Bruce Dickinson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bruce Dickinson
Dickinson performing in 2024
Background information
Birth name	Paul Bruce Dickinson
Born	(1958-08-07) 7 August 1958 (age 66) Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England
Genres	Heavy metal
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter
Years active	1976–present
Labels	EMI Sanctuary
Members	List

Paul Bruce Dickinson (born 7 August 1958) is a famous English singer. He is best known as the lead singer of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden. Bruce has been with the band for two periods: from 1981 to 1993, and again from 1999 until now. He is famous for his powerful, wide-ranging singing style, which sounds a bit like opera, and his exciting performances on stage.

Bruce Dickinson's Early Life

Paul Bruce Dickinson was born on 7 August 1958 in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England. When he was very young, his grandparents raised him. His grandfather worked in a colliery (a coal mine), and his grandmother was a housewife.

Bruce started school in Worksop. Later, when he was six, he moved to Sheffield to live with his parents. They moved him to a small private school called Sharrow Vale Junior. Because his family moved often, Bruce learned to be very independent. He found it hard to make close friends during this time. Bruce has a younger sister, Helena Stormanns, who is a professional showjumper.

When Bruce was 13, his parents sent him to Oundle School, a boarding school in Northamptonshire. Bruce didn't mind leaving home. He said he hadn't built "any real attachment" to his parents. At Oundle, Bruce discovered progressive rock and early heavy metal music. He heard Deep Purple's song "Child in Time" and loved it. The first album he ever bought was Deep Purple's In Rock. This sparked his interest in rock and metal music.

Bruce first wanted to play the drums. He even got some bongo drums from the music room to practice. In 1976, he returned to Sheffield and joined his first band while attending King Edward VII School.

Bruce's Music Career

Dickinson, left, performing on his first world tour with Iron Maiden in 1982

Bruce Dickinson started his music journey by singing in small bands in pubs during the 1970s. This was while he was still at school in Sheffield and later at university in London.

Joining Samson and Iron Maiden

In 1979, he joined a heavy metal band called Samson. He became quite popular with them, using the stage name "Bruce Bruce." He sang on two of their studio albums.

In 1981, Bruce left Samson to join Iron Maiden. He took the place of their previous singer, Paul Di'Anno. Bruce's first album with Iron Maiden was The Number of the Beast in 1982. During his first time with the band, they released many successful albums. These albums sold millions of copies in the US and UK in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Performing on 6 July 2010 during The Final Frontier World Tour. This tour mainly featured songs released after Bruce returned to Iron Maiden in 1999.

Performing "The Trooper" with Iron Maiden in Paris, France, 1 July 2008. Bruce always waves a Union Flag during this song.

Solo Work and Return to Iron Maiden

Bruce left Iron Maiden in 1993 to focus on his solo music career. During this time, he explored many different styles of heavy metal and rock. He returned to Iron Maiden in 1999, along with guitarist Adrian Smith. Since then, they have released six more studio albums together.

Bruce has also released two more solo albums since rejoining Iron Maiden: Tyranny of Souls in 2005 and The Mandrake Project in 2024. His younger cousin, Rob Dickinson, was the lead singer of the British alternative rock band Catherine Wheel. Bruce's son, Austin, was the lead singer of the metalcore band Rise to Remain. Since Bruce Dickinson joined Iron Maiden in 1981, the band has sold over 100 million albums worldwide.

Bruce's Personal Life

Dickinson performing live on the Somewhere Back in Time World Tour in 2008

Bruce Dickinson has three children with his second wife, Patrice "Paddy" Bowden. All three of his children were born in London. His son Austin was the lead singer in the band Rise to Remain until 2015. After that, he formed another band called As Lions. His other son, Griffin, was the lead singer of the band SHVPES.

In 2015, Bruce had treatment for a cancerous tumor at the back of his tongue. He had chemotherapy and radiation therapy. His doctors expected him to make a full recovery because the tumor was found early. In May 2015, Bruce was given the all-clear by his specialists, meaning he was healthy again.

Special Achievements and Awards

Dickinson in a flight suit while filming Flying Heavy Metal

Bruce Dickinson has received many special honors for his work and other interests.

In 2011, he received an honorary music doctorate from Queen Mary University of London. This was to celebrate his important contributions to the music industry.

In 2019, Bruce was made an honorary citizen of Sarajevo, a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He also received the city's special Sixth April Award. This was for his bravery in performing there during a war in 1994. The mayor of Sarajevo said Bruce's visit helped people believe the city would survive. Bruce is also a producer for the documentary Scream for Me Sarajevo, which tells the story of this performance.

Iron Maiden's Boeing 747-400, Ed Force One, used during The Book of Souls World Tour in 2016

Dickinson in 2014

In 2019, the University of Helsinki also gave him an honorary doctorate. On 6 January 2020, Bruce was made an Honorary Group Captain in the 601 (County of London) Squadron RAF. In 2024, he became an honorary citizen of Curitiba City, Brazil.

Other Interests and Activities

Bruce Dickinson has many different interests outside of music. He enjoys writing books and broadcasting (like being a radio host). He is also very good at fencing, a sport with swords. He has even competed internationally and founded his own fencing equipment company called "Duellist."

He is also interested in brewing beer and aviation (flying planes). Because he has so many different skills and hobbies, a magazine called Intelligent Life called him a living example of a polymath in 2009. A polymath is someone who is good at many different things.

Singing Style and Stage Performance

Dickinson performing in Ottawa, Ontario, 2010

Bruce Dickinson never had formal singing lessons. However, he has an amazing vocal range. His voice is often described as a quasi-operatic tenor, meaning it's powerful and high, like an opera singer.

Along with other famous singers like Ronnie James Dio and Rob Halford, Bruce helped create the operatic vocal style. This style was later used by many power metal singers. Bruce is often listed as one of the greatest rock singers and frontmen of all time. Besides his strong voice, Bruce is also known for his very energetic performances on stage.

Awards, Accolades and Titles

Discography (Albums)

Here are some of the albums Bruce Dickinson has been a part of:

With Iron Maiden

• The Number of the Beast (1982)
• Piece of Mind (1983)
• Powerslave (1984)
• Somewhere in Time (1986)
• Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)
• No Prayer for the Dying (1990)
• Fear of the Dark (1992)
• Brave New World (2000)
• Dance of Death (2003)
• A Matter of Life and Death (2006)
• The Final Frontier (2010)
• The Book of Souls (2015)
• Senjutsu (2021)

Solo Albums

• Tattooed Millionaire (1990)
• Balls to Picasso (1994)
• Skunkworks (1996)
• Accident of Birth (1997)
• The Chemical Wedding (1998)
• Tyranny of Souls (2005)
• The Mandrake Project (2024)

With Samson

• Survivors (1979)
• Head On (1980)
• Shock Tactics (1981)
• Live at Reading 1981 (1990)

Tours

Bruce Dickinson has toured the world many times, both with Iron Maiden and for his solo albums. Here are some of his solo tours:

• 1990: Tattooed Millionaire Tour
• 1994–1995: Balls to Picasso Tour
• 1996: Skunkworks Tour
• 1997: Accident of Birth Tour
• 1998–1999: The Chemical Wedding Tour
• 2002: Airraid over Europe Tour
• 2024: The Mandrake Project Tour

The Mandrake Project Tour

This tour for his latest solo album takes place between Iron Maiden's tours.

2024 touring band members

• Bruce Dickinson – lead vocals
• Chris Declercq – guitar
• Philip Naslund – guitar
• Tanya O'Callaghan – bass
• Mistheria – keyboards
• Dave Moreno – drums

See also

In Spanish: Bruce Dickinson para niños