Bruce Dickinson , legendary vocalist of Iron Maiden , revealed that he hasn't headbanged during the band's shows for decades. The practice, which has become a trademark of rock and metal fans, can cause serious injuries. And that's what happened in Dickinson's case.
During an interview with the Fisio Premium , the vocalist commented that he gave up headbanging after developing a herniated disc in his neck:
“I hurt my neck! I had a herniated disc [behind my neck] when I was about 23 or 24 years old, from headbanging. I had hair down to my waist, so when my hair got wet, it put a lot of strain on my neck. So, I strained my neck awkwardly, ignored it. I kept headbanging and then I couldn't move my neck.”
In addition to the severe pain, Dickinson said that the first doctor he consulted did not handle the issue properly, making the situation worse:
“So, I went to see a doctor in Germany and he gave me an injection. I didn’t know what it was, I didn’t ask, but the pain went away. Then I went to the United States on The Number of the Beast , and it happened again, but this time I lost 60% of the strength in my left arm. I could barely hold the microphone stand with that hand, and I thought, ‘What’s happening?’”
The aftereffects will affect Bruce Dickinson for the rest of his life.
Due to a lack of guidance from the first doctor and the gradual worsening of the injury, the singer had to give up headbanging altogether. Bruce still feels the after-effects of the hernia to this day, as he himself says:
“If I had received some good advice from the first doctor, it would have been different. They didn't advise me, they didn't say what caused it, all they did was give me a cortisone injection or something that didn't solve the problem. What I realized was that if I wanted to continue singing, I had to stop headbanging because it would ruin my neck, and I still have problems to this day. And I ended up with lifelong consequences.”
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