Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson has paid tribute to his predecessor Paul Di’Anno during a concert.
The death of Di’Anno, who sang for Maiden from 1978 to ’81 before being replaced by Dickinson, was announced on Monday. He was 66.
Last night (October 22), Maiden performed in St Paul, Minnesota, as part of their ongoing The Future Past world tour. Dickinson offered a speech about Di’Anno before the band played 2021 song The Time Machine, as seen in a video via X (formerly Twitter) below.
“I don’t wanna put a downer on proceedings at all,” Dickinson begins, “[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 goes on to call Di’Anno “instrumental” in Maiden’s development during their first two albums, 1980’s Iron Maiden and 1981’s Killers, and a “groundbreaking” figure. “[He had] an amazing voice,” he adds. “Devoted to rock’n’roll right up till the last minute of his life.”
Dickinson then leads a moment of silence for Di’Anno. “For those of you who were born and still remember those early albums, and those of you who were fans of Battlezone and his own projects he did afterwards, and for anybody else that fancies having a listen to tracks like Remember Tomorrow, I’m just gonna ask everybody to take a few seconds,” he says. “Close your eyes in silence and say – internally, mentally – if you believe in God, if you don’t, it doesn’t matter, believe in what you believe in and say, ‘Thanks boss.’”
The singer finishes: “Paul, if you’re listening, this is a little message from Minneapolis to wherever you are, upstairs or downstairs. They’re having fun! Minneapolis, for Paul Di’Anno, scream for me!”
Di’Anno’s passing was confirmed by his label, Conquest Music. He died of undisclosed causes at his home in Salisbury. Health issues in his later years had left him confined to a wheelchair, but he continued performing live up until his death.
Maiden founder and bassist Steve Harris paid tribute to his former bandmate, saying, “It’s just so sad he’s gone.”
Filmmaker Wes Orshonski, who co-directed 2010’s Lemmy, recently revealed that he’d been working on a documentary about Di’Anno. He hopes for it to hit festival screens in the spring.
Watch Iron Maiden pay respects to late singer Paul Di’Anno.The Time Machine in St. Paul Minnesota VIDEO CREDIT: Capnharris pic.twitter.com/BA6YH3qNmuOctober 23, 2024
