Paul Di Anno is a Metal artist who does not need any further introduction. We first heard him as the lead singer of IRON MAIDEN with whom they recorded their first two albums. A significant career followed, both as a solo artist and as a member of various musical formations. Health problems in the recent years forced him to retire from music activity, but now he is back and soon we will have the opportunity to enjoy him in two live shows in Athens and one in Thessaloniki! Di Anno recently gave a telephone interview at THEGALLERY.GR, in which we realize that he is very active nowadays, with several plans for the future…

– Hello Paul. I am Kostas from the webzine The Gallery in Greece. It is a great honor! First things first, how are you? How is your health after the surgery you underwent?

Paul Di Anno: It’s good. It’s good! All this physio to do and now I am here and getting fixed up so I am like the 6 million dollar man.

– I really admire your decision to go on a tour so soon after the health issues you had! I guess you are still in the healing process so it can’t be easy for you to travel around the world. How did you come to this decision?

Paul Di Anno: Well, I have been sitting around on a damn wheelchair so many years, I am still not standing up yet but we are working on it. I needed this for my mental health. It’s fucking ridiculous sitting around and saying I can’t do this shit. We tried a couple of shows, one in Zagreb and the “Keep it True Festival” in Germany. You know, it was good. Not brilliant but it was good.

– I am sure it was great. We are really looking forward to your shows in Greece!

Paul Di Anno: So am I because I get to see my friend Gus. I haven’t seen him for a little while.

– I was about to ask for that. How do you feel about Gus participating in your show? He is a guitar legend in Greece…

Paul Di Anno: Fucking amazing. He is great. We know each other but we haven’t played together before. This is absolutely brilliant. I am very happy. He is one of the best guitarist of all time and he is playing with me. That’s fucking great. Before we start we will hang out a bit.

– A few days ago, Blaze Bayley had a few “Iron Maiden” tribute shows in Greece. IRON MAIDEN have also visited Greece the last summer. Now it’s your time to pass from our country. In those months we will have seen all 3 front men of IRON MAIDEN and I can assure you that every metal fan in Greece is full of enthusiasm! So, prepare yourself for a very warm welcome!! What are the fans’ reactions you get so far in your shows?  

Paul Di Anno: This is something fantastic. As I have already said I haven’t played for 7 years because I have benn so sick and now it’s time to go again. As a singer I am not really perfect, I can’t stand up but I can still sing. You know I have so many friends and fans in Greece. I used to be there all the time playing in concerts and it’s heartbreaking everything had to stop. I am not that kind of guy, I am not ready to die yet. Great fans, It had always been amazing. That will do good to my mental health. You know, I am working very hard at the moment, I am doing my physio every day. That’s great for my mental health because after this I started having doubts about everything. So, yeah we are gonna be together and it’s gonna be fantastic to see good friends of mine so I am quite happy. So If I keep doing my physio therapy and my gym every day I am gonna be alright.

– Since your shows are dedicated to the first 2 albums of IRON MAIDEN with you on vocals, those albums include some killer songs! Which one is your favorite track and why?

Paul Di Anno: “Remember Tomorrow”, “Phantom Of The Opera”, “Running Free”. Steve is genius and “Phantom of the Opera” is an amazing song. I quite like them all. I play them way too much because of promoters. I want to play my own staff on my own tour. We got to rehearse them, Gus and me, we haven’t done that yet. Gus is learning at home and I am sitting here. “Remember Tomorrow” is taking on a whole different meaning now because my grandfather used to use that saying all the time, so I wrote the song and the lyrics back then. It got nothing to do with him really. but we’ve used it again, I always use it to dedicate to Clive as well. I really loved that man and I haven’t grieved properly and that’s really sad, you know. It breaks my heart when I speak to Mimi, his wife.

– Let’s return to 2022. I have read at an old interview that you do not listen to heavy metal music much. So right now, what are you listening to when you want to have some fan or chill out?

Paul Di Anno: I‘ve got some band I obviously like but I have a very wide taste in music and because I am in heavy metal does not mean I have to listen 24/7. I like all kinds of music. I do lean more punk music, I am huge fan of SOAD, METALLICA, PRIEST. Yesterday I was playing Bob Marley.

– Any new bands that stand out at your musical preferences?

Paul Di Anno: No, I am sorry to say, no. I’d like to see that happen but nothing I ‘ve seen or heard has done anything for me. I think this time in universe is not great for music, to be honest with you. You get this cycles. We had the STONES, ZEPPELIN, FLOYD, QUEEN, METALLICA, IRON MAIDEN…there is a hole in a continuum.

– Maybe that’s because all those bands you referred to are too huge to be overcomed. They are legends.

Paul Di Anno: All these people now in these bands they say “Oh great, we got youtube, we are gonna be stars”. And they expect to be a rock star because they can pick up a fucking guitar but they are mistaken. You got to go pay your dues, to play around to all the shit clubs around the world, play in toilets and everything. That’s what will get the crowd together. They want instant recognition and this is never gonna happen. You cannot get record deals if you are not worthy. Only established bands can get that. Putting out to all this media channels,  I absolutely hate fucking spotify. I am old school. It worked for me, it worked for most other bands, most of the other guys during my era of music. You know, we have to use modern technology but all this is bullshit. Sometime less is more!

– Since things seem to get better and better with your health, what can we expect from you in the future? More shows, new songs, maybe a new solo album?

Paul Di Anno: When I get up finally, I expect to be on crutches just after Christmas, New Year, and then I am coming on a huge 3-month tour in South America in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Paraguay Argentina. I will be away from home for 3 months which some might think it’s a bit too soon but it’s not too soon. I have been sitting on my ash for 7 years doing nothing. We are gonna do that first and then we are gonna do a few shows in Europe and then a couple in England which is great cause I have not done that for many years and that’s gonna be incredible. And after that we will get some rest and get home to see my wife and we can get on with that. We are planning on a new tour and a new record. I can’t write at the moment. We are working on WARHORSE staff; we have 3 tracks already from last year. I will be going in Split Croatia and we will do some more writing for a few more tracks and hopefully this album will be ready late next year and then I will concentrate on writing my new solo album also.

 – One last thing…I believe you are a football fan so…which team will win the World Cup?

Paul Di Anno: I am watching the World Cup right now!! Obviously England but I am gonna bet in 4 teams…England, Croatia, Brazil and Holland. I think it could be one of them. Today I was watching Wales and it was bloody awful. And tonight I am pretty upset because I am gonna go to the dentist in 6 o’clock and the fucking England game starts at 8. I ‘ll be back in time but I am not gonna be conscious. And today they are playing with the Americans. Fucking hell!!

– That’s all for now!! I would like to thank you for this interview! See you in Athens soon!

Paul Di Anno: Thank you too and I am looking forward seeing you all in the shows!

Interview: Kostas Boudoukos
Translation/Rendering in English: Kostas Boudoukos
Cover Artwork:  Alexandros Soultatos
Design & Editing: Alexandros Soultatos
Date: 29^th November, 2022
External Link: PAUL DI ANNO – Official Page
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