Is Adrian's TWOTW solo better than SIASL????

That is a good pick. I fell instantly in love with that one as well. Definitely the song with one of if not the best back to back solos ever.
 
If people are interested, we started a huge Maiden solo tournament 6 years ago (without The Book of Souls album). It took more than a year and 143 pages.


(Background and preparation/qualification topic which started already in 2012)

Here the results and you can see the most favourite Adrian Smith solos as well. No less than 15 of the best 32 are his.

Below the winner and the eliminated solos (2 eliminated in the Final; 3-4 eliminated in the Semi Finals; 5-8 eliminated in the Quarter Finals; 16 eliminated in round 4; 17-32 eliminated in round 3; 33-64 eliminated in round 2; 65-96 eliminated in round 1B; 97-128 eliminated in round 1A):

rank number / solo number / solo info / solo votes in proportion to group votes / votes in group / votes in tiebreak*

001 / 043 / Stranger in a Strange Land Adrian Smith
Best Iron Maiden solo (from Iron Maiden to The Final Frontier)
Best solo of the eighties
Best Adrian Smith solo
Best Somewhere in Time solo
Best Somewhere in Time Adrian Smith solo ;-)


002 / 033 / Powerslave (1st solo) Dave Murray
Best Dave Murray solo
Best non-Somewhere in Time solo of all
Best pre-Somewhere in Time solo of all (from Iron Maiden to Powerslave)

003 / 038 / Caught Somewhere in Time Adrian Smith
Second best Somewhere in Time Adrian Smith solo


004 / 045 / Alexander the Great Dave Murray
Best post-Powerslave-Dave Murray solo (from Somewhere in Time to The Final Frontier)

005 / 039 / Wasted Years Adrian Smith
Third best Somewhere in Time Adrian Smith solo

006 / 044 / Alexander the Great Adrian Smith
Fourth best Somewhere in Time Adrian Smith solo

007 / 040 / Sea of Madness (1st solo) Adrian Smith
Fifth best Somewhere in Time Adrian Smith solo


008 / 066 / Fear of the Dark Dave Murray
Best post-Somewhere in Time-solo of all (from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son to The Final Frontier)
Best solo of the nineties

009 / 084 / Blood Brothers Janick Gers
Best Janick Gers solo
Best post-Fear of the Dark-solo of all (from The X-Factor to The Final Frontier)

010 / 093 / Rainmaker Dave Murray
Best post-Fear of the Dark-Dave Murray solo (from The X-Factor to The Final Frontier)

= = = = = = =

011 / 059 / Wasting Love Janick Gers
Best Janick Gers solo from the nineties

012 / 004 / Strange World Dennis Stratton
Best Dennis Stratton solo
Best solo of all, from first 4 albums (from Iron Maiden to Piece of Mind)

012 / 062 / Judas Be My Guide 2nd solo Dave Murray
012 / 076 / The Clansman Janick Gers

012 / 100 / Paschendale Adrian Smith
Best post-Somewhere in Time-Adrian Smith solo (from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son to The Final Frontier)


016 / 088 / The Thin Line Between Love and Hate Dave Murray 4:50 - 5:20

017-032 / Killers Dave Murray
017-032 / Prodigal Son Adrian Smith
017-032 / The Prisoner Adrian Smith

017-032 / 22 Acacia Avenue Dave Murray
017-032 / The Trooper Adrian Smith
017-032 / The Duellists Adrian Smith
017-032 / Rime of the Ancient Mariner Adrian Smith

017-032 / Rime of the Ancient Mariner Dave Murray
017-032 / Judas Be My Guide 1st solo Dave Murray
017-032 / The Wicker Man Adrian Smith
017-032 / Ghost of the Navigator Janick Gers
017-032 / Different World Adrian Smith
017-032 / These Colours Don't Run Adrian Smith

017-032 / The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg Dave Murray
017-032 / The Legacy Janick Gers
017-032 / When the Wild Wind Blows Adrian Smith

033-128:
033-064 / Phantom of the Opera 1st solo Dave Murray
033-064 / Hallowed Be Thy Name Dave Murray
033-064 / Die With Your Boots On Adrian Smith
033-064 / Still Life Adrian Smith
033-064 / Aces High Adrian Smith
033-064 / 2 Minutes to Midnight Dave Murray
033-064 / 2 Minutes to Midnight Adrian Smith
033-064 / Powerslave 2nd solo Dave Murray
033-064 / Caught Somewhere in Time Dave Murray
033-064 / Heaven Can Wait Dave Murray
033-064 / The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner Adrian Smith
033-064 / The Evil That Men Do Adrian Smith
033-064 / Seventh Son of a Seventh Son Adrian Smith
033-064 / Only the Good Die Young Adrian Smith
033-064 / Public Enema Number One Dave Murray
033-064 / Weekend Warrior Dave Murray
033-064 / The Unbeliever Dave Murray
033-064 / Brave New World Janick Gers
033-064 / Brave New World Dave Murray
033-064 / The Mercenary Adrian Smith
033-064 / Out of the Silent Planet Janick Gers
033-064 / Dance of Death Adrian Smith
033-064 / Dance of Death Janick Gers
033-064 / Paschendale Dave Murray
033-064 / The Pilgrim Janick Gers
033-064 / Lord of Light Adrian Smith
033-064 / Lord of Light Dave Murray
033-064 / Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Flight 666) Adrian Smith
033-064 / The Final Frontier Dave Murray
033-064 / Coming Home Adrian Smith
033-064 / Isle of Avalon Dave Murray
033-064 / Isle of Avalon Adrian Smith
065 / 118 / The Alchemist Janick Gers 3:05 - 3:35 / 0.23404255319 / 11 / 12* / 6*
066 / 058 / Afraid to Shoot Strangers Janick Gers 4:01 - 4:18 / 0.21739130434 / 10 / 12* / 4*
067 / 128 / 2 Minutes to Midnight (En Vivo) Adrian Smith 2:58 - 3:20 / 0.23913043478 / 11 / 11*
068 / 078 / Como Estais Amigos Janick Gers 3:14 - 3:38 / 0.25 / 8 / 9*
069 / 089 / The Thin Line Between Love and Hate Dave Murray 6:54 - 7:06 / 0.25 / 8 / 7*
070 / 027 / To Tame a Land Adrian Smith 5:21 - 5:41 / 0.21739130434 / 10 / 7*
071 / 008 / The Ides of March Adrian Smith 0:40 - 1:00 / 0.23529411764 / 8
072 / 127 / When the Wild Wind Blows Janick Gers 8:39 - 9:04 / 0.23076923076 / 6
073 / 064 / Weekend Warrior Janick Gers 3:54 - 4:34 / 0.22222222222 / 8
074 / 031 / The Duellists Dave Murray 2:50 - 3:14 / 0.21951219512 / 9
075 / 086 / Dream of Mirrors Janick Gers 7:25 - 7:48 / 0.20588235294 / 7
076 / 016 / Where Eagles Dare Dave Murray 2:16 - 2:54 / 0.20512820512 / 8
077 / 094 / No More Lies Janick Gers 5:29 - 5:49 / 0.20454545454 / 9
078 / 065 / Fear of the Dark Janick Gers 4:09 - 4:26 / 0.2 / 8
078 / 083 / Blood Brothers Dave Murray 3:10 - 3:25 / 0.2 / 6
080 / 022 / Still Life Dave Murray 0:12 - 1:00 / 0.18181818181 / 8
081 / 096 / Dance of Death Dave Murray 5:01 - 5:15 / 0.17647058823 / 6
082 / 018 / Revelations Adrian Smith 4:46 - 5:06 / 0.16666666666 / 5
083 / 075 / Futureal Dave Murray 1:30 - 2:00 / 0.15625 / 5
084 / 010 / Children of the Damned Adrian Smith 3:21 - 3:41 / 0.15384615384 / 6
085 / 073 / The Unbeliever Janick Gers 4:10 - 4:38 / 0.15384615384 / 4
086 / 013 / The Number of the Beast Dave Murray 2:46 - 3:06 / 0.14705882352 / 5
086 / 017 / Revelations Dave Murray 4:23 - 4:46 / 0.14705882352 / 5
088 / 110 / For the Greater Good of God Adrian Smith 6:16 - 6:30 / 0.14285714285 / 5
089 / 049 / The Clairvoyant Dave Murray 2:31 - 3:00 / 0.13888888888 / 5
090 / 025 / Quest for Fire Adrian Smith 2:23 - 2:39 / 0.13636363636 / 6
091 / 101 / Paschendale Janick Gers 5:55 - 6:15 / 0.13333333333 / 4
092 / 090 / Sign of the Cross (Rock in Rio) Dave Murray 7:51 - 8:11 / 0.12765957446 / 6
093 / 047 / Seventh Son of a Seventh Son Dave Murray 7:05 - 7:26 / 0.125 / 5
094 / 060 / The Fugitive Janick Gers 2:46 - 3:08 / 0.09375 / 3
095 / 124 / The Talisman Janick Gers 5:56 - 6:45 / 0.05714285714 / 2
096 / 107 / The Longest Day Dave Murray 6:21 - 6:39 / 0.04761904761 / 2
097 / 072 / 2 A.M. Janick Gers 3:25 - 3:49 / 0.14545454545 / 8 / 8*
098 / 121 / Starblind Adrian Smith 2:34 - 2:53 0.1 / 8 / 4*
099 / 056 / Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter Janick Gers 2:19 - 3:00 / 0.17073170731 / 7 / 3*
100 / 055 / The Assassin Janick Gers 2:24 - 3:04 / 0.14634146341 / 6
101 / 002 / Phantom of the Opera Dave Murray 5:10 - 5:30 / 0.14583333333 / 7
102 / 105 / Brighter Than a Thousand Suns Janick Gers 5:25 - 5:53 / 0.13953488372 / 6
103 / 125 / The Man Who Would Be King Dave Murray 4:01 - 4:55 / 0.13725490196 / 7
104 / 071 / Blood on the World's Hands Janick Gers 3:32 - 3:48 / 0.125 / 5
105 / 057 / From Here to Eternity Janick Gers 2:28 - 2:41 / 0.12244897959 / 6
106 / 070 / Fortunes of War Janick Gers 5:02 - 5:27 / 0.11764705882 / 6
107 / 024 / Still Life Dave Murray 3:45 - 4:11 / 0.11111111111 / 6
108 / 051 / Still Life (LIVE: Maiden England) Dave Murray 3:26 - 3:49 / 0.10869565217 / 5
109 / 069 / Lord of the Flies Janick Gers 3:19 - 3:42 / 0.09803921568 / 5
110 / 052 / Holy Smoke Janick Gers 2:08 - 2:31 / 0.09615384615 / 5
111 / 092 / Hallowed Be Thy Name (LIVE: Rock in Rio) Janick Gers / 4:50 - 5:11 0.09433962264 / 5
112 / 003 / Transylvania Dennis Stratton 1:54 - 2:22 / 0.0862068965517241 / 5
113 / 026 / Quest for Fire Dave Murray 2:39 - 2:54 / 0.08163265306 / 4
114 / 019 / Die With Your Boots On Dave Murray 3:00 - 3:23 / 0.07692307692 / 4
115 / 068 / Sign of the Cross Janick Gers 8:35 - 8:54 / 0.07142857142 / 4
116 / 067 / Prowler (LIVE: A Real Dead One '93) Dave Murray 2:10 - 2:33 / 0.06818181818 / 3
117 / 122 / Starblind Adrian Smith 4:15 - 4:44 / 0.0625 / 3
118 / 098 / Gates of Tomorrow Janick Gers 3:14 - 3:35 / 0.06 / 3
118 / 109 / For the Greater Good of God Janick Gers 5:49 - 6:03 / 0.06 / 3
120 / 102 / Where Eagles Dare (LIVE: Ullevi) Dave Murray 2:15 - 2:39 / 0.05555555555 / 3
121 / 008 / Drifter Adrian Smith 3:04 - 3:42 / 0.05263157894 / 4
122 / 091 / Hallowed Be Thy Name (LIVE: Rock in Rio) Dave Murray / 4:31 - 4:51 0.0487804878 / 2
123/ 014 / The Number of the Beast Adrian Smith 3:14 - 3:34 / 0.04081632653 / 2
124 / 115 / Heaven Can Wait (LIVE: Flight 666) Janick Gers 4:30 - 5:07 / 0.03846153846 / 2
125 / 123 / Starblind Dave Murray 4:43 - 4:53 / 0.025 / 1
126/ 077 / Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger Janick Gers 5:56 - 6:10 / 0,000000000000 / 0
126 / 009 / Invaders Adrian Smith 2:09 - 2:28 / 0,000000000000 / 0
126 / 053 / No Prayer for the Dying Dave Murray 3:10 - 3:29 / 0,000000000000 / 0

I think it is rather cool that Dennis Stratton ended up with the most popular solo of the first four albums!!
I participated in that and voted for SIASL lol...
 
Adrian's solo on TWOTW is not only way better than SIASL solo but also his greatest solo IMO. Actually there are at least 10 solos that sound better to me than SIASL solo ( Dance of Death, The Wicker Man, Powerslave, WTWWB, ROAM, The Book of Souls, Coming Home, Face İn the Sand... to name a few.) By the way, I find the SIASL song quite boring and the solo does not save it. I'm not a big fan of the 80s anyway...
 
From Bruce's solo songs... Gates Of Urizen springs to mind...

Back to topic... No, it's not. However it is his best solo on all Maiden albums excluding SIT and SSOASS.

Only DOD and BTATS solos come close from the reunion era.
 
Back
Top