Ex-IRON MAIDEN Singer PAUL DI'ANNO Is Recording Debut WARHORSE Album

Ex-IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno is in Split, Croatia recording an album with his new project called WARHORSE. The band was formed earlier this year by Di'Anno and two guitarists/authors, Hrvoje Madiraca and Ante "Pupi" Pupačić.

WARHORSE previously recorded three songs, two of which — "Stop The War" and "The Doubt Within" — were released in May as a special DVD single along with Paul's video message to all fans who bought the single and thus helped raise funds for his recent knee operation.

On Sunday (December 18),Stjepan Juras, a MAIDEN fan and author of many MAIDEN-related books, who has been taking care of Paul while he has been receiving physiotherapy treatments in Croatia, shared the following update on Di'Anno's health and future plans: "For those wondering what Paul Di'Anno is doing next. Paul is currently in Split, Croatia. He is recording an album with the group WARHORSE and at the same time undergoing physiotherapy treatments. He will stay in Split until the beginning of 2023. His time in Croatia is coming to an end, as Paul travels to the UK in mid-January, after which he goes on a Latin American tour.

"He successfully underwent all the necessary treatments and operations and now all that remains is a strong will and exercise in order to regain his muscles and gradually walk. Technically speaking, his legs are ready for it. What he needs most now is motivation to get his life back in the best possible way. Three sold-out concerts in Greece, the longest tour by a foreign musician in Brazil and Latin America ever, the recording of a new album and the release of a new documentary are just a small part of what follows and what motivates him to train and fight.

"His album with WARHORSE will feature a special guest musician, and he will also appear in a special concert in Brazil. Who is that, can you guess?

"To cut a long story short... Paul's recovery and starting to walk requires constant work and motivation, so I invite all fans to once again help Paul get back on his feet with motivational messages and constant support. And I will try to make something happen after that, which everyone has been dreaming about for a long time..."

Di'Anno recorded two classic albums with IRON MAIDEN — a self-titled effort in 1980 and "Killers" in 1981 — before being fired and replaced by Bruce Dickinson. He went on to front a number of other bands, including KILLERS and BATTLEZONE, and released several solo records.

The WARHORSE single marked Di'Anno's first music release after a seven-year hiatus due to severe health issues.

"Stop The War" featured a universal and very clear message. This fierce, direct and brutally honest song was created as a direct consequence of the tragic events in Ukraine, but its message refers to all wars, the meaninglessness of the suffering and suffering of the innocent.

"I can't stand up — yet — on my feet, but I can stand up against the wars, deaths, tears, suffering… We all need to stand up against the war and say 'enough' to tyrants and lunatics once and for all," Paulsaid at the time of the song's release.

Behind the suggestive video, which was a combination of lyrics videos and WARHORSE studio recordings, stood the WARHORSE team and video producer Andy Pilkington, who has made great lyric videos, among others for JUDAS PRIEST and SMITH & KOTZEN.

Di'Anno, who finally underwent his knee surgery on September 12, played the first show since the operation on October 1 at the Keep It True Rising II festival in Würzburg, Germany.

Earlier this month, Paul was joined by Greek guitar virtuoso Gus G., well known in rock and metal circles for his work as Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist and as leader of his own band FIREWIND, for three concerts in Greece, where they played songs from MAIDEN's first two albums, "Iron Maiden" and "Killers".

This past May, Di'Anno came face to face with MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris for the first time in three decades before the band's concert in Croatia.

Harris, whose group kicked off the 2022 leg of its "Legacy Of The Beast" world tour at the 22,000-capacity Arena Zagreb, came out before the show to greet a wheelchair-bound Di'Anno and chat with him for a few minutes.

After his friendly meeting with Harris, Di'Anno stuck around long enough to watch some of MAIDEN's performance before leaving near the end of the set to avoid a huge traffic jam after the show.

In May, Paul played his first full solo concert in seven years at the Bikers Beer Factory in Zagreb. The show was filmed and parts of it will be included in a documentary about Di'Anno, to be directed by Wes Orshoski, co-director and producer of the acclaimed 2010 film "Lemmy" about the MOTÖRHEAD icon.