Adrian Smith recently opened up about his early experiences with stage fright, recalling his first live performance alongside Dave Murray in Urchin. Additionally, he shared how having Michael Schenker as an opening act for Iron Maiden led to some sleepless nights.
For many fans, Adrian Smith is the epitome of heavy metal guitar mastery, skillfully blending memorable licks with hard-hitting riffs while maintaining a strong sense of teamwork. However, despite his natural stage presence, Smith admitted that his initial foray into live performance was anything but easy. Speaking to Classic Rock (via Guitar), he reflected on his nervous debut as Urchin’s frontman, eager to make an impression on his longtime friend and future Iron Maiden bandmate, Dave Murray:
“I was terrified when I first went on stage, but I thought: ‘If this is what you want to do, mate, you’d better get your arse up there.'”
Determined to perform with Murray, Smith took an unconventional approach:
“I wanted to get in with Dave, so I said: ‘I’ll sing.’ I had no idea if I could sing or not, but I did it, and I learned to play guitar as I went along.”
By the time Smith joined Iron Maiden in 1980, he had gained some experience, but the nerves never fully disappeared:
“I found it intimidating. Guys like Richie Kotzen and Tony MacAlpine and Blues Saraceno, they’re way beyond you technically. But I’ve always been like that.”
One particularly nerve-wracking moment in Smith’s career came in the mid-1980s when Iron Maiden’s manager announced that Michael Schenker would be opening for them:
“I remember Maiden’s manager sitting down with us in the mid-’80s and saying: ‘We’re going to tour Europe this year, and Michael Schenker’s opening for us.’ I was like: [alarmed] ‘Jesus. Really? I’ve got to go on after Michael Schenker?!’ That caused me a few sleepless nights.”
Smith’s battle with performance anxiety resurfaced in recent years when he teamed up with Richie Kotzen for their collaborative project, Smith/Kotzen. Singing live again after two decades was a daunting challenge, but he relied on the same mindset that had helped him in his early days:
“I had anxiety. I hadn’t sung on stage for twenty years, since I had my solo projects in the 1990s. But I just had to get up there and do it. And at least I had someone to share vocals with. Carrying a whole show on your own is hard!”
Despite his decades-long career and countless performances, Adrian Smith’s candid revelations remind us that even the most seasoned musicians continue to grapple with stage fright. However, his perseverance and passion for music have consistently helped him rise above the fear and deliver legendary performances.
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