Whatever you do, kids, don't try this at home.

Former Iron Maiden frontman Paul Di'Anno may be a lot of things to a lot of people: a grizzled veteran of heavy metal's heyday, a quick-witted survivor-type who always speaks his mind, and the voice behind two of Maiden's most beloved early works.

But it's probably unwise to try following in his footsteps -- not unless you're looking to experience total liver failure, anyway.

Now 48, the British-born icon spent much of his adult life indulging in a level of drug and booze-fuelled excess that would put even the members of Moetley Cruee to shame.

That he's still around to tell the tale (as he did in his 2002 autobiography The Beast) is nothing short of a miracle, though it's somewhat less of a surprise to learn he's since reigned in his more self-destructive tendencies.

A characteristically upbeat Di'Anno took some time from his busy touring schedule (between 250 and 300 shows a year) to chat with the Sun about his reputation as a hard-living hedonist.

Sun: You fronted Iron Maiden between 1976 and 1982, but after leaving the band, you compared founder Steve Harris and manager Rod Smallwood to Hitler and Mussolini. Care to elaborate?

Di'Anno (laughing): Obviously, Iron Maiden is Steve's band -- he started it. I just got a bit pissed off because I was writing good songs, but only a few of mine would ever get in there. But I kind of got the last laugh, because I wrote on all the singles.

Do you still speak to those guys?

Yeah, yeah! It's all good. I haven't seen Steve in a few years ... we met a few times in the airport in London, which is weird, but he sends me e-mails and stuff, and I got a nice one from Rod a couple weeks back.

So no bad blood?

Nah, and God help anyone who says anything bad about Iron Maiden in front of me.

You had some highs and lows with bands like Battlezone and Killers, and in your book, you go into some pretty shocking detail about your exploits with booze, drugs, and sex -- even your brushes with the law. Do you regret that period of your life?

Well, obviously it led me to where I am today. I don't condone drugs, because it's not cool to do them ... I was hoping (the book) might be more of a learning curve for my kids than anything else. In fact, I did my best to keep my kids out of the book, they're not mentioned much, but then they got pissed off about that, too!

Any advice for similarly drug-addled rockers like Pete Doherty or Courtney Love?

These people, they should know what they're doing, but the majority of them make it seem like it's cool to take drugs. If you're doing it, keep it to yourself. If it's affecting your playing or what you're doing, then you need to get some help ... Do it at home, don't do it on the road, and for God's sake, don't do it in front of the kids.

You've got a number of different backing bands on the go right now, and you're always on the lookout for more. What are your criteria?

They're young, they've got the enthusiasm, got the fire, they're more punk influenced, and they're heavy as hell.

Being in a band sounds a bit like being a relationship -- there's a honeymoon period at the beginning, but lot's of bitterness at the end.

Ah, I better not saying anything about that -- I just got engaged.