BLAZE BAYLEY On Quitting Alcohol: ‘I Wish I’d Stopped Drinking Years Before’

Former IRON MAIDEN vocalist Blaze Bayley has opened up about his decision to quit alcohol, reflecting on his long struggle with depression and the lifestyle changes that eventually led him to sobriety. The 62-year-old singer, who fronted the British heavy metal legends between 1994 and 1999, says he has been sober since June 2019.

Speaking to Metal Hammer, Bayley explained that his decision was closely tied to improving his mental health, something he had battled for decades without fully understanding it.

“I was diagnosed with depression 25 years ago and I didn’t even know what it was,” he said. “In the end, I decided I didn’t want to take antidepressants anymore. I’d already stopped drinking on show days or the day before a show, but when I was off tour I slipped back into the habit of drinking – doing things you shouldn’t like drinking alone, so I decided to stay stopped.”

Bayley was candid about his relationship with alcohol, admitting it was not always extreme but still problematic in its persistence.

“I’m not a full-blown alcoholic who could down a bottle of vodka each day, but there’s not a part of me that goes, ‘Oh, I don’t really care about not drinking today’ which is a bit of a problem,” he added.

The singer now encourages others who may be struggling with alcohol to consider taking a break from drinking altogether.

“Try quitting and give it six months,” he advised. “First year I took it for granted a bit, but by the second year I was looking back at the trail of destruction I left behind me and there was nowhere near as much as there was when I’d been drinking. I couldn’t help but think about all the crap decisions I’d made while drinking.”

Bayley says sobriety has given him a strong sense of freedom and clarity in his daily life.

“I feel liberated,” he explained. “I can get on my motorcycle and ride any time day or night. I can go anywhere because I’m not drunk, so I’m never in a situation where I can’t ride. I have petrol instead of booze. For anybody with mental health issues who suffers from depression – try it. I wish I’d stopped drinking years before.”

Last month it was announced that Bayley will take part in IRON MAIDEN’s upcoming EddFest weekend, where he will appear as a special headliner on Friday night.

“I’m so excited to be invited to headline Friday night at EddFest, celebrating 50 years of IRON MAIDEN,” said Blaze. “I am so proud of my two albums with the band and I’m really looking forward to playing some of the songs that we recorded together. Can’t wait to see you all at the hallowed grounds of Knebworth!”

Fans attending EddFest can expect Bayley and his band to deliver a powerful set focused heavily on material from The X Factor and Virtual XI, the two albums released during his tenure as IRON MAIDEN’s frontman. Bayley co-wrote a number of songs from that era alongside IRON MAIDEN founder Steve Harris, and the Maidenville stage itself has been personally curated by Harris to highlight key chapters of his long and influential career.

Meanwhile, Bayley’s name has also recently reappeared in broader IRON MAIDEN discussions following the latest Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame nominations. The band were unveiled among the 17 nominees for the Class of 2026 on February 25, marking their third nomination overall after previous bids in 2021 and 2023.

At the time of the announcement, Bayley was not initially included in the list of individual members considered for induction. However, fans later noticed that his name had been added to the Rock Hall’s official listing of musicians who would be inducted should IRON MAIDEN be selected, aligning his contribution with the band’s officially recognized lineup alongside figures such as Bruce Dickinson, Steve Harris, Nicko McBrain, Adrian Smith, Dave Murray, Janick Gers, as well as former members Dennis Stratton, Paul Di’Anno, and Clive Burr.