Bruce Dickinson Was Willing to Find Iron Maiden a 'Great Replacement' If He Couldn't Sing After Cancer Diagnosis

Mar. 15, 2025

Almost a decade after receiving treatment for acancerous tumorfound on the back of his tongue, Iron Maiden vocalistBruce Dickinsongot candid about relinquishing his role if he couldn’t sing.

In a newinterview with Rich Roll, Dickinson, 66, revealed he was willing to help the band find his replacement if he was unable to sing after treatment. “I was quite prepared to accept that I might not be able to sing with Iron Maiden again,” the singer said. “I might be able to sing, I might be able to vocalize, I might be able to sing in a different way, but if I couldn’t sing the way I have to sing with Iron Maiden, I’ll help them find a great replacement. Because the music is sacrosanct.”

But his career wasn’t his first priority after receiving his diagnosis. “When I had throat cancer, the last thing on my mind was, ‘Would I ever sing again?’ The first thing on my mind is, ‘Am I gonna get through this and be alive?’… And I thought, ‘Well, we’ll get to that stage when I’m done and we start trying to sing.'”

Bruce Dickinson performing at Ozzfest 2005.Theo Wargo/WireImage

Theo Wargo/WireImage

Dickinson joined the band in 1981 and contributed to some of Iron Maiden’s most recognizable singles, including “Run to the Hills” and “2 Minutes to Midnight.” He left the band in 1993 due togrowing tensionsamongst the band, eventually returning in 1999. Since then, the band has continued to tour and record, with their most recent album,Senjutsu,being released in 2021.

“One of the reasons I think the band has survived is because we have grown into each other over the years as people, but at the same time the music is always sacrosanct,” Dickinson said of his relationship with his bandmates.

On Oct. 21, original Iron Maiden vocalistPaul Di’Anno died at 66after experiencing “severe health issues.”

Iron Maiden.Mick Hutson/Redferns/Getty

Mick Hutson/Redferns/Getty

The band issued a statement memorializing the late singer, writing:

source: people.com