![Adrian Smith [left] and Richie Kotzen pose with an HSS S-style and Telecaster respectively.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DqivbKgc2aXLoykDT3h5mN-1920-80.jpg.webp)
In 2021, longtime Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith and nomadic virtuoso Richie Kotzen came together to form the aptly titled Smith/Kotzen, a blues-based duo showcasing the two veteran guitarists’ chops and vocals.
The self-titled record was a surprise hit, leading to further collaboration by way of album number two, Black Light/White Noise, the title of which reportedly has nothing to do with their idiosyncrasies, though Kotzen admits that “would be a really cool spin.”
According to Smith, Black Light/White Noise is “more cohesive” than Smith/Kotzen, which is interesting as their process is decidedly separate – until it’s not.
“I tend to do guitars on my own,” he says. “Richie will disappear upstairs and have a coffee, and I’ll do a solo. Sometimes, Richie will come down, and I’ll sit there while he plays his solos. It’s quite mind-boggling what he does. I don’t know how he does it. He’s got endurance in his hands that’s natural to him.”
The light and shade throughout Smith/Kotzen’s music shouldn’t be surprising, as the two couldn’t be more different. “I started on guitar because I wanted to be in a band and meet girls,” Smith says. “Richie wanted to be a guitar player, probably because he wanted to play guitar, so his technique is very individual.”
Smith and Kotzen’s vibes and origins are so different that one wonders how the project works at all. But it does, and Kotzen has an idea why. “Maturity,” he says. “We don’t really feel like there’s anything to prove in this situation. If I were playing in a straight-ahead jazz band, I might feel like I’ve got to convince people that I know what I’m doing. But neither of us feels that kind of desperation.
“We find ways to fit together; somehow, that creates a big picture that wouldn’t be there had we not collaborated. I’m not going to drag Adrian into a full-blown jazz-funk-fusion jam-out. And Adrian’s not going to drag me into a full-on heavy metal gallop.”
Black Light/White Noise is your second record together. Has the success of the project surprised you?
Adrian Smith: “I had a good feeling about it and was pleasantly surprised by the success. Although this started as a [Covid] lockdown project, we were determined to get it out. Music isn’t a given; you’ve got to have good music. But getting it out there, and getting it heard meant it did really well. We’re thrilled about that.”
Richie Kotzen: “I’ve learned not to have expectations. I don’t mean to sound dark, but when you’re making music, if you’re doing stuff you like, at that point, you’re winning. That’s always been my attitude. I said to Adrian, “Let’s see what we can come up with,” and we hit it off and had a great time. I’m happy it’s being well-received.”
Adrian, you’re known for metal, but Richie seems to bring out your bluesy side. Would you agree?
Smith: “With [Iron] Maiden, Dave [Murray] and myself grew up playing more bluesy rock, you know? Even [Jimi] Hendrix was heavily rooted in the blues. But, yeah, this gives me an opportunity to do that; the songs have much more space in them, and I like that. Sometimes you don’t have to play so much; it’s about phrasing. I don’t think too many people do what we’re doing by having two singers and two guitarists. It’s different.”
Richie, you’ve been all over the map in your career. What does Adrian bring out in you?
Kotzen: “I think Adrian brings out the blues in me in some weird way. He’s really such a blues guy – but a lot of people don’t realize that. He’s known for being very melodic, which is fantastic, and he’s hook-oriented. I think he brings me in a bluesier direction than I would if I’d been left to my own devices.”
That shared love for the blues aside, what’s the main overlap?
Even though Richie’s done things in the blues space, he takes it into the stratosphere
Adrian Smith
Smith: “Even though Richie’s done things in the blues space, he takes it into the stratosphere. He’s got this whole technical prowess and more of a technical background than I do. With me, it’s more about phrasing, tone and choice of notes. But it just kind of works, even though Richie is far better technically than I am. But as long as you have enough technique to express what’s in your head, it’ll get across to people.”
Kotzen: “Adrian is in the greatest heavy metal band of all time. He’s a primary writer and, like I said, definitely rooted in heavy blues and the soulful rock arena. But [Bad Company’s] Paul Rodgers comes to mind when I hear him sing. I’m a rock guy; I make rock records. I listen to Curtis Mayfield and George Benson, yet I’m plugging a guitar into a Marshall stack.”
What was the process in terms of composing songs and solos for this record?
I listen to Curtis Mayfield and George Benson, yet I’m plugging a guitar into a Marshall stack.
Smith: “When we first got together, we had a jam at my house and became friends. I’d sit down on my own and think, ‘Where do we go?’ So I’d come up with an idea for a song or a riff, and I’d think, ‘I could see me and him doing that.’ I’d take it to Richie and he’d come up with a chorus. We’d swap vocals, and that became the blueprint for what was to be our double-vocal, double-guitar thing.”
Kotzen: “Sometimes there are parts in a song where it’s obvious, and you say, 'You should play over that.' But that can work either way; it can be me or him. One or the other might say, 'Hey, man, go take that section. I think you’d do it better than I would.' I might say, 'Adrian, do you want to see if you can make this come to life?' It’s those simple conversations that lead us into something that maybe would’ve ended up on the back burner.”
Do you ever feel like there’s not enough space to shine?
Smith: “No. We discuss the whole thing we’re writing, and we’ll come up with sections. The meat and potatoes of the song are the verse and chorus – and we have a little bit of fun with the instrumental bits and split the solos up the middle. We just say to each other, ‘You play this bit,’ but we roughly split it up 50/50.”
Is there a song from this record that best demonstrates who you are as a duo?
Kotzen: “That’s a good question. Black Light is a standout. If someone were to say, ‘Oh, you’re playing with Adrian? I had no idea. Let me hear the new record!’ I might play that song for them.
“It meets in a place where it’s still funky and wacky enough to be associated with Richie Kotzen, but it’s heavy and blues-driven, so Adrian is well represented. And Darkside is unlike anything I might have done on my own. That’s what happens when I’m associated with something outside of my wheelhouse.”
Adrian, what’s the recipe for your tone while working with Richie?
It’s mostly in your fingers. As long as you’ve got a good amp and a good guitar, you should be able to dial in a sound
Adrian Smith
Smith: “It’s pretty straightforward. In the ’80s, when I joined Maiden, I spent many years chasing tone. Something was in my head that maybe didn’t exist. It’s mostly in your fingers. As long as you’ve got a good amp and a good guitar, you should be able to dial in a sound. So I mostly used this little hand-wired Marshall that Richie had. I wanted a little extra pop, so I used a [Ibanez] Tube Screamer for sustain, and I always put on a little bit of delay.”
How about you, Richie?
Kotzen: “It’s the same room and amp we used on the first record. [Laughs] Actually, on the first record, we had one of my Victory amps and some other stuff – and then we went to the Marshall, my hand-wired 1959HW plexi. I have a lot of them, but there’s one in particular that we used on the album; it’s the same amp I used on Nomad. I just plug it in and we mess around with pedals.”
What have you learned from working together that you might not have learned otherwise?
Kotzen: “I’ve been recording myself since my late teens, so I don’t know if I’ve picked up any studio trickery, but through years of being in situations, I think I’ve learned 'people.' The ultimate goal is to move the composition forward and make sure you’re both excited about it.
“It transcends well beyond just working on one album when you’re working with people in a creative environment. You have to feel good. That’s the most important thing. You have to feel good about your music.”
- Black Light/White Noise is out April 4 via BMG.
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