David Michael Murray profile

English guitarist and songwriter born 23rd of December in 1956 in Edmonton, London, United Kingdom.

After his parents settled down he met Adrian Smith and the two played a lot together. He formed his first band, Stone Free, with Adrian and Dave McCloughlin but the band only did one gig. While still at school Dave and Adrian also formed a band called Evil Ways, which was later renamed to Urchin, though Dave left the band to join a proper band.

He frequently answered ads in Melody Maker and got in various bands three of which were Electric Gas, The Secret and an East End band called Warlock. With The Secret he recorded a single called Café De Dance which came out in about 1975. In Warlock he met Dennis Wilcock, who would later get him to audition for Iron Maiden.

He joined Iron Maiden for the first time in late 1976 but was fired from the band after a few months due to a rift between him and Dennis Wilcock. He went on to rejoin Urchin and recorded a single She’s A Roller with the band. About six months after being fired from Maiden Steve Harris, who now had only himself and Doug Sampson in Maiden, asked Dave to rejoin the band. It was an easy choice for Dave and he has stayed in Maiden ever since making him the only other person along with Harris to appear on all Iron Maiden releases.