Bruce Dickinson Birthday (Date, Age, How Old)

Background

Born in Worksop, a small mining town located in Nottinghamshire, England, Paul Bruce Dickinson had a unique upbringing. His father served as a mechanic in the army, while his mother worked part-time at a shoe shop. While his parents struggled to make ends meet, Dickinson spent significant time with his grandparents and frequently changed schools. This period of his life shaped his perspective; he learned that he wouldn’t receive any favors from the world. Although he wouldn’t categorize his childhood as miserable, it was certainly unconventional, contributing to his feelings of being an outsider. The family later moved to Sheffield to access better opportunities, allowing his parents to finally send him to boarding school. However, he felt out of place there. The other boys were fans of the band Deep Purple, which captivated him; prior to that, The Beatles had been his only exposure to music. He disliked the school for its extreme bullying and corporal punishment, but the oppressive atmosphere fueled his determination to forge a path in heavy metal.

Embarking on a musical journey, Dickinson initially sang in local bands and even tried his hand as a drummer, but these efforts were fruitless. Just as despair began to set in, he found success with a band named Samson, changing the course of his life. With Samson, Dickinson immersed himself in a vibrant new wave of music—the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (N.W.O.B.H.M.)—where he established his presence.

Two albums were released by the band: “Head On” (1980) and “Shock Tactics” (1981). Although a member of the N.W.O.B.H.M., Samson did not achieve the level of success that similar bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Def Leppard had. In 1981, Dickinson departed from Samson due to “musical differences.” Around the same period, Iron Maiden’s lead singer, Paul Di’Anno, also left the band, a significant decision that reverberated throughout the metal scene as Maiden was experiencing tremendous, almost frenzied success. The timing appeared too coincidental to overlook. After trying out, Dickinson became Iron Maiden’s new frontman in late 1981. A few months later, the band released “The Number Of The Beast,” which became a seminal heavy metal album and one of their most successful releases to date. Dickinson’s fierce vocals took the music charts, arenas, and concert venues by storm. The iconic status of heavy metal became intertwined with the band’s identity — largely attributable to Bruce Dickinson.

However, what is a highly successful band without its share of intrigues? Despite the remarkable achievements of Iron Maiden, whispers of a strained relationship between Dickinson and founding member Steve Harris circulated in not-so-quiet tones. The release of Dickinson’s solo album “Tattooed Millionaire” (1990) only seemed to validate these claims. Nonetheless, Dickinson made his return, and the band sustained their collaborative efforts in music. By the early ‘90s, the popularity of metal began to wane. It appeared that Iron Maiden’s prime years were now behind them. After a farewell tour in 1983, Dickinson departed from the group and embarked on a solo career. Since then, the band has reconciled their differences and engaged in numerous reunion tours.