Iron Maiden have paid tribute to their original lead singer Paul Mario Day, who has died at the age of 69, with the heavy metal band “deeply saddened” by the news
Iron Maiden have expressed their deep sorrow following the death of their original lead singer, Paul Mario Day. The news of the passing of the brief-term vocalist of the iconic heavy metal band – who was part of the group from 1975 to 1976 – was shared by his other former band, More, on Tuesday (July 29).
In a heartfelt social media tribute, the band wrote: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the great MORE vocalist Paul Mario Day. Paul was a huge part of the [New Wave of British Heavy Metal] from his time in an early version of Iron Maiden and of course his fantastic performance on the Warhead album.”
The tribute went on to say: “He was a well loved figure in British rock music and played many memorable shows not least the legendary 1981 Monsters of Rock show at Castle Donington with AC/DC, Whitesnake/David Coverdale as well as tours with Iron Maiden Def Leppard and many other legendary artists.
“Mike Freeland remembers him fondly as a ‘bloody great vocalist!’ It’s an honour for us to continue to play his music and we will always think of him every time we hit the opening notes to Warhead. We send our deepest condolences to Paul’s family and friends and also the many fans around the world who love his music.”
Iron Maiden, now led by Bruce Dickinson, have since paid their respects, describing Paul, who was 69, as “a lovely person and good mate”.
The group expressed their sorrow, stating: “We are deeply saddened that Paul Mario Day, Iron Maiden’s first ever vocalist back in 1975, has passed away. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to Paul’s family and friends.”
They fondly remembered him, saying: “Paul was a lovely person and good mate.”
The tribute continued with a simple yet poignant message: “Rest in peace Paul.”
Although Day didn’t leave behind any recorded tracks with Maiden, he later claimed a hand in writing their track Strange World. Steve Harris, the band’s founding member and bassist, had previously commented on Day’s lack of “energy or charisma on stage”, leading to his replacement by Dennis Wilcock, and eventually, Paul Di’Anno, who also passed away in October 2024.
Reflecting on Harris’s criticism, Day once shared with Blabbermouth: “Steve was saying, ‘You’ve got to get better. You’ve got to be more in the audience’s face. You’ve got to be commanding. You’ve got to be a hero.'”
He admitted to agreeing with the feedback but struggled to implement it, revealing: “I didn’t actually know how to make that happen. I got warning for maybe three months: ‘Get it together. Get it together.'”
Despite his efforts, Day confessed: “I wanted to, I just didn’t know how to do it. So the funny thing is, the worst experience was the best lesson because when I got that notice and I felt so gutted, it changed me.”
Day’s career spanned beyond Iron Maiden, including stints with bands like Wildfire and the glam rock group Sweet, who also paid homage to the late singer with a succinct but touching post: “Paul Mario Day RIP”.
“IN 1985 Mick Tucker and myself put together the first new line-up of Sweet after the hiatus of the original band. We needed a singer and when Paul arrived for the audition we looked no further. Our first dates were in Australia, total sell-outs which boded well for the future. Europe followed suit and 3 sold out nights at the Marquee in London produced a live album, video and DVD. “Live at the Marquee” did well in various charts around the world and Paul’s vocal performance has stood the test of time.
“PMD was the original singer with Iron Maiden and had a stint with the band More before joining Sweet.
“He passed away peacefully at his home in Australia. My deepest condolences to his wife Cecily and family and friends. A sad day for all Sweet fans. Andy x.”
Current frontman Bruce has been fronting the heavy metal legends since 1981, making his debut on the album The Number of the Beast.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
