Paul Di'Anno talking shit on Bruce Dickinson

[ironmaidenfan09]

Adam Harrold of RockSomething.com recently conducted an interview with former IRON MAIDEN frontman Paul Di'Anno. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

RockSomething.com: What do you think about MAIDEN[performing] lots of your songs again with Bruce [Dickinson] singing on them? On the "Early Days" DVD you say that Bruce is the better singer.

Paul: "You must remember that interviews and filming usually end up highly edited, and I actually said (on various occasions) that Bruce is a better singer for MAIDEN as they became in their later years. I think Bruce's high operatic and theatrical type voice is better suited to MAIDEN's later material, but I honestly think he sounds like a fucking fairy when he is trying to fill my shoes on songs from the first two albums. My voice is aggressive and violent (kind of like me in a way) and it sounds like someone dragged me up from a low-class background and I was used to having a regular fucking good kicking (in the bollocks) every now and then. On the other hand, Bruce's voice is sang in The Queen's English — very politely and with all the letters pronounced properly, and you can imagine him practising his sword fencing whilst practising his vocal exercises. He sounds like a very nice public school boy (which he was) who used to sing in the local church choir after school and was an instant hit with all the old grannies. Meanwhile, I was getting my dick sucked by all the fanny in the park being the fucking animal that I have always been. Bruce is silver but I am gold, as simple as that really."

RockSomething.com: The first two albums are still often listed as people's favorite MAIDEN albums. Does this make you proud or do you wish at times that you could get away from your MAIDEN past?

Paul: "There are still a lot of people who seem forget that my voice was and still is a huge part of MAIDEN's past, and I am both happy and proud of that fact, as MAIDEN got there with my voice. However how comes some cunts make a big fucking noise about me singing 'Running Free' and the other classics, but when Bruce is out there singing the first two albums and trying to clone my voice, then that is perfectly acceptable?"

RockSomething.com: Did you ever listen to the Blaze-era MAIDEN?

Paul: "I try to not listen to shit."

 

[Metallicat180]

Gah, sometimes I think Paul sounds like a cool bloke and then he spouts some shit to make me dislike him again!! I thought he sounded really cool on the Early Days dvd. And the Blaze era is good, if he would only give him a bloody chance!!

 

[Keyser Soze]

I'm sorry... "Bruce is silver but I am gold, as simple as that really"... why the sudden hostility?
Bruce has never tried to mimic Paul's voice... I knew Paul was a wanker over the tales of his being a gangster here in LA... but this takes the bloody cake... I have to admit that Killers and Iron Maiden would not sound as good with Bruce's voice, but Paul cannot compare himself as an overall singer to Bruce, simple as that... in my honest opinion...

 

[momadave]

Paul is really coming off as an asshole! Once Bruce joined Maiden, their popularity and everything went through the roof. Sounds like Paul is bitter and jealous. Paul wouldn't last a week on the World Slavery Tour! Bruce pulled off 13 or 14 months and was just as strong the last show of the tour as he was on the first show
ARGH!!! Bruce all the way!.

 

[Doodoobubbachuck]

Yikes!

 

[Metallicat180]

Paul is really coming off as an asshole! Once Bruce joined Maiden, their popularity and everything went through the roof. Sounds like Paul is bitter and jealous. Paul wouldn't last a week on the World Slavery Tour! Bruce pulled off 13 or 14 months and was just as strong the last show of the tour as he was on the first show
ARGH!!! Bruce all the way!.

Totally agree!! Even tho Killers is my favourite Maiden album, definately Bruce all the way!!!

 

[RoboCaster]

Yeap he sounds like an a-hole, maybe that was the reason they got rid of him in the first place.

 

[nlukes]

Paul Di'Anno who?........For some reason when I think of Iron Maiden I think of the voice of Bruce Dickenson. Without Bruce, there really isn't a Maiden as we know it. ...Kind of like Judas Priest without Rob Halford. It is just that intangible something that those singers have that can't be replaced.

 

[RoboCaster]

Can you say this:
Paul Di'Anno - Loser;

Bruce Dickenson – umm let me see, legend, metal god, successful, educated… hmmm, I think that’s Paul’s problem.

 

[Air Raid Siren]

I love and respect Paul's singing very much. Tho I don't agree with how it appears he has chosen to express his views, his chagrin is perfectly understandable, really. It must be difficult to be the one who helped put the band on the map and then watch it go on to even greater fame and fortune without you.

As far as singing the songs he that he recorded with Maiden- as a co writer on many of them, that's his right. He doesn't need to defend himself about that! It's a big (and one of the best) parts of his own personal musical legacy. I'm just disappointed that he takes the negative comments about it so personally that he feels the need to denigrate Bruno. Why tear others down in order to build yourself up?

 

[momadave]

Nicely put, Aja.

I MISS YOU LADIES HERE IN SACTO!!!

David

 

[nlukes]

Nicely put, Aja.

Aja always puts the Midas touch on the issue at hand. Thoughtful, articulate and very sane.

 

[raveballs]

actually, i think paul was pretty funny in that interview. rude, yes, but funny. he's bipolar and seems to have no sense of self-censorship. here's an excerpt from an interview i did with bruce back in 8/03 where i asked him about di'anno's autobiography, THE BEAST:

I got given it to review on the radio show that I do in England. And I thought it was…I gave it to somebody else actually. I see no reason...I’m not talking about the records, I’m talking about the book...Yes, he’s nuts. Paul can be a wonderful fantasist...and I’ve got good things to say about him. But the biography he wrote, The Beast, I found certain parts of it a bit gratuitous. I haven’t bumped into him for ages, actually. The stuff that he did with Killers and Di’Anno and the bands that followed. He was actually doing some really good stuff. He put some great bands together. So musically…I was actually a bit puzzled why he needed to do The Beast. But, hey, whatever, you know?

 

[Air Raid Siren]

actually, i think paul was pretty funny in that interview. rude, yes, but funny. he's bipolar and seems to have no sense of self-censorship.

Well that does explain some things - he does seem to lead a rather "filter free" existence! But at least ya know where ya stand!

I got given it to review on the radio show that I do in England. And I thought it was…I gave it to somebody else actually. I see no reason...I’m not talking about the records, I’m talking about the book...Yes, he’s nuts. Paul can be a wonderful fantasist...and I’ve got good things to say about him. But the biography he wrote, The Beast, I found certain parts of it a bit gratuitous. I haven’t bumped into him for ages, actually. The stuff that he did with Killers and Di’Anno and the bands that followed. He was actually doing some really good stuff. He put some great bands together. So musically…I was actually a bit puzzled why he needed to do The Beast. But, hey, whatever, you know?

Thanks for sharing this again, Eric - that was good interview you did.

Bruce sounds very respectful of Paul's talent. He kind of gives ya the impression that he'd laugh if he read what Paul said - that's cool.

 

[darthrya]

Paul di'Anus comes off like a jilted lover. While I love the stuff he's done with Maiden, I despise him as a man.

Why?

1. He constantly bad-mouths Maiden. He's been doing it since he got the boot.
2. He's a poseur. Di'Anno the "gansta"? (Still, Murder One was pretty damn good if you're into Pantera-style metal)
3. He lives off of his past with Maiden (live). What are the highlights of his concert? It's Maiden tunes. While his stuff since Maiden hasn't compared to his Maiden stuff, he's written some decent stuff to have a concert where the encores aren't six Maiden tunes in a row. Do you see Blaze doing that live? Nope. He throws in a couple of Maiden tunes out of respect for his past, but his show closers are Blaze tunes - not Maiden.
3. He lives off of his past with Maiden (studio). How many Maiden tribute albums has he put out? Four. And of those, how many Dickinson songs has he attempted ? Zero. How many crap cheese rock cds has he put out with Leah Hart making reference to his days with Maiden? Let's see: Original Iron Men 1 and 2, The Original Iron Man, etc.

Paul needs to grow up and realize he's a wasted talent, but it's not too late to prove himself to be a good guy and a force separate of Maiden.

 

[MAIDEN67]

Well, all I have to say is that Bruce is the man!! I am totally in love with Bruce and for me, he is Maiden. His voice is phenominal!! Paul, I'll give him that he was the O.G. singer and for that reason only I'll give him respect. I just have a problem with anyone downing someone else so that they can feel better about being a loser! Brucey, baby, your the greatest!!

 

[MECOSARIO]

He's jealous...It has been 25 fucking years since he was in MAIDEN and he's always talking shitt about the band...He must forget (not forget it but leave it behind) his past and try to do good stuff, I haven't heard a single album by Di'anno better than a MAIDEN or a DICKINSON album, and BRUCE himself (together with MR. Z) it's making better music even than MAIDEN...maybe Sad for some of you but TRUE

 

[ericfg]

Yeah, he's a bit out of line..... *But* he's proud of his work with Maiden and rightfully so. He has no reason to apologize for his time with the band; it's superlative. Paul with Maiden equals Dio (and Gillan) with Sabbath and Roth with Scorps as far as I'm concerned. The man is a major part (in the more underrated part) of metal history and he knows it. And if he wants to talk shit he's earned his right to do so.
As much as I love the Bruce-era Maiden I'd love to hear a reunition with Paul, if not for a one time gig.

 

[Doodoobubbachuck]

I'd love to hear a reunition with Paul, if not for a one time gig.

I would be there in a heartbeat for that reunion if it ever happened. I'd just die if Clive Burr made a special appearance for a song or so if he was able as well! Ah, we can still dream.

 

[dew]

PAUL DI'ANNO IS A PRICK!!!!!

Sorry, somebody had to.