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  1. I saw them in 1980, I think, at Brunel University, with a primitive stage show, but still with a roadie as Eddie. The 16 year old me thought they were really good and DiAnno was a decent frontman although Killers wasn’t up to the same standard as the debut album. Haven’t played either for many years although I still have the vinyl, probably bought from the Sunday market at Wembley Stadium.

    • My very first gig was seeing them support Judas Priest at Hammersmith Odeon in 1979.
      They didn’t even have a roadie as Eddie, just a large model behind the riser that pumped out smoke when its eyes lit up.
      I would have been 14, one of the most exciting evenings of my life!

      • They were still using the large model the following year. Incidentally, they are still quite low tech in lots of ways. I went with my son to the O2 a few years ago as he wanted to see them and where other acts would have had an LED wall, Maiden had a series of painted backdrops which were pulled across the back of the stage by a couple of crew. There was an elaborate fight sequence between Bruce and Eddie around the stage set though. Still not cutting edge tech though.

        • Lo tech – the first effects on stage was a head above the drummer with a fish tank pump spurting out red liquid.
          Nicko McBrains first appearance on stage with Iron Maiden in 1982, not as a drummer but dressed as Eddie

          • Rob Smallwood tells the story that the roadies used to hate being Eddie so they used to come to gigs wearing corduroy trousers because they knew he wouldnt have Eddie on stage in cords.

        • Indeed. Commendably low tech, these days. A bloke on stilts as a walking Eddie, fabric backdrops, blow up things behind the stage etc.
          And all through the years I’ve ever seen them, they have always had an all enveloping stage set that covers the backline. Except for the Donington 1992 gig, which makes it even weirder as it was a headline appearance. I’ve always wondered why.

          My first venture into Maiden was a couple of the early singles.
          Rest easy, Paul.

  3. Do I have to be the one who points out how fitting his age was?

    Have only heard a little of early Maiden, and his voice seemed more hard rock than the sword and sorcery wail of Dickenson.

  5. John F Keenan posted this on his Facebook page.

    Paul DiAnno of Iron Maiden fame has finally surrendered to the inevitable at the age of 66. – Just two months ago I promoted him at The Brudenell (Leeds); he was in bad shape then, stuck in a wheelchair and in obvious pain. The atmosphere was tense, Paul was grumpy, mainly because his backing musicians were delayed at Manchester Airport, however the band arrived at 9pm and it all came together extremely fast. Paul and the boys put on a cracking show and everyone got their money’s worth. – Throughout the performance Paul often hinted that he might not be around for much longer. – To be truthful, he didn’t help his condition much; before going on stage he insisted on a bottle of very expensive tequila, costing about £50… the most I’ve ever paid for a bottle of spirits! – Speaking to his manager, Stepjan afterwards, he told me Paul had had extensive treatment on his legs in Croatia, but seemed to disregard all the doctors advice. – You could say Paul lived his life to the full, but there’s always a price to pay. – R.I.P. Paul Dianno. :/

  7. Inferior to Bruce as a singer and a frontman and probably didn’t have the discipline or the stamina for those ridiculously long world tours in the 80s.

    However… I don’t think they ever made a better record than that first album.

    I also think his punk image helped them differentiate themselves from the NWOBHM pack at first.

    RIP

    • Steve Harris hated the Punk comparisons.
      Paul Di’Anno on the other hand embraced them in attitude and image – he basically looked at it as a mix of Prog and Punk “Bloody fast with tricky time signatures”.

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