Former Iron Maiden drummer Clive Burr dies at 56

It's a gloomy day for metal fans, as former Iron Maiden drummer Clive Burr--who has been suffering from Multiple Sclerosis for many years--died in his sleep last night.

Burr joined Iron Maiden in 1979, after a stint in Samson, which also featured Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson on its first three albums. Burr played on Iron Maiden's self-titled debut of 1980, 1981's Killers, and the '82 breakthrough The Number of the Beast.

That means he was the guy slamming the skins on such iconic headbanger classics as "Wrathchild", "Running Free", and "Run to the Hills".

“This is terribly sad news," said Maiden bassist and main songwriter Steve Harris on the band's website today. "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."

“He was a great guy and a man who really lived his life to the full," said vocalist Bruce Dickinson. "Even during the darkest days of his M.S., Clive never lost his sense of humour or irreverence. This is a terribly sad day...”