Di'Anno: Iron Maiden's Lost Singer

From gritty stages to a wheelchair

When Paul Di’anno joined Iron Maiden in 1978, the albums Iron Maiden and Killers were created and they quickly found their way onto turntables around the world. In 1981, however, Di’anno was kicked out of Iron Maiden, mainly due to his substance abuse problems, and was replaced by Bruce Dickinson, whose arrival caused quite a stir at the time. 

Wes Orshoski’s documentary Di’Anno: Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer focuses on Di’anno’s later years, serious health problems and life in a wheelchair, which never stopped him from getting back on stage. The documentary doesn’t hold back as it delves into his illnesses, depression and financial troubles – and, quite literally, opens up his leg.

Although doctors had given him encouraging news about his chances of walking again, Paul Di’anno never managed to leave his wheelchair behind. He died of cardiac arrest in October 2024. His career with Iron Maiden was short when measured in albums, but his singing style and enormous contribution to the band’s early sound made him one of the most significant figures in Iron Maiden’s history, and his influence still can be heard today.