Iron Maiden’s former frontman Paul Di’Anno died last year at the age of 66, with the rocker passing away penniless and alone in a council flat after being sacked from the band
Paul Di’Anno, the former frontman of Iron Maiden, tragically passed away last year at the age of 66, leaving behind a life marked by financial struggles and solitude. Despite having two successful albums under his belt with the band, the rocker was dismissed due to his penchant for partying and drugs, causing friction within the group and leading to his exit at just 23 years old.
In his later years, Paul found himself wheelchair-bound and sold off his royalty rights for a mere £50,000. Born Paul Andrews in Chingford, Essex, he joined Iron Maiden in 1978 and departed in 1981, making way for Bruce Dickinson to take over as frontman more than four decades ago.
He was discovered unresponsive in his ground-floor flat in Wiltshire in October 2024.
Bruce paid tribute to his predecessor during a moment of silence, saying: “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!”
Following a stage accident in 2015 that resulted in knee injuries, Paul had been reliant on a wheelchair. The injuries eventually led to sepsis, landing him in hospital for several months, reports the Express.
A neighbour shared with MailOnline: “Two nurses or carers greeted the paramedics and let them into the property. I think it must have been them who found Paul and raised the alarm.”
The same neighbour fondly remembered Paul as someone who was “always smiling and waving” whenever they passed by.
Following his death, a statement from Paul’s label read: “On behalf of his family, Conquest Music are sad to confirm the death of Paul Andrews, professionally known as Paul Di’Anno.”
The statement continued: “He sang on their groundbreaking debut album Iron Maiden, and the influential follow-up release, Killers.
“Since leaving Iron Maiden, Paul Di’Anno had a long and eventful recording career with Battlezone and Killers as well as numerous solo releases and guest appearances.
“Despite being troubled by severe health issues in recent years that restricted him to performing in a wheelchair, Paul continued to entertain his fans around the world, racking up well over 100 shows since 2023.”
The statement concluded: “Conquest Music are proud to have had Paul Di’Anno in our artist family and ask his legion of fans to raise a glass in his memory.”
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