Iron Maiden paid tribute to one of their own on Tuesday night (Oct. 22) during a show at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. During the show, singer Bruce Dickinson marked the passing of the band’s original lead singer, Paul Di’Anno, who died on Monday at 66 of undisclosed causes.
“I don’t wanna put a downer on proceedings at all,” Dickinson said in a video posted by a fan, “[but] our friend, our band member, Paul Di’Anno, passed away, as you’re probably aware. If you’re not aware of that fact, you are now.” Dickinson — who took over from Di’Anno after the late singer fronted the band on their self-titled 1980 debut and it’s 1981 follow-up, Killers — praised his predecessor for being “instrumental” on the band’s first two albums, calling his work “groundbreaking” on Killers and the debut LP and possessed of what he dubbed an “amazing voice.”
“Devoted to rock n’ roll right up til the last minute of his life,” Dickinson said of the singer who had taken to performing in a wheelchair during his final years due to a variety of health issues. As fans clapped, cheered and yelled “we love you Paul!,” Dickinson paid tribute to D’Anno and asked the audience to keep him in their thoughts.
“For those of you who were born and still remember those early albums, and those of you who were fans of [Di’Anno’s post-Maiden band] Battlezone and his own projects he did afterwards, and for anybody else that fancies having a listen to tracks like ‘Remember Tomorrow’ and stuff like that, I’m just gonna ask everybody to take a few seconds,” he said holding up his right hand. “Close your eyes in silence and say — just internally, mentally — if you believe in God, if you don’t believe in God, it doesn’t matter, believe in what you believe in and say, ‘Thanks boss, for doing what you did.’”
He ended with a final goodbye. “So, Paul, if you’re listening, this is a little message from Minneapolis to wherever you are, upstairs or downstairs, you’re having fun! Minneapolis, for Paul Di’Anno, scream for me!”
Di’Anno’s label announced on Monday that he’d died from undisclosed causes at his home in Salisbury, U.K. After helping to cement the British metal band’s signature mix of prog, punk and hard rock from 1978-1981, Di’Anno recorded a number of solo albums, as well as LPs with the band Di’Anno’s Battlezone, Gogmagog, Killers, Praying Matins, Rockfellas and more.
Maiden issued a statement honoring Di’Anno on Monday, writing, “We are all deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Paul Di’Anno earlier today. Paul’s contribution to Iron Maiden was immense and helped set us on the path we have been travelling as a band for almost five decades. His pioneering presence as a frontman and vocalist, both on stage and on our first two albums, will be very fondly remembered not just by us, but by fans around the world.”
