There have been countless lineup changes within bands in rock and metal. Whether they were due to a death in the band or simply internal problems amongst the members, some of the decisions were for the best. Former Iron Maiden vocalist Paul Di'Anno says he doesn't blame the band for firing him.

Di'Anno sang on Maiden's first two albums — its self-titled debut and 1981's Killers — before he was let go and replaced by Bruce Dickinson for his partying habits. “I don’t blame them for getting rid of me," Di'Anno admits to Metal Hammer.

"Obviously, the band was Steve’s [Harris] baby, but I wish I’d been able to contribute more. After a while that got me down. In the end I couldn’t give 100 percent to Maiden anymore and it wasn’t fair to the band, the fans or to myself.”

Though he wishes he'd been more involved with the band, Di'Anno is happy about the two Iron Maiden albums he was featured on, stating the impact they had was "pivotal" to the metal genre. "Later on in my life when I met Metallica, Pantera and Sepultura and they told me that those albums were what got them into music, it made me incredibly proud," he says.

Di'Anno will play his final live show later this year with fellow former Maiden members under the name Ides of March to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Iron Maiden. The performance will be part of the 2020 Beermageddon Festivalin Worcestershire, England on Aug. 30.

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