Iron Maiden, the legendary British heavy metal band, has issued a heartfelt tribute following the death of their original singer, Paul Mario Day, at the age of 69 earlier this week. The musician, who was also known for his work with bands such as More, Wildfire, and Sweet, had reportedly been battling cancer for several years.
In a statement posted on social media, Iron Maiden conveyed their sorrow: “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. Paul was a lovely person and good mate. Rest in peace Paul.”
Day’s passing was initially confirmed by Sweet guitarist Andy Scott on Tuesday, July 29. Scott reflected on Day’s significant contribution to Sweet: “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, Live at the Marquee, 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.” Scott concluded by noting that Day “passed away peacefully at his home in Australia” and extended his deepest condolences to Day‘s wife Cecily, family, and friends, acknowledging “A sad day for all Sweet fans.”
The band More also paid tribute to their former vocalist, writing on social media: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the great More vocalist Paul Mario Day. Paul was a huge part of the NWOBHM from his time in an early version of Iron Maiden and of course his fantastic performance on the album Warhead. 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!'” More pledged to continue playing his music, stating: “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. Play his music loud and sing along! Thank you. Rock in peace Paul.”
Day’s tenure with Iron Maiden was brief, from 1975 to 1976. A decade ago, Day controversially suggested in an online post that he had co-written the Iron Maiden song “Strange World” but was never credited for his contributions. He asserted that in the nascent stages of Iron Maiden, it was a new pub band struggling for recognition, and in 1976, it was difficult for them to document their work due to limited resources. Day stated: “I cannot prove I wrote the words and melody for ‘Strange World‘. As for before the time of albums and recording deals, I would say it was creative theft, not deliberate, as probably I would have done the same thing myself to keep it clean and simple.” He expressed lingering hurt that his first-ever composed song appeared on a successful album without his credit, especially given his financial struggles compared to the immense success of Steve Harris.
Day‘s departure from Iron Maiden in 1976 was attributed to a perceived lack of stage presence. Reflecting on this, Day acknowledged the pain of the decision but saw it as a crucial lesson. He admitted his inexperience as a frontman at the time, having no prior experience singing with a drummer. Day recalled Steve Harris urging him to improve his stage presence, to “be more in the audience’s face. You’ve got to be commanding. You’ve got to be a hero.” Despite receiving warnings, Day confessed he “didn’t actually know how to make that happen.” He concluded that this difficult experience ultimately transformed him. “Iron Maiden at that time were nothing, honestly. It was the beginning… Everyone had to start from zero. That was when I was in the band, that was their zero point. What Steve was doing was trying to make the band big. He knew what he wanted. What he wanted is what he got. He got one of the biggest bands on the planet. As much as it hurt, as much as it upset me, I learnt a big lesson that day. I really did. I used that emotion, I guess, in my singing.”
After his time with Iron Maiden, where he was replaced by Dennis Wilcock, Paul Mario Day continued his musical journey, notably fronting Sweet and More. His contributions to the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) and the broader rock music landscape will be remembered. His former Iron Maiden drummer Doug Sampson continues to perform with Airforce, a band that also features Rance.
