Legendary Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith has announced that his first memoir, ‘Monsters of River & Rock’, will be released 3 September.
Adrian, a former cover star of coarse-fishing bible The Angler’s Mail (biggest chub of the season, August 2009), got hooked on fishing as a child growing up in East London. Since growing to become one of the worlds foremost Metal guitarists in history, he has taken his gear with him on tour.
As the Metal tours got bigger, so the fish got bigger and adventures more extreme.
“Back at the hotel, I sat back, glass of wine in hand, and studied the tour itinerary… Let’s see, Hartford, Connecticut … big carp in the Connecticut river … Montreal, smallmouth bass in the St Lawrence … Winnipeg, always fancied having a go for those big catfish in the Red river … and so on. The endless road and winding river …”
The tales range from his first sturgeon, a whopping 100-pounder from Canada’s swirling Fraser River that nearly wiped him out mid-Maiden tour, to a close shave with a large shark off the Virgin Islands whilst wading waist-deep for bonefish.
Born 27 February 1957, Smith joined Iron Maiden at the end of 1980, replacing Dennis Stratton.
Adrian is the band member who has collaborated on the most side projects outside of Iron Maiden, as well as writing and recording a series of albums in the early ’90s, before rejoining the band.
Iron Maiden have sold 100 million albums and tour the world playing to millions of fans. Onstage, Adrian uses Jackson and Gibson guitars. Offstage, he is an avid tennis player, however his main hobby is fishing. He takes his rod and gear out on tour with him wherever he goes.
This is his first book.
Adrian Smith – Monsters of River & Rock
Release Date: 3rd September
Virgin Books
Hardback £20
