Iron Maiden Singer Battles Cancer
Bruce Dickinson, lead singer for the heavy metal band Iron Maiden, has been diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on his tongue, according to Rolling Stone magazine. The Iron Maiden frontman has been undergoing cancer treatments since mid-December, when a small tumor was discovered on the back of the singer’s tongue during a routine medical check up.
Yesterday, Dickinson completed a seven week chemotherapy and radiology treatment regiment, which was followed by an official statement released by Iron Maiden band members.
“We would ask for your patience, understanding and respect for Bruce and his family’s privacy until we update everyone by the end of May. Bruce is doing very well considering the circumstances, and the whole team is very positive.”
It was fortunate that Dickinson’s tumor was caught as early as it had been, according to USA Today, allowing for an extremely good prognosis. Doctors expect the Iron Maiden singer to make a full recovery by mid-May.
Seeking privacy for their band mate, Iron Maiden urged fans to remain patient, while Bruce recovers from these many months of cancer treatments and endures the eventual rehabilitation he will undoubtedly have to pursue.
Iron Maiden, formed in 1976 and named for the medieval torture device, went through many incarnations before they found their niche and released their debut album through Capitol Records in 1980. The album, Iron Maiden, was an instant success in Britain, reaching as far as number five on the charts, but experienced a slower ascent in the U.S. The band’s mainstay, a 10-foot rotting corpse known only as Eddie, quickly became their mascot and a source of adulation from fans worldwide.
Dickinson joined the band for the release of The Number of the Beast and became the signature voice of the new Iron Maiden, driving the album to the top of the charts in Britain and earning the band seven consecutive platinum or gold albums in the United States. All of this success came in spite of the lack of exposure through radio play or MTV air time.
Dickinson is as well known for his showmanship as he is for his trademark voice and, as recently as last year, he made headlines for his daredevil antics. The Iron Maiden singer, also an accomplished pilot, participated in a reenactment of a World War I dogfight, flying a 100-year-old plane at the Sonisphere festival in England.
He also reportedly invested in the Hybrid Air Vehicle, dubbed the world’s longest aircraft, paying a total of $450,000.
“It’s a game-changer, in terms of things we can have in the air and things we can do,” Dickinson said in a March interview. “The airship has always been with us; it’s just been waiting for the technology to catch up.”
