Adrian Frederick "H" Smith (born 27 February 1957) is an English guitarist, best known as a member of Iron Maiden, for whom he writes songs and performs live backing vocals on some tracks. Smith grew up in Camden, London and became interested in rock music at 15. He soon formed a friendship with future Iron Maiden guitarist Dave Murray, who inspired him to take up the guitar. After leaving school at 16, he formed a band called Urchin, which he led until their demise in 1980.
Born in Hackney, Smith grew up in Clapton. He purchased his first record, Deep Purple's Machine Head, at the age of 15. This led him to befriend Dave Murray, with whom he formed a band called Stone Free, which comprised Murray on guitar, Smith on vocals and their friend, Dave McCloughlin, playing the bongos. After seeing the attention Murray received from girls, Smith took up the guitar, starting with an old Spanish guitar once owned by his brother, before purchasing an old one of Murray's for PS5. His early influences included Johnny Winter and Pat Travers, which he claims made him a "melodic player" rather than a "speed merchant or a shredder" as he "was inspired by blues rock rather than metal." Leaving school after completing his O-levels, Smith formed a band called Evil Ways, including Dave Murray on guitar, which was later renamed Urchin. Smith began writing his own material, including "22 Acacia Avenue", which was later included on Iron Maiden's The Number of the Beast (1982). At this point, Murray left the band to join Iron Maiden and Urchin signed with DJM Records and released a single, "Black Leather Fantasy", in 1977. Shortly afterwards, Murray joined Urchin on their next single, "She's a Roller", as he had been sacked from Iron Maiden after a row with then vocalist Dennis Wilcock, although he was reinstated six months later. Smith was also offered a place in Iron Maiden while they were in the process of signing with EMI in 1979, but turned them down to continue with his own band, a decision he later regretted as Urchin split up in 1980.
Did he have a good relationship with his parents?
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