David Michael Murray (born 23 December 1956)[1] is an English guitarist, best known as a member of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden.

Growing up in various areas of London, Murray became a member of a metalhead gang fighting skinheads before he took an interest in rock music at 15 and formed his first band Stone Free with Adrian Smith.

"[9] After only a few months in the band, Murray was sacked following an argument with singer Dennis Wilcock after a show at the Bridge House pub in Canning Town.

Murray managed to hold down a 9 to 5 job working as a storekeeper for the London Borough of Hackney, which he has stated was "so I could sleep off the night before",[13] but was able to resign once Iron Maiden signed with EMI in 1979.

He has also written songs for Iron Maiden, though he is less prolific than other band members,[16] usually forgoing lyric writing and instead concentrating on the musical elements of songwriting.

[17] Publications have made note of his harmonized guitar riffs and solos with bandmate Adrian Smith, which have become stapes of Iron Maiden's sound, and heavy metal music in general.

First pairing off for 1981’s blistering Killers, Murray and Smith quickly proved that they could play harmony leads and interlocking riffs as if linked by one brain, and do it with a speed and aggression that put most punk bands of the era to shame.

"[18][19] Murray played with the jazz ensemble on Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain's instructional video Rhythms of the Beast.

[22] As of 2023, during Maiden's Future Past World Tour, it was revealed Murray had begun using the Fractal Axe-FX III units,[23] replacing the long-serving Marshall JMP-1 preamps.

[33][34][35][36][37] On stage, Murray has also performed with a cream USA Floyd Rose Standard Stratocaster (with a 22-fret maple neck and same electronics and hardware as the sunburst model),[38] a custom Stratocaster based on his aforementioned Paul Kossoff Fender,[31] and a Gibson Flying V.[31] In 2010, he began using a Gibson Les Paul Traditional model, featuring Seymour Duncan '59 and JB pickups in the neck and bridge positions respectively,[31] which his guitar technician, Colin Price, states was originally brought in for Adrian Smith to try,[39] but was then bought by Murray for practising on tour.

[41] As of 2023, Murray uses as his main guitar a brand new Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster, built by Fender Master Builder Andy Hicks which features an Olympic White finish, walnut neck, rosewood fretboard, Stainless Steel frets and with the same hardware - Floyd Rose tremolo, Dave Murray Seymour Duncan Loaded Pickguard with Hot Rails in the bridge and neck positions and a JB Jr. in the middle.

For the 2024 leg of the Future past tour, the guitar has been upgraded with FU Tone parts, (Floyd Rose saddles, locking nut pads, noiseless springs).

As the primary guitarists for Iron Maiden, Murray and Smith helped to popularize anthemic lead guitar playing, which has consequently become a staple in metal music for the last 40-plus years.

[50] In his spare time, Murray (along with bandmate Nicko McBrain) is an avid golfer, as seen in the Rock in Rio DVD and Iron Maiden: Flight 666; he revealed in 2002 that he tries to play "a couple of rounds in each week" and his handicap "can be anywhere from 15 to 24.