ASAP (band)

Last updated

A.S.a.P.
OriginEngland
Genres Hard rock, progressive rock
Years active1989
Labels EMI
Members Adrian Smith
Andy Barnett
Dave Colwell
Richard Young
Robin Clayton
Zak Starkey

A.S.a.P. were a rock band formed by guitarist and vocalist Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden. A.S.a.P. released an album in 1989 entitled Silver and Gold. A.S.a.P. stands for "Adrian Smith and Project", [1] and the full name of the band is incorporated within the band logo, with each word written in tiny font underneath the corresponding letter in the abbreviation.

Contents

History

Adrian Smith formed the band in 1989 when Iron Maiden was taking a year break after spending almost a year on the road for the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album tour in 1988. The band had its origin in Urchin, a band Smith fronted in the 1970s. Andy Barnett, Dave Colwell and Richard Young played with Smith in various incarnations of Urchin, which was disbanded in 1981 when Smith joined Iron Maiden.

Further foundations for the band were laid out in late 1985 when Iron Maiden were taking a break after their massive world tour in support of their album Powerslave . Bored with the lull in band's activity as they prepared to record a new album, Adrian Smith and Nicko McBrain started playing on their own to pass the time, and they soon formed a full band which included Colwell and Barnett. Along with some other musicians they knew, they went to play a one-off gig at London's Marquee Club in 1986, under the name of "The Entire Population of Hackney". [1] At the show, the band performed mostly original material, including the songs "Silver and Gold" (which would later become the title track of their only album, [1] "Fighting Man", "School Days" and "When She's Gone" (all of which would later be recorded by A.S.a.P. and released as B-sides to its singles) at the show, as well as three songs that would later be recorded by Iron Maiden ("Juanita", "Reach Out" and "That Girl").

When he formed A.S.a.P. in 1989, Adrian Smith invited his friends and former bandmates Colwell, Barnett and Young, as well as Zak Starkey, son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr. [1] Originally, Smith wanted Nicko McBrain to join on drums, but McBrain was getting married at the time and was unavailable for recording.

Their first and only album was a departure from the sound Smith helped create with Iron Maiden. It was not as heavy as Iron Maiden although there were elements of the more progressive sound the band had developed over the 1980s, but keyboards were more prominently featured than in Iron Maiden's music. [1] It also featured Smith in the role of lead singer. His voice has a somewhat husky, working class feel to it comparable to Bryan Adams. The album was a commercial failure, despite the promotional tour and two singles, and the band soon ceased to exist.

In 1990, Adrian Smith left Iron Maiden during the writing of their album No Prayer for the Dying , [1] due largely to creative differences with Steve Harris. Despite staying on good terms with the band, the departure from Iron Maiden led Smith to a decision to quit the music business altogether, and between 1990 and 1993 he performed live only once, as a guest star with Iron Maiden at a one-off show in Donington in 1992.

In 1993, Smith formed a band called The Untouchables, with the idea of playing only small club shows. The Untouchables never released any records, and by 1994, they evolved to Psycho Motel, which recorded two studio albums and toured with Iron Maiden in 1996 and 1997. In 1997, Smith joined Bruce Dickinson's backing band and eventually they both rejoined Iron Maiden in 1999.

Track listing - Silver and Gold (album)

All songs written by Barnett/Colwell/Smith/Young

  1. "The Lion" - 3:54
  2. "Silver and Gold" - 4:50
  3. "Down the Wire" - 5:06
  4. "You Could Be a King" - 3:38
  5. "After the Storm" - 5:50
  6. "Misunderstood" - 4:25
  7. "Kid Gone Astray" - 4:24
  8. "Fallen Heroes" - 4:32
  9. "Wishing Your Life Away" - 4:05
  10. "Blood on the Ocean" - 6:01

Track listing - "Silver and Gold" (CD single)

  1. "Silver and Gold (12" Remix)" (Barnett/Colwell/Smith/Young) - 4:47
  2. "Blood Brothers (Alternative Version)" (Barnett/Colwell/Smith/Young) - 3:33
  3. "Fighting Man" (Barnett/Colwell) - 3:56

Track listing - "Down the Wire" (CD single)

  1. "Down the Wire (Long Distance Mix)" (Barnett/Colwell/Smith/Young)
  2. "When She's Gone" (Smith)
  3. "School Days" (Barnett/Colwell)

Personnel - Silver and Gold (1989)

Additional personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adrian Smith (musician)</span> English guitarist

Adrian Frederick Smith is an English guitarist and singer best known as a member of heavy metal band Iron Maiden, for whom he also writes songs and performs backing vocals both live and in the studio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2 Minutes to Midnight</span> 1984 single by Iron Maiden

"2 Minutes to Midnight" is a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, featured on their fifth studio album, Powerslave (1984). It was released as the band's tenth single, and first from the album on 6 August 1984. It rose to number 11 on the UK Singles Chart and number 25 on Billboard Top Album Tracks. The band's first single to exceed five minutes in length, it remained their longest until the release of "Infinite Dreams" in November 1989.

<i>Behind the Iron Curtain</i> (video) 1984 video by Iron Maiden

Behind the Iron Curtain is a discontinued VHS/Beta/LaserDisc/VHD video by the English band Iron Maiden. The video features footage of the band on the road in Eastern Europe in 1984, performing concerts in Poland, Hungary, and Yugoslavia as part of the World Slavery Tour. The title refers to the fact that the band were touring inside the Iron Curtain ; unusual given the area's separation from the West due to the then-ongoing Cold War. Aside from two promotional videos from the album Powerslave, the video also contains two live tracks and interviews with band members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Run to the Hills</span> 1982 single by Iron Maiden

"Run to the Hills" is a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was released as their sixth single and the first from the band's third studio album, The Number of the Beast (1982). It is their first single with Bruce Dickinson as vocalist. Credited solely to the band's bassist, Steve Harris, Dickinson contributed to the song but could not be credited due to a contractual agreement with his former band Samson. "Run to the Hills" remains one of the band's most popular songs, with VH1 ranking it No. 27 on their list of the 40 Greatest Metal Songs, No. 14 on their list of the Greatest Hard Rock Songs, and Rolling Stone ranking it No. 10 on their list of the 100 greatest heavy metal songs

<i>No More Lies</i> (EP) 2004 EP by Iron Maiden

No More Lies – Dance of Death Souvenir EP is a studio EP by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 29 March 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psycho Motel</span> British hard rock band

Psycho Motel were a British hard rock band, formed by Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith.

Urchin were an English hard rock band.

<i>Best of the B Sides</i> 2002 compilation album by Iron Maiden

Best of the 'B' Sides is a compilation of B-sides by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 4 November 2002 as part of the Eddie's Archive box set. Each track was remastered and the set came with a running commentary from Rod Smallwood. It covers all of their singles from their first to 2000's "Out of the Silent Planet", although several of the band's original B-sides were excluded from the collection: "Total Eclipse", "Mission From 'Arry" ; "Bayswater Ain't a Bad Place to Be" ; and "I Live My Way". Also missing are the band's cover of Thin Lizzy's "Massacre" and a number of live B-sides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purgatory (song)</span> 1981 single by Iron Maiden

"Purgatory" is Iron Maiden's fifth single, released on 15 June 1981, and would be their last with singer Paul Di'Anno. It served as the second single from Killers. The single was reissued in 1990, on the same CD and 12" vinyl as the EP Maiden Japan, in the First Ten Years box set.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stranger in a Strange Land (Iron Maiden song)</span> 1986 single by Iron Maiden

"Stranger in a Strange Land" is a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released as the second single from their sixth studio album, Somewhere in Time (1986). The song is unrelated to Robert A. Heinlein's novel by the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wasted Years</span> 1986 single by Iron Maiden

"Wasted Years" is a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It is the band's fourteenth single released and the first from their sixth studio album, Somewhere in Time (1986). Released in 1986, it was the first single solely written by guitarist Adrian Smith, who also sings backing vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Can I Play with Madness</span> 1988 single by Iron Maiden

"Can I Play with Madness" is a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. The song is the sixteenth single released by the band. Released in 1988, it was the first single from their seventh studio album, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988), and hit number 3 in the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Evil That Men Do (song)</span> 1988 single by Iron Maiden

"The Evil That Men Do" is a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It is the band's seventeenth single and the second from their seventh studio album, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988). The single debuted at number six in the UK charts and quickly rose to number five. The single's B-sides are re-recordings of "Prowler" and "Charlotte the Harlot" which appear as tracks number one and seven/eight respectively on the band's debut album Iron Maiden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Infinite Dreams</span> 1989 single by Iron Maiden

"Infinite Dreams" is a live single released in 1989 by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It is the only single to be released in sync with a home video; 1989's Maiden England. The performance was recorded in Birmingham, England in 1988 towards the end of the massive world tour to support the album where the song originally appeared, being Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. It was the band's final single to feature "The Trooper"-era lineup for an entire decade until 2000's single "The Wicker Man" with guitarist Adrian Smith leaving the band in January 1990 after he did not approve of the direction the band were aiming for on their next album No Prayer for the Dying.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Clairvoyant (song)</span> 1988 single by Iron Maiden

"The Clairvoyant" is a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It is the band's nineteenth single and the third from their seventh studio album, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988). The single, which was also released as a clear vinyl, peaked at number six in the British charts. It contains three live performances from Maiden's 1988 headlining performance at the Monsters of Rock festival in Donington Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Out of the Silent Planet (song)</span> 2000 single by Iron Maiden

"Out of the Silent Planet" is a single from the Iron Maiden album Brave New World, released in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildest Dreams (Iron Maiden song)</span> 2003 single by Iron Maiden

"Wildest Dreams" is a song by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was released on 1 September 2003 as the lead single from their 13th studio album, Dance of Death (2003). It was written by guitarist Adrian Smith and bassist Steve Harris, and produced by Kevin Shirley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Different World (Iron Maiden song)</span> 2006 single by Iron Maiden

"Different World" is a song by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It is the opening track from their 14th studio album, A Matter of Life and Death (2006), and was released as the second single from the album. It was released on 14 November 2006 in the United States, and 26 December 2006 in Europe. The song has been stated by the band to be a tribute to Thin Lizzy due to the low sounding melodies sung by Bruce Dickinson that are reminiscent of those Phil Lynott would sing. It was also played first every night on the band's A Matter of Life and Death Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Entire Population of Hackney</span> English supergroup band

The Entire Population of Hackney is the name used for a supergroup project featuring members of Iron Maiden, FM and Urchin that played two concerts in December 1985. It is also the name used for a bootleg recording of the first show. It is most notable for being the spark that would lead to Adrian Smith forming his ASAP project later on and ultimately his split with Iron Maiden in 1990. It is also notable for leading to the first Iron Maiden recording without the current lead singer on lead vocals.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Colin Larkin, ed. (1995). The Guinness Who's Who of Heavy Metal (Second ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 30. ISBN   0-85112-656-1.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.