Another metal legend has died this week.
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Paul Mario Day, perhaps best known as the original vocalist of the band Iron Maiden, has died at the age of 69.
His family revealed that the British musician died peacefully in his home in Australia on Tuesday, July 29.
No official cause of death has been shared. However, Parade reported that Day was battling cancer in recent years.
How Day Came To Join Iron Maiden
As legend has it, Day was approached by bassist Steve Harris to join the band. He was only 19 years old. He performed at Iron Maiden's first show in London in May 1976.
However, Day only stayed with the group for 10 months. There were claims the singer lacked energy and charisma, two essential ingredients needed for any rock vocalist. He left Iron Maiden and was replaced by Paul Di'Anno. After two albums, Bruce Dickinson replaced Di'Anno behind the mic and has stayed there ever since.
"When I sang in Iron Maiden, it was a new pub band and nobody wanted to see or hear them," Day shared in 2019. "We were all nobodies, all trying to make the best music we could and fighting for an audience."
Day Had Some Drama With Iron Maiden
After his brief time with Iron Maiden, Day went on to form More in 1980. The group released the album 'Warhead' in 1981. In a statement on its page on social media, More wrote the following:
"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 'Warhead' album.
"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."
Day was also part of the band Wildfire from 1983 to 1984. He then joined the glam band Sweet in 1985. However, when Iron Maiden's debut album was released in 1980, he claimed that he wasn't credited for writing the song "Strange World."
"Back then, we were all pulling for the same side, and it still hurts to think the first-ever song I ever composed was on a big-selling album and nobody knows it was me," he said in a 2019 interview.
Day went on to say that the issue was "finished with." He moved to Australia in the '80s and lived there until his death.
