Former Iron Maiden drummer Clive Burr passed away in his sleep last night at the age of 56, the band announced this morning via their website. Burr was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2001 and has long battled the complications that surround the illness, which relegated him to a wheelchair for the last several years of his life.
Though Burr had not been a part of Iron Maiden since 1982, the band always fully supported him, and after his diagnosis in 2001, the band assisted in establishing the Clive Burr MS Trust Fund, which was designed to help raise funds to support his cost of living and medical expenses.
In addition, several “Clive Aid” benefit concerts have been held over the past decade, which has also helped raise both awareness and finances for both Burr specifically and Multiple Sclerosis research and treatment generally.
Clive Burr joined Iron Maiden in 1979 prior to the recording of the band’s debut LP, the self-titled “Iron Maiden”, which was released in 1980. Burr was a member of the band, as previously stated from 1979 to 1982, and played on the band’s first three albums, the other two being “Killers” and “The Number of the Beast”.
Burr once played in the NWOBHM band Samson before joining Iron Maiden. Bruce Dickinson, who has been Iron Maiden’s vocalist for all but four of their studio albums, joined Samson after Burr had already left for Maiden, only to join the band himself in time for “The Number of the Beast”, released in 1982. The two are also both featured on the band’s “Maiden Japan” live EP released in 1981.
Steve Harris said “This is terribly sad news. Clive was a very old friend of all of us. He was a wonderful person and an amazing drummer who made a valuable contribution to Maiden in the early days when we were starting out. This is a sad day for everyone in the band and those around him and our thoughts and condolences are with his partner Mimi and family at this time."
Bruce Dickinson adds “I first met Clive when he was leaving Samson and joining Iron Maiden. He was a great guy and a man who really lived his life to the full. Even during the darkest days of his M.S., Clive never lost his sense of humour or irreverence. This is a terribly sad day and all our thoughts are with Mimi and the family”
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