Paul Mario Day, the original lead singer of legendary British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, has passed away at the age of 69. His death was confirmed on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, by his former band More, who paid tribute to him in a heartfelt statement on social media.
Although Paul’s time with Iron Maiden was short—he fronted the band between 1975 and 1976—he played a crucial role in the early days of what would become one of the biggest metal bands in history. Though he never recorded any official material with Iron Maiden, he later claimed to have co-written their early track Strange World. He was eventually replaced by Dennis Wilcock and then Paul Di’Anno, who sang on the band’s first two albums before being succeeded by Bruce Dickinson.
In their tribute, the band More described Paul as a “huge part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal” and remembered his powerful performances, including a legendary appearance at the 1981 Monsters of Rock show at Castle Donington, where he shared the stage with AC/DC, Whitesnake, and Def Leppard. They praised his standout vocals on the Warhead album and described him as a “bloody great vocalist.”
Paul himself spoke openly in later years about his departure from Iron Maiden. According to him, bassist Steve Harris felt he lacked stage charisma and warned him to improve. Paul admitted he didn’t know how to fix it at the time, saying, “I wanted to, I just didn’t know how to do it.” Still, he said being dropped from the band was one of the most painful—but also most transformative—experiences of his life.
After Maiden, Paul went on to perform with several other groups including More, Wildfire, and the glam rock band Sweet. Andy Scott of Sweet also paid tribute, recalling how Paul joined the reformed version of the group in 1985 and helped deliver sold-out shows across Australia and Europe. His vocals on their live album Live at the Marquee were praised for standing the test of time.
Paul Mario Day passed away peacefully at his home in Australia. He is survived by his wife Cecily, and his legacy as a foundational figure in British rock and heavy metal lives on. Though his time in Iron Maiden was brief, he helped ignite a fire that would blaze for decades, influencing countless musicians and fans around the world.
Rest in peace, Paul Mario Day.
