Adrian Smith

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harrisdevot said:
"Technically proficient" ? If technique is everything, then Steve Vai, Malmsteen and all those super fast players are the best. No contest. I put fluidity over everything and in this respect, Dave is fantastic.
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Fluidity can be provided by any mediocre to proficient YT player. It means s##t without engagement (speaking of that, Dave seems to be on autopilot for some time), feeling and how much your contribution is helping the final result which is the performance of the song. In the end, discussions about the “better” player in Maiden are pointless. Big H fan here, but are no better players in Maiden, just an amazing group that we love.
 
harrisdevot said:
"Technically proficient" ? If technique is everything, then Steve Vai, Malmsteen and all those super fast players are the best. No contest. I put fluidity over everything and in this respect, Dave is fantastic.
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Technique is definitely not everything and being more than just technically proficient is what makes H a great guitar player. He has the technique but also a great feel and musicality (I can hear some Michael Schenker in his playing).

Dave is a very fluid player with a distinctive “creamy” sound but he has, in my humble opinion, been stuck in a rut for the last 30 years.

On a side note, I cannot stand Yngwie Malmsteen.
 
GhostofCain said:
Dave is a very fluid player with a distinctive “creamy” sound but he has, in my humble opinion, been stuck in a rut for the last 30 years.

On a side note, I cannot stand Yngwie Malmsteen.
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I think Dave played great on AMOLAD, although he didn't play that many solos. I love early Yngwie. He hasn't put out a great record since 1994 though - Perpetual Flame from 2008 had some moments, but stopped there.
 
Dave is the more natural player. The more effortless, the more impressive, I'd say.

Adrian's solo "composition" appeals to many (to me as well). Makes him a very memorable player.

In the end we merely have to see this and we know what Dave brings to the band.
 
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This is a boring conversation, but I do want to clarify something:

Mosh said:
Adrian was the technically more proficient player and was being challenged more.
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Forostar said:
Don't think he ever was. He uses different technique. Doesn't make him the technically more proficient player.
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harrisdevot said:
How the hell could Smith be considered a better player than Murray?
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MrKnickerbocker said:
Adrian plays the most technically challenging parts across all the albums, and thus, is objectively the most talented.
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harrisdevot said:
"Technically proficient" ? If technique is everything, then Steve Vai, Malmsteen and all those super fast players are the best. No contest.
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The original comment was indeed about technical proficiency. It had nothing to do with preference or who is the best, which ultimately comes down to personal taste.

I prefer Adrian mainly for his melodic approach and variety in articulations. A lot of this is a result of having more tools in his toolbox when it comes to picking techniques, scale choices (Adrian is far more likely to go outside the pentatonic scale or use a mode or something of that ilk), and rhythm. There are lots of guitar players who are even more proficient than Adrian, but I still tend to prefer Adrian.

This idea that technique is everything is silly, nobody thinks like that and that wasn't what the original comment was about. Yes I enjoy a lot of shredders like Vai, but there are many who I don't like. I like players who are deep in the blues tradition, such as Murray, but there are many who I don't like. You can say one guitarist has more skill than another without it being some insult to their overall musicianship.
 
Re: technical proficiency

Adrian certainly dips his toe in much, much more techniques than Dave, but you couldn't say he's the master of any technique or particularly associated with any technique in the way that Dave is associated with hammer-on pull-offs.
 
mihai said:
In the end, discussions about the “better” player in Maiden are pointless. Big H fan here, but are no better players in Maiden, just an amazing group that we love.
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Indeed. I don't think any of them are the best or the worst - they all have different styles and different approaches and they all bring something different to the band, but what makes them really special is how they all work together. Which is why Maiden needs all three of them equally.
 
To a couple remarks about Sleepy Dave on autopilot.
I thought he took great strides to counteract that on Book of Souls; felt more in his soloing on that record than I had in years.
 
ultimateclassicrock.com

Adrian Smith Says Iron Maiden Merchandise Works ‘Too Well’

Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith discussed the pros and cons of seeing their band logo and Eddie mascot everywhere in October 2020.
ultimateclassicrock.com ultimateclassicrock.com

Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith discussed the pros and cons of having a massively successful merchandise line.
He noted that it resulted in people being associated with their renowned logo and Eddie mascot without having any genuine connection with their music.
“No matter where we go, we always see our merchandise around,” Smith told Louder in a recent interview. “A great thing about this band is that we go out and take the music to people, wherever that may take us. Doing that also means people stick with you. Having said that, I’ve walked by people in those shirts who had no idea who I was! I think our merchandise works a little too well like that.”

He recalled a moment when the band’s highly visible following gave him a laugh: “I was out fishing in Ireland with my dad. Word had got out in the local village, and these kids started turning up, all wearing Eddie shirts, watching us from the banks for a while. I went over and they asked if we could sign their things and, just as I did, two nuns walked up! They looked at the album, looked at me and thought it was hilarious.”
In the same interview Smith mentioned another downside of being a big-name act. “In places like Italy and Mexico, I’ve found the police escorts can be a little … enthusiastic,” he said. “Too much so, you might say! People think it’s glamorous getting this escort, but it can be very stressful, especially when you get a bit carsick and your driver thinks he’s in an action movie, speeding through the night at 100 mph with his sunglasses on!”
Despite the downsides, the guitarist said he and his colleagues have no plans to retire in the near future. “Even now, there’s still a little bit of insecurity and wanting to prove things to people, do things we haven’t before,” he explained.
“It’s like fishing – there’s always bigger fish and new places to explore, always something to look forward to. It’s what keeps me going. That and things like playing tennis with [bassist] Steve Harris to keep me fit. I don’t think any of us feel like slowing down – we still want to get out there!”
 
PhantomOfTheOpera said:
I’ve walked by people in those shirts who had no idea who I was!
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Is this the same Adrian Smith who once described himself as "fair game" when outside his hotel? I for one certainly concluded from that (the "fair game" comment) that he didn't actually welcome the attention/being recognised in the streets, although he may accept it with equanimity. Perhaps these folks are simply respecting his privacy, since he is "off duty" at these times?
:innocent:
 
Mate sent me an email from a record stores mailing list and this was in it

"Smith/Kotzen is the exciting partnership between guitarists & vocalists Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden) & Richie Kotzen (Solo artist, Winery Dogs, Mr Big, Poison). Part-time LA neighbours, full time friends with a healthy mutual respect - their music is evocative of the classic rock bands of the 70s brought bang up to date with punchy hooks, harmonies and sheer guitar virtuosity. Debut track ‘Taking My Chances’ sets the tone for this electrifying collaboration between two hugely admired rock music trail-blazers."

Release Date 26 March 2021

Smith + Kotzen - Limited Edition Red + Black Smoke Vinyl

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srfc said:
Re: technical proficiency

Adrian certainly dips his toe in much, much more techniques than Dave, but you couldn't say he's the master of any technique or particularly associated with any technique in the way that Dave is associated with hammer-on pull-offs.
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I would say otherwise.

I consider bending to be a technique as large as any. People perceive direct modulation and vibrato as something that's a "feel" and thus not associated with technique, which can't be more far from truth.

In solos phrasing is a function of how good a rhythm player the soloist actually is, how he feels the groove.

Then you have overall tonal control of the guitar. Muting strings, hitting strings. The attack, the definition vs the noise.

In Metal world Smith is known for these stuff as opposed to Murray's legato only approach.
Outside of the Metal world both are known as very good guitarists of Iron Maiden and for their joint harmony lines, no further specifics given.
 
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Recorded on the Turks & Caicos Islands in February 2020, produced by Richie and Adrian and mixed by Kevin “Caveman” Shirley, this nine track opus is a consummate collaboration between these two highly respected musicians who co-wrote all the songs and also share lead vocals and trade off on guitar and bass duties throughout the record.
Exploding with powerful melodies & harmonies, the album embodies the spirited attitude of 70’s classic rock with a melting-pot of influences ranging from blues, hard rock, traditional R&B and more, blending the pair’s backgrounds and life experiences to result in a thoroughly contemporary sound. The full track-listing is:
  1. Taking My Chances
  2. Running
  3. Scars
  4. Some People
  5. Glory Road
  6. Solar Fire
  7. You Don’t Know Me
  8. I Wanna Stay
  9. ‘Til Tomorrow
The record features special guest performances by Adrian’s fellow Iron Maiden bandmate Nicko McBrain on drums for the track Solar Fire, and Richie’s longstanding friend and touring partner Tal Bergman on drums for You Don’t Know Me, I Wanna Stay and ‘Til Tomorrow, with Richie picking up the sticks on the other five songs.
Adrian Smith comments, “Richie and I started working together a couple of years ago. We’d been jamming as we’d been friends for a few years before that. We both share a love for classic rock and bluesy rock so we decided to get together and start writing some songs and it went from there. Pretty much everything on the album is handled between Richie and myself including the production. We had developed a really strong idea of how we wanted it to sound and I’m very pleased with how it turned out. There’s a lot of cool songs on there that we are really happy with.”
Richie Kotzen adds “We had a very fluid process in writing. Sometimes Adrian would send me a riff and I would immediately hear some kind of melody or a vocal idea. And sometimes it was the other way round so it was a kind of circular motion. We’d get together whenever we could and throw some ideas around and it just evolved, which was great because there was no pressure and nothing other than just a natural course and I think the record really speaks for that.”

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Check out the new video for 'Taking My Chances'

 
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