The Beast: Singing With Iron Maiden―The Drugs, the Groupies . . . the Whole Story

by Paul Di'Anno

Paul Di'Anno's tale is one of drugs, guns, and alcohol; of extended periods banged up in prison; and of his time fronting the mighty Iron Maiden. His controversial antics off-stage are even more shocking than his existence under the spotlights. He has battled drug addictions and tumbled from the heights of fame to the pit of bankruptcy. This is a look into the dark and disturbing times of a man who had spent his whole life courting his demons.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2002

About the author

Paul Andrews, better known by his stage name Paul Di'Anno, was an English heavy metal singer who was the lead vocalist for Iron Maiden from 1978 to 1981. In his post-Maiden career, Di'Anno issued numerous albums over the years, as both a solo artist and as a member of bands such as Gogmagog, Di'Anno's Battlezone, Killers, Rockfellas, and Warhorse.

Reviews

[Jennie Smith]

This is truely the worst book I've ever read. For two reasons, the first is that Paul doesn't seem to have a single redeeming feature about him (sexist, rascist, egotisical) I thought this might have some interesting anecdotes and insights to the music industry but it's just a bloke showing off how many drugs he's done like a bragging school boy.

The second reason is that the publishers obviously feel the same as me about him (think he's a c*nt) so they didn't even bother to proof read the book before they published it. It was absolutely littered with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors, including one in the blurb on the back cover.

Hopefully I'll be able to sell this on Amazon and get back some of my wasted money!

[Xanxa · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the warning on the cover states, this is an explicit book and not suitable for those of a nervous disposition.

Broadly speaking, Paul (helped by his ghost-writer Dale Webb) tells the story of his career as a heavy metal singer and front-man. The style is colloquial, conversational and peppered with plenty of profanity. Sometimes he can ramble a bit and it's not always in chronological order, but I can imagine it's how he would tell the story aloud.

As with many rock-star biographies/autobiographies, I'm sure there's an element of exaggeration. Reading this is definitely going into car-crash territory. Paul is a very destructive person and by his own admission, he has ruined many a relationship and caused massive amounts of damage to property and people over the years.

He doesn't angle for sympathy, nor does he try to excuse his dreadful behaviour. He simply tells it as it is. The book finishes with a section of anecdotes from friends, fellow band-members and other rock industry types. All of these accounts seem to corroborate that Paul is a full-on passionate and destructive person.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a bad book by the former Iron Maiden front man but to be honest it's the usual tale of the guy left behind...eventually the constant bragging grates.
it's a tale of how many women Paul has slept with (lots)..fights he's been in (lots) and substances taken(lots more).
No real insight into the man just a cartoonish tale of a rock star...

[Corinne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worst rock memoir ever. No insight. A thug to both genders and brags about it. Nothing relevant to Maiden that is new. Steve Harris did the right thing.

[Ross Sutherland · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book very quickly, as it's hardly a substantial tome.

Paul Di'Anno has drunk a lot, taken a lot of drugs and been with a lot of women. And he wants to tell you all about it. He also treats a lot of people very badly.

300 pages in, he mentions, very briefly, diagnoses of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This 1 page changes the book, but not enough to forgive the other 351!

There is little insight to the man's music or creativity, which is a wasted opportunity. He makes token references to not wanting to live off his time in Maiden, but with bands called Killers, The Original Iron Men and even using the Maiden font on his record sleeves, even this cannot be believed.

Overall, Di'Anno was badly advised to write this book and I imagine Iron Maiden are unhappy that it exists.

[Frank . · Rating 4 out of 5]

Di'anno. Quoi dire de plus ?

Ce livre est une claque en pleine gueule. Tellement incisif et violent qu'on se demande (souvent) si l'auteur n'en rajoute pas quelque peu.

Le cul, la drogue, l'argent, la célébrité et la déchéance sont au coeur de cette autobiographie décapante du 1er chanteur de Iron maiden.

Le livre est d'autant plus interessant qu'il révèle beaucoup d'anecdote sur la situation du groupe entre 1978 et 1981.

On aime, on aime pas. C'est Paul Di'anno

[D'Anne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love the first two Iron Maiden albums so I was hoping to learn about that period in this book. Not so much.

My main takeaway from this book: Iron Maiden would've crashed and burned had they kept this racist, sexist, violent idiot as their lead singer. He appears to have no redeeming qualities. He brutally beat his wives and assaulted bandmates, fans, and strangers. Honestly, if this book's exploits are true then he is a violent criminal. Seriously, not a good person.

[David Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly full of crazy stories about drug and alcohol charged antics.
From arguing with bandmates, to using someone else's camera to take photos of his iwn dick firca prank...
From getting blow jobs in elevators to mistaking laxatives for Ecstasy pills abd shitting diarrhoea all down Gary Glitters stairs
Its hilarious but sad at the sane time

[David Franklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice book on my favorite Iron Maiden singer from the first 2 albums.

[Nathan Lake · Rating 3 out of 5]

352 pages of Paul Di'Anno taking drugs, drinking and having sex. Would have been more interesting if it was actually about his music...

[Plamen Enchev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ще започна с това, че тази книга е брутална и нецензурна. Ако чувствате дискомфорт при употреба на вулгарен език и описание на сексуални извращения и насилие, няма нужда въобще да я започвате, тя със сигурност няма да ви предложи нещо, което да ви обогати.
Пълната рецензия: https://flame16.blogspot.com/2024/12/...

[Aurélien Thomas · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, if you open that book expecting a musical autobiography of Paul Di'Anno (why the music? his influences? what was it like in Maiden and, then, battling with a solo career? etc.) you'll be hugely disappointed. Instead -and he warns the reader right from the start- these are just a 'disgusting, depraved tales of booze, drugs and sex' that is, the guy boasting over 300 pages about everything but the music. We're not naive, we all know that the lives of some rock star might involve a fair amount of sex, drugs and violence. The problem here is that such asides are taking precedence over the music itself! It might sound cool for immature wannabe gangsta but, as far as I am concerned, it's sad, pitiful and, I don't understand how he himself doesn't get bored with such a lifestyle! Not only it's repetitive hence boring (sex, drugs, guns and all over again and again) but, it doesn't say anything about him as a singer, his musical career per se. The fact he's a wife beater (with all the pathetic excuses this kind of guys can come up with) doesn't even make him remotely likeable. Boring and, for a music fan, irrelevant.

[Tom Cöle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pure hilarity. Though as a historical record, it's utter pap. But if you're at all familiar with Di'Anno, this book is just what you'd expect. I laughed and laughed.

It's not at all sophisticated, the narrative jumps around without a hint of chronological fidelity and Paulo comes across as, well, not perhaps the most refined man in pop. The book's last words (and I hope I'm not spoling things) are "F*** OFF" delivered all in caps, following an anecdote about some tour bus "cumulonimbus" that would make Sid the Sexist blush. As Paul himself says, that just about sums up the book in its entirety.

[Corinne · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a waste. Worst memoir ever! I don't want to spoil it for the Maiden fans that might want some insight to the beginnings of a great band. Let me just say there is no insight at all. I don't know of a more despising misogynist person then di'anno in the metal/rock industry.

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but Paul comes out of it as a bit of a thug! I hope he's found some sort of happiness.

[Duncan Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

Truly a sordid read, yet I finished it. Shame on me. I'm told much of it was fiction or exaggerated. I only hope so. This book is an embarrassment to Iron Maiden.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

drinking drugs sex and rock n roll.... a lot of great stories