Following the death of Def Leppard guitarist Steve Clark in 1991, Iron Maiden's Adrian Smith was strongly considered to fill the slot, according to Rick Allen.
In a new interview with eonmusic, the long-serving drummer reveals that he “really loved the idea” of Smith joining the band.
“I mean, there was a kid called Huwey Lucas that was a contender; there was [ex-Thin Lizzy/Blue Murder guitarist] John Sykes; there were all these people kind of lined up.”
“It's interesting,” he continues, “you put somebody in a slightly different situation and new things are revealed about them, and it was cool. It was a complement that he was so into it. But I think ultimately, Vivian [Campbell] was the absolutely perfect choice.”
Adrian Smith – who left Iron Maiden in 1990 before rejoining in 1999 – cautiously revealed in a 2020 interview, also with eonmusic, that he was considered for the role.
“Yeah I was. I’m not sure… I want to write more books; that might be in my next one! [Laughing] There’s whole story about that.”
Smith was referring to a potential followup to his 2020 fishing book, Monsters of River & Rock: My Life As Iron Maiden's Compulsive Angler.
Also in the eonmusic interview, Rick Allen remembers Steve Clark. “I found Steve to be a very deep person; a very deep thinker,” he says. “I miss him every day.”
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