Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen have released the video for the song ‘Taking My Chances’. This comes with the news that the full album, titled ‘Smith/Kotzen’, is to be released 26 March 2021.
Adrian Smith told MetalTalk: “Richie and I started working together a couple of years ago. We had been jamming as we had been friends for a few years before that. We both share a love for Classic Rock and Bluesy Rock so we decided to get together and start writing some songs and it went from there.
“Pretty much everything on the album is handled between Richie and myself including the production.
“We had developed a really strong idea of how we wanted it to sound and I am very pleased with how it turned out. There are a lot of cool songs on there that we are really happy with.”
Richie Kotzen said: “We had a very fluid process in writing. Sometimes Adrian would send me a riff and I would immediately hear some kind of melody or a vocal idea. And sometimes it was the other way round, so it was a kind of circular motion.
“We would get together whenever we could and throw some ideas around and it just evolved, which was great because there was no pressure and nothing other than just a natural course and I think the record really speaks for that.”
The video was recorded on either sides of the Atlantic, as the guys could not travel due to Covid.
As for the album, Adrian’s fellow Iron Maiden bandmate Nicko McBrain joins on drums for the track ‘Solar Fire’ and Richie’s longstanding friend and touring partner Tal Bergman is on drums for ‘You Don’t Know Me’, ‘I Wanna Stay’ and ‘‘Til Tomorrow’, with Richie picking up the sticks on the other five songs.
Watch the video to work out who is playing bass!!
The album was recorded on the Turks and Caicos Islands in February 2020 and is produced by Richie and Adrian and mixed by Kevin “Caveman” Shirley.
Pre-orders are available from https://smith-kotzen.lnk.to/albumPR
The album will be available in these formats:
Digipack CD
12” black vinyl with embossed sleeve
Digital (streaming and download)
Limited edition 12” red & black smoke effect coloured vinyl
Track Listing
Taking My Chances
Running
Scars
Some People
Glory Road
Solar Fire
You Don’t Know Me
I Wanna Stay
‘Til Tomorrow
