Iron Maiden Artist Derek Riggs Designs New Benefit Shirt for Paul Di’Anno

Artist Derek Riggs, who's best known for creating Iron Maiden's album covers and their beloved mascot Eddie, has designed a new benefit T-shirt to help raise money for the band's former vocalist Paul Di'Anno so he can cover his medical treatments. The singer has been wheelchair-bound for several years due to various health ailments.

The front of the shirt features an illustration Eddie holding an axe, and reads "Axes High for Paul Di'Anno," which is a play-on Iron Maiden's 1984 single "Aces High." The back of the shirt has Di'Anno's face on it, with two crossed axes underneath and "Axes Crossed Tour 2022" written around it. The names of all of the buyers of the shirt will be listed below the design to look like tour dates on the back of a regular concert T-shirt, to commemorate the fans who contributed to the vocalists' medical costs.

Every name may not be able to fit, so they'll be listed on a first-come, first-serve basis. The shirt will be available in black, gray and white and is currently priced at €44, which includes shipping. They'll be shipped out in September. See an image of the shirt design below, and buy it here now.

According to Maiden Croatia, who will be distributing the shirt, this design is the first Riggs has done that features Di'Anno since he created the cover of the Venezuelan edition of their 1981 live album Maiden Japan. 

Di'Anno performed his first show in seven years back in May at the Bikers Beer Factory in Zagreb, Croatia, where he'd been living and receiving treatments to prepare for a knee surgery in July. There, he reunited with Steve Harris, who made a stop in the country while on tour with Maiden. Shortly after, the band arranged to cover the remaining costs of Di'Anno's knee procedure, which fans had been raising funds for the whole year prior.

It's unclear how long the vocalist's recovery will take, but the proceeds from the new Riggs-designed T-shirt will assist him with the medical and physical rehabilitation costs. If he makes a full recovery, it's possible that he will be able to walk again on his own.