Paul Mario Day, the very first vocalist for Iron Maiden, died at age 69 on July 29, 2025, after a battle with cancer at his home in Newcastle, Australia, legendary music outlet Billboard has confirmed. Steve Harris recruited him for the band in late 1975 when he was just 19, and he sang the band’s inaugural live show on May 1, 1976 in Poplar, London. Although his tenure lasted less than ten months (concluding in October 1976), his inclusion in the band helped set the stage for Maiden’s eventual rise and fans are remembering him through tributes.
Though he never featured on official Iron Maiden recordings, Day later claimed co‑authorship of the song “Strange World,” a track that appeared on their debut album despite being recorded without him.
Here’s a look back at his iconic career.
A Career Forged in Metal Beyond Maiden
After departing from Maiden, Day didn’t fade away. He formed the heavy‑metal band More in 1980 and fronted their “Warhead” album, earning acclaim in the heart of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM), according to The Guardian. More performed at the legendary 1981 Monsters of Rock festival at Donington Park and supported Iron Maiden on their “Killers” tour.
Day also fronted Wildfire (1983–84) before joining a revived version of glam‑rock icons Sweet in 1985, alongside guitarist Andy Scott and drummer Mick Tucker. Their three-night stint at London’s Marquee Club became the “Live at the Marquee” album, capturing the energy of the era and reaffirming Day’s stage worthiness. Scott said about Day: “Live at the Marquee did well in various charts around the world and Paul’s vocal performance has stood the test of time,” per Ultimate Classic Rock.
In the mid‑’80s, Day relocated to Australia, where he continued performing with acts like Defaced, Crimzon Lake, and Buffalo Crows… working actively up until his final days.
Not Quiet. Not Forgotten.
Paul Mario Day wasn’t the face everyone associates with Iron Maiden. He didn’t have stadium‑filling fame or platinum albums behind the Maiden name. But he was there at the very beginning; the raw, pub‑band stage of a future metal giant. His path through More, Sweet, and other projects helped shape the early NWOBHM ecosystem, and fans (especially those steeped in early British metal lore) remember him as deeply important.
One longtime fan who followed his local gigs shared:
Another remembered catching him live a few times, writing:
And someone else summed it all up simply, but powerfully:
Rest now, Paul. You were loud when it counted.
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OG Iron Maiden Singer, Paul Mario Day, Passes at Age 69 – Tributes Pour In