PAUL DI'ANNO 'Didn't Know How To Sing' When He Was In IRON MAIDEN

August 12, 2015

Rock Bottom conducted an interview with former IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno earlier this month in Argentina. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On how he is doing with his health:

"I'm waiting for [knee] operations. But instead of sitting at home, I thought I might as well come and play still. As long as the fans don't care about me sitting down. I'll sit down and sing. Fuck it. They come to hear my voice, not to see me. We just played Wacken [Open Air festival]. [We] headlined the Friday night, [and] went down fantastic, sitting down. [We played] the Rock Hard [Festival], sitting down. The Brazil tour, sitting down. I can't do anything about it until the operation is next year… I don't have a choice. I have to sit down. I have no balance. My knees are both destroyed. I'm in a lot of pain, but fuck it. I'm no pussy, man. I spoke to Dave Grohl, and Dave Grohl, he broke his leg on stage, and he still keeps playing. So I can do the same. [It's] no big deal."

On his singing style in the IRON MAIDEN days:

"[When I was in] IRON MAIDEN, I was a young boy; I didn't know how to sing. I had no voice."

On how his voice has developed over the years:

"[I smoked] cigarettes, [drank] Jack Daniel's and [took] cocaine. I don't fuck around. I hate pussies who say, 'Oh, you have to have voice lessons.' Sorry, Bruce. But, you know, it's, like, bullshit. If you can't sing, don't sing. For maybe opera, you become trained. But for heavy metal and rock and roll, to be trained by a teacher? Fuck off."

Di'Anno recorded two classic albums with IRON MAIDEN before being replaced by Bruce Dickinson. He went on to front a number of other bands, including KILLERS and BATTLEZONE, and released several solo records.

ARCHITECTS OF CHAOZ, the new band featuring Di'Anno alongside members of Paul's longtime German touring backing group THE PHANTOMZ, released its debut album, "The League Of Shadows", in North America on July 24 via Metalville Records.

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