Paul Mario Day, the original vocalist of Iron Maiden and a notable figure in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, has died at 69. Recruited in 1975 by bassist Steve Harris, Day’s brief tenure with Iron Maiden lasted only ten months before he was replaced, due to concerns over his stage presence. “When I sang in Iron Maiden, it was a new pub band and nobody wanted to see or hear them,” Day later recalled. “We were all nobodys all trying to make the best music we could and fighting for an audience.” Though Day isn’t featured on any studio recordings with the group, the singer did claim that he co-wrote “Strange World,” which appeared on Maiden’s 1980 self-titled debut album. After Iron Maiden, Day fronted bands including More and Wildfire, before joining the reformed English glam rock band Sweet in 1985, alongside guitarist Andy Scott and drummer Mick Tucker. “We needed a singer and when Paul arrived for the audition we looked no further,” Scott wrote in a tribute to Day, adding that his “vocal performance has stood the test of time” while expressing his “deepest condolences to his wife Cecily and family and friends. A sad day for all Sweet fans.” (Billboard)