Paul Di’Anno, the iconic voice behind Iron Maiden’s first two albums, unfortunately passed away on October 21st. He was 66 years old. Of course, he wasn’t just involved with Maiden. He was associated with bands like Killers, Gogmagog, and Battlezone. He also released several solo albums. Here, I want to talk about the impact the first two Iron Maiden albums have had on me and pay tribute to Di’Anno, without whose singing I wouldn’t have had that impact.
My first introduction to Iron Maiden was through the song “Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter”. I was in high school. My close friends and I were super hungry to discover new bands all the time. Well, new to us anyway… I was already into bands like Megadeth, Metallica, and Anthrax. One day a friend played me the song I just mentioned and I loved it. So, this was Iron Maiden. So, what else had they done that I could check out?
Unsurprisingly, the first album of theirs I bought was “No Prayer for the Dying”. And I don’t rate that album as lowly as most Maiden fans would but it wasn’t the album that made me a fan. It was interesting enough, but I wasn’t blown away. Then, I found myself playing in a band for a short while. And the first song we decided to cover was “Phantom of the Opera”. I had to learn it. Sounded good to me. It was time for a new discovery!
…and what a discovery it was…
The album opened with this track called Prowler. The guitar work was already sounding great. I was pretty hooked. And then the vocals kicked in.
“Walkin’ through the city, looking oh so pretty.
I’ve just got to find my way.”
It was so raw and so powerful. I love Prowler for everything it offers, but the vocals are still the highlight for me. I don’t think anyone else can sing it the way he did. And every other song on the album had that magic. I mean, every member of Maiden delivered something great on the album. I can’t take anything away from that. But Paul’s delivery kicked things up a notch. He could go from a song like Remember Tomorrow and Charlotte the Harlot and prove that he wasn’t just a one trick pony. If I wasn’t a fan before, I was one now. Yes, this album showed me this was a band I needed to learn more about. I still love them but it was this debut that sealed the deal and Paul had a huge role in that.
Along the way, I also bought Killers. Another perfect album, just like the debut. It’s a classic. I prefer the debut over it, but many will say Killers is the quintessential Di’Anno era record. I certainly understand why they feel that way.
I have to be honest. I don’t really know too much about Paul’s projects outside of Iron Maiden. If you have any recommendations, let me know. I’d love to go on another discovery mission. But I know his voice well from those early Maiden records. As much as I love Bruce Dickinson and accept that he is the more appropriate singer for those classic ‘80s and early ‘90s Maiden records, Paul Di’Anno will always hold a special place in my heart as it was his voice that made me a fan of this band in the first place. I still sing Prowler at the top of my lungs when I hear it. I can’t actually sing but I love the energy the song brings. The kind of energy that only Paul could inject into the listeners’ lives.
This is a big loss for heavy metal. Rest in peace, Paul. Thanks for the music.
