Adrian Smith
By All Music Guide
By All Music Guide
Meanwhile, Maiden quickly became one of Englands top metal outfits, as the bands 1980 debut, Iron Maiden, nearly topped the charts back home. With Urchin disintegrating, Smith had a change of mind, and finally agreed to join Maiden in time for the recording of the groups sophomore effort, 1981s Killers (supposedly beating out Phil Collen for the spot, who would soon turn up in Def Leppard). Automatically, Smith and Murray formed one of heavy metals top 80s-era guitar duos, as they took Thin Lizzys twin-guitar setup to a whole other level -- especially on such subsequent releases as 1982s classic Number of the Beast (which saw the arrival of singer Dickinson), 1983s Piece of Mind, 1984s Powerslave, 1986s Somewhere in Time, and 1988s Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. Smith also turned out to a valuable songwriter as well, as he completely wrote or co-penned such Maiden classics as 22 Acacia Avenue, Flight of Icarus, 2 Minutes to Midnight, Wasted Years, and Can I Play With Madness, among others (Smith even sang lead on the Somewhere in Time-era B-side, Reach Out).
However, by 1989 it was becoming increasingly obvious that Smith was growing disenchanted with Maiden, as he issued an obscure solo album, credited to A.S.A.P., titled Silver and Gold. Despite the album not exactly lighting up the charts, Smith exited Maiden in 1990, replaced by Janick Gers. Little was heard from Smith throughout the 90s, until he reappeared alongside Dickinson (who had followed Smiths lead and left Maiden) on the releases Accident at Birth (1997), Chemical Wedding (1998), and Scream for Me Brazil (1999). With Smith and Dickinson working together once more (and with Maidens popularity sagging), the duo reunited with their old Maiden pals in 1999, resulting in further sold-out tours and new studio albums, including 2000s Brave New World and 2003s Dance of Death. The 21st century edition of Maiden is also one of the few in metal to include three guitarists -- Smith, Murray, and Gers.
