickinson (probably) - 3rd air guitar from the left, several times - in the early days, Di'Anno was quite prone to saying "Right, I want to see all you lot on the stage right now"

c) to have had a pint with Steve Harris. Sheffield University, 1980. Gig cancelled at the last minute thanks to Di'Anno's alleged "sore throat" - for which read he was too off his face to get on stage. Harris, feeling bad about it, comes down to the bar to apologise in person to the few of us still sticking around and buys us all drinks.

Went off Maiden very quickly after Dickinson joined and they turned into Spinal Tap without the jokes...

Wow! That's some pretty cool experiences there. I think the Spinal Tap accusation is a tad harsh. I just think they like to put on a spectacle along with the music and I do think they have a sense of humour. Personally I think it's the likes of Alice Cooper and Rammstein who take it too far on the theatrics and pyro. I'm also not keen on Slipknot and the whole mask thing. All those cats make Maiden look like Abba by comparison.

 

[METALMICKY]

Prefer the Di'Anno era stuff myself as well - its just punkier and more immediate, and significantly less in the way of 14 minute nonsense epics featuring that ululating oaf Dickinson. There's always a place for Maiden, but i'm far happier with Steve Harris being the mouthpiece of the band instead of Bruce (cos hes a knob)

But that's just me, and the important bit is RIP Paul Di'Anno! Gonna bung on Killers right now

ululating! I had to look that up! I've very briefly met Steve and Bruce who are both very singularly determined individuals who don't suffer fools and no wonder they clashed in the past. Steve is the heart of the band and you can tell he's a little uneasy with the media circus which why Bruce tends to be the focal point. And of course Bruce gets plenty of press coverage for his many non musical activities outside of Maiden and a fairly successful solo career. Bruce on a good day is great, on a bad day is distinctly spikey! Ultimately, if you're wanting a beer with anyone it has to be drummer Nicko. I've met him twice and he was the most down to earth rocker you'd ever meet. Great sense of humour and had lots of time to talk to fans.

 

[BluesRockDJ]

I will be playing a track from him tomorrow on the KeeP106.com breakfast show tomorrow mornig between 8 x 10 am

 

[Doonhamer7]

My favourites are Piece of Mind and Somewhere in Time

 

[Doonhamer7]

Lovely tribute from Bruce Dickinson at Minneapolis gig last night (you can see on YouTub)

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Lovely tribute from Bruce Dickinson at Minneapolis gig last night (you can see on YouTub)

Nice tribute ruined by American fans who can't listen for more than a few seconds without saying something inane or making stupid noises.