Released: 1989
Tracks: The Lion; Silver and Gold; Down the Wire; You Could Be a King; After the Storm; Misunderstood; Kid Gone Astray; Fallen Heroes; Wishing Your Life Away; Blood on the Ocean
Best track: it’s too hard, all have something to offer
Track to skip: none
In 1989 after Iron Maiden finished up their Seventh Son tour, the band went their separate ways to do their own thing. Guitarist Adrian Smith decided to hook up with his friends, Andy Barnett and Dave Colwell, and make a solo album. I think Adrian was hoping to possibly have a hit in America, and that would help Maiden out and maybe give them a little more respect. The album was pretty much ignored by most everyone. I’m sure even hardcore Maiden fans (if they even knew it existed) were very confused with this album.
This sounds nothing like Maiden. Obviously the lead guitar does, but as a whole it’s very different. And I’m so glad it is, it makes me like Adrian Smith so much more. Of course we get a whole album of Adrian’s voice after only hearing him on the B-side of Maiden’s Wasted Years single (Reach Out) and on background vocals on the live version of The Prisoner from the B-side of the Clairvoyant single. Adrian has a great voice and I wish he’d sing more often. This is an all-around great album and I’m so glad I finally found it on CD a few years ago; I really thought I was going to wear out my cassette.
The music on Silver and Gold is a lot tamer than Maiden’s, more basic rock stuff. It’s not intended to be a Maiden disc, it’s an Adrian disc and it’s really, really good. I’m so thankful that he released this album, even if it ultimately caused his dismissal from Iron Maiden. If you can somehow find a copy of this, in any medium, grab it without consideration. Fantastic stuff.
Rating: 94
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