22 Acacia Avenue - Iron Maiden FULL Guitar Cover

This is a full guitar cover of 22 Acacia Avenue from Iron Maiden's 1982 album The Number Of The Beast. I tried my best to capture the nuances of Dave and Adrian's guitar parts. I hope you'll enjoy it!
Guitars:
Fender American Deluxe Fat Strat
Ibanez Destroyer II DT300FR
Plugin: Bias FX 2
DAW: Reaper Audio
Soundcard: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
Strings:
Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky 9-46 (Strat) and Super Slinky 9-42 (Destroyer)
Picks:
Dunlop Jazz III XL

[@ioannisdenton]

One of the best Maiden songs imo

[@RChinini]

One of the most beautiful solo by Dave

[@bill_simpkins]

It's amazing how many times Adrian gets away with playing that same descending blues lick, almost every solo in every song. Fun stuff. The ending solo is one of my favorites.

[@SolvingTheMoneyProblem]

Absolutely NAILED the solos.

[@renzo4296]

Another great song and great guitar playing, Adrian Smith wrote this when he was 18, I watched a documentary years ago and he said he'd written this at 18 and of course iron maiden refined it and Adrian refined it with everyone in the band, what an amazing song and story musicianship by yourself and by maiden. This song always had a sense of sadness to me. Thank you so much.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Yeah it definitely has depth and an underlying bitterness/sadness to it - it's not just a rocker! Top level songwriting so early in their careers

[@renzo4296]

@@LicksOfTheBeast absolutely man, it is sad but a phenomenal and classic, you're very awesome and thank you very much.

[@murilomartins6404]

Urchin - Countdown is the original version

[@rabarebra]

I've only seen them play it live once in my past 20 years going to Maiden shows, and it was an fantastic experience. This song is really great played live. That intro rocks, and the mid-section? Just wow! I think the song (Acacia) was played in the Give me 'Ed till I'm Dead Tour. A mini-tour they did in Europe just before the Dance of Death album was released (they played one song off that album on this tour, Wildest Dreams). Their best setlist I've experienced: www.setlist.fm/setlist/iron-maiden/2003/oslo-spektrum-oslo-norway-3d4c987.html

[@andrewmcauslin5307]

I love this song decades after first haring it but but I can't get over the exit solo is just a masterpiece in harmony with the rest of the song. Has to be one of the best solos ever just because of this. Love the Harris bass interwoven in it also

[@emilyinoregon6967]

You know what I love about Maiden, besides everything? How the music often "acts out" the lyrics. There are the obvious ones: Rime (creaky boat), The Longest Day (gunfire). But am I crazy or am I also hearing it in Death or Glory? The rhythm really brings to mind one of those old planes, laboriously climbing up into the sky. I also hear it in this one. I think the tune has a mournful quality to it that I can't quite explain. Not just the slow solo, but also the riffs. (I think the riffs are beautiful, by the way.) And the rhythm in the outro really conveys a sense of desperation. By the way, a lot of people think Montsegur is too "happy-sounding" for its subject matter. I actually think it's perfect. But I'll save that dissertation for another time. 😊

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

That's something I have always admired about Maiden! It's crazy how whatever they write about, they manage to capture the feeling perfectly! I don't know how they do it but they never cease to amaze me! And yes I totally hear it in Death or Glory 😁

[@ariskaraiskos8079]

i always had the feeling that i heard machine guns under the solos of where eagle dares

[@FatemeKhodayari]

In an album like Beast it's really hard to choose a favourite track but this one is really my guilty pleasure. Not because of the story but the song wtiting and guitar work. Those perfect staccatos, pace and timing, tensions and releases, etc. Dave's solo is just great and that outro solo by Adrian is still one of the very bests in the whole history of heavy metal IMO. Great playing and tone as always Nico 👊🏻

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

As always, your observations on the song are spot-on! I couldn't have said it better :) And thank you!!

[@ardaturhan5825]

Isn’t it clieve burr while it was recording and nicko while it was live

[@Tony_Kam]

Was waiting on this one for a long time!! The second solo i've ever learnt (Dave's that is, with my first being Dave's first Powerslave solo). Terrific work yet again, your style is awesome!! Truly an inspiration!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Efharisto my friend!!

[@TensioneLeone]

Il secondo assolo è di Adrian Smith

[@cjones3093]

T

[@HenryCrescini]

That solo by Adrian is one of my favorite of his (and probably one of my favorite guitar solos ever). Thanks for covering this!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you for watching!! Like someone said here, that solo should be considered World Heritage!! :)

[@rohantiwari7801]

Best song ever on the best album ever. RIP Clive Burr. Awesome tribute Nicko. Tone is awesome.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you!!

[@Harry_van]

Man, you are a wild beast with the destroyer! 😂👍

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

hahaha it's a beastly guitar for sure!

[@ricardolombardii]

This channel will certainly become the best source for learning Iron Maiden songs in guitar!! Thanks Nicko!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

I appreciate the well wishes very much. Thank you!!!

[@wolfgangkirby6820]

If you played this and the original in a blind listening I honestly am not sure I’d tell the difference . Amazing job !

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you very much! I did try to get as much of the small details as possible so I'm glad to hear it came out ok! 😃

[@mitalsardesai660]

I played this over and over when 15yo...takes me back

[@hernanhidalgo6973]

Excelente interpretacion de Bruce , uno de las mejores voces del heavy metal

[@ElevatedLevetator]

Great cover dude! nailed it. The tone is spot on too.

[@NickBaranov]

Great performance !!!!! 👌👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🤘🤘🤘

[@ChemicalManUSA]

Amazing, as always!! You got their tones exactly right. And, your bends and vibrato on Adrian's solo was majestic!!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

I worked on this one for a long time so I'm really glad to hear it! Thank you 😃

[@CapnfloydR6S]

@@LicksOfTheBeast you faked your playing, at 1:04 you stopped chugging, and never played a triplet where a triplet was played during one of the buildups. + your fingers are completely still during some of the vibrato in the solo

[@gian9727]

Amazing, Up The Irons 🤘🏽🤘🏽👏🏾👏🏾🔥🔥

[@cindarella1100]

Starting @ 1:34 I'm hearing what I interpret to be a Blues/Dixieland fusion played out in a metal platform 🤔 very interesting, great job 👍 from: Scranton, Pennsylvania

[@sabrepax9012]

Great cover as always sir! Only time I could witness this classic was on No Prayer on The Road in January 1991 in Quebec City What I enjoy about Maiden solos/ melodies or arrangements is often (and specially in the 80s) their capacity to recreate a certain mood or depict a scene. When you listen to Murray's mellow langourous solo in 22 Acacia, you can picture the aftermath of intense Harlot intercourse... Then when Bruce begins singing again with the main and final last riff, Clive Burr hits the cymbals in a way reminiscent of BDSM whip or beating suggesting that the break of Charlotte is over and she has to endure all over again her particular and painfull line of work😉

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Same here. Jan 1991 in Montreal. I remember Janick kept a few bits of Adrian's solo on that one :) Maiden are the absolute masters of capturing the vibe of the song's subject matter. It always blows my mind to this day!

[@dlo111]

One of my favourite Maiden songs. ❤ Amazing.

[@johndeanrichards4067]

Dave's solo is just incredible

[@garethjohn2662]

Said it before, I'm not a guitarist but I learn so much about the song from watching you play. There is stuff in there I never even realised was in the song after 40 years of listening! SUPERB as always.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

That makes me super happy! I always hope my videos aren't overly tailored to guitar players :)

[@foadrightnow5725]

You fucking shred, my friend! Well done!

[@rabarebra]

It's crazy how great they were in the old days. Hats off for that cover! And a Smith-song too! My favourite Maideneer.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you!! It is definitely crazy that they were that good so early on in their career and I think it's even more crazy that they're still so good now! I wasn't fortunate enough to have caught any of the 80s shows but I've seen them every your since No Prayer and the last one was the best show I've ever seen! 🤘

[@rabarebra]

@@LicksOfTheBeast I don't agree that they're so good now. Quite the opposite. Only Adrian's solos are still good.

[@trevorwhittemore8036]

Love watching you play brother. Excellent job as always. Learning this solo now.

[@kntzounis]

Super!!!!

[@johnniemnemonic73]

Superb 🤘😜🤘🎸

[@comunistanuncatemcomida]

Dave Murray é o meu guitarrista preferido dos Iron Maiden mas este solo de Adrian Smith deveria ser considerado Património da Humanidade

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Tão verdade!!!!

[@porfiriodev]

Concordo plenamente! Perfeito demais

[@joaobatistajunior6799]

Assino embaixo

[@pro3gamer685]

The living Legend of Heavy metal

[@miltoncoloma2848]

Awesome song. As an guitar player aspirant, this song is one of my favorites to play it correctly. It made me cry not only the greatness of the song itself but your playing, man. Looks so easy 😅.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Hahaha thanks you 😄 I've been playing this stuff for 35 years now, so of course it's going to be quite easy for me. But rest assured there are plenty of things I struggle with as well... 😅

[@MatteoAn93]

Great sound coming from that Ibanez!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Yes!!!

[@kostasdimitriadisguitar9607]

Awesome guitar playing my friend it's one of Iron Maiden's best songs ever!!! 22...the Avenue...That's the place where we all go...🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🍻🍻🍻🎸🎸🎸🎸

[@charlesfarrugia7898]

PERFECT. LOVE THE DESTROYER GUITAR. 🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁

[@emilyinoregon6967]

I learned one of the riffs to this a few years ago. I think it was the one that goes with, "When you entertain your men..." Can't remember if it was by tab or by ear. Anyway, the whole song must be so much fun to play. Beautiful yet nasty-sounding riffs. Great cover!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

It really is a fun jam! Once you get into that groove with the drums and all, it just feels awesome! You should pick up from where you left off :)

[@rogeriogoncalves2868]

Verdadeiro cover do maiden,o cara tira até o peido do Adrian Smith kkkkk 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

hahahahahahahahahahaha Obrigado amigo!

[@colmvennard2688]

How am only discovering this guy now? Absolutely spot on 🤘

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

KZbin doesn't like me very much, I guess? 🤷🏻😄 Glad you found the channel!!

[@scarletiv5683]

Another fantastic cover mate, well done! One of my favourite tunes from what I consider to be the quintessential Iron Maiden album. Although my personal favourite album is Seventh son.....Looking forward to the new album coming in september. Already pre ordered my copy 💪

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you! And I'm super stoked for Senjutsu!! And the stage show!!!

[@renzo4296]

Omg you are the absolute best without question, Iron Maiden are my favorite metal band of all time and your tutorials are excellent and spot on 👍 thank you so much 👍

[@martythom2618]

Nice one!!

[@marcelobg6185]

Perfect..

[@CC-qb9sm]

So many interesting guitar parts in this classic track! Love it!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Absolutely! That's the fun part about really delving into these songs... You uncover so many cool little things 😃

[@klebersouzaii2417]

Master guitar.

[@bryanmcintosh8212]

Whoo! Great job. Always loved the soulful guitar work on that song

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you and yes absolutely!!

[@cindarella1100]

Great Piece 👍 👩 from: Scranton, Pennsylvania

[@ddayize]

My favorite Maiden song executed beautifully. I love the DT 300 FR and have been searching for one for myself.

[@danielgonzaleztejedor9486]

There must be nothing compared to be in your twenties travelling the world playing that music with such beauty in your hands, no matter what someone says.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

1000% and at the same time, I'm sure it's also VERY exhausting - which is why most bands don't have this kind of longevity!

[@luizarruda3229]

Great performance! 👏👏👏. I am a Maiden fan who play bass thanks to Mr. Steve Harris. And also love Rush so I must say that I liked your t-shirt too. Greetins from Brazil.

[@juanrogelrodriguez8285]

Hello friend, first of all congratulations and thank you for setting up this channel and sharing this passion for Maiden and for the Guitar, two things that are two pillars in my life. I wanted to ask you if the pickups that mount both the Fender and the Ibanez in bridge are Dimarzios Superdistortion, and which are also the mast position. Surprised and delighted to have known your channel, since you will be my new bandmate when it comes to playing my repertoire of Maiden hehehehe, your sound and images in These videos are of quality and it is a pleasure to practice such glorious songs with you. Greetings

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you so much man!! I have a Super Distortion in my honey blonde Strat, black Lado, and the US Adrian Smith. The neck pickup on the Strat is the stock Fender noiseless. The Ibanez destroyer still has the stock pickups which sound phenomenal.

[@juanrogelrodriguez8285]

@@LicksOfTheBeast Thanks men!

[@crispybits3765]

Outstanding mate 👏 One of my all time favourite Maiden songs, with two of their most memorable solos and killer riffs.

[@miguelanxomuradolo2638]

Of course, you pick the correct guitar from Adrian for this 😉👍 What a jewel! 🎸 It would be sooo interesting if you could do sometime a video lesson about how to play the 22th, one of my favourites since ever, but that I never learned... Thanks, Nico! 🎸🎵🎶

[@DolkkarToyznstuff]

Such a fun song to play on the drums as well. Many thanks for keeping it rockin with the Maiden.

[@SomewhereInTheMaidenverse]

Sounds exactly like Adrian and Dave. Acacia is one of my favorite Murray solos, and the likeness is almost scary! 🎸 👏🤘

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

That is an exceptionally generous compliment and I appreciate it immensely! THANK YOU!!!

[@SomewhereInTheMaidenverse]

@@LicksOfTheBeast You’re welcome! It’s the truth. As you can see by the other comments, you have many other supporters who think the same way! 😃

[@pottergeist]

Wow, you make the second solo look so easy! Awesome cover, the Ibanez DT make this 100x better!

[@prz2]

As always, fantastic man! mamalon!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Muchisimas gracias! And I did not know that expression "mamalon" so thank you for teaching me something new!! :-D

[@prz2]

@@LicksOfTheBeast means Fantastic, i love all this stuff my friend, grettings from Mexico!

[@creative_nature06]

very great cover 👍👍

[@alessanderfloresdesouza2329]

Um dos melhores solos de guitarra! Esse solo e lindo! Parabéns

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Obrigado amigo!

[@michaeldean7220]

As ever nice work. Have you checked out the live version of Dave's solo from Reading Festival 1982 (BBC archives box set). It just takes this already great solo to another level. It has a beautiful dreamy tone with a perfect delay and Dave just adds a few extra hammer ons and pull offs. In terms of his best live solos it's up there with his Live After Death Powerslave first solo.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

YES! Man... Dave is channeling Hendrix all over that thing. If that doesn't give you goosebumps all over you're dead inside LOL

[@hktr01]

Ah... the memories that this album brings to me. As always, BRILLIANTLY covered song. THANKS NICO!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

You're gonna really like the latest video in that case 😃 Cheers man! 🤜🤛

[@gustavo4475]

Great performance, congrats!

[@Gkoulidis]

Great job as always! Freaking loved this song from day one!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you! Same here :)

[@Gkoulidis]

@@LicksOfTheBeast Any chance doing something from the final frontiner? I mean Starblind (the song) or solo is quite amazing. Or even the solo from Avalon!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

@@Gkoulidis I have been meaning to cover Starblind but it's a bit of a pain to do really accurately because lot of the details get buried in the mix. Bit by bit I'll get to it eventually :)

[@joecasserole9077]

Awesome! Definitely one of my favorite songs. Also congratulations on almost hitting 3k I remember not long ago when you had 500. You have risen fast. I would love to see Dance of Death or the Talisman sometime, they are also two of my favorites.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you VERY VERY much! I didn't think there were 500 people who wanted to hear my playing or my ramblings let alone 3000! LOL I can't tell you how much a supportive and encouraging comment like this means to me so thank you again! Dance Of Death would be a fun cover to do. Just have to take the time to really do a deep-dive into the song and figure out all the guitar parts and their respective details.

[@joecasserole9077]

@@LicksOfTheBeast I just started learning guitar a little over a year ago and Iron Maiden is by far my favorite band, so these videos help me out a lot. So thank you and keep up the great work!

[@dvillarrealg]

killer!!!

[@Nghilifa]

Great cover. If you can, it'd be cool if you could take us through how you construct your tones in BIAS FX (I guess that's your main plugin for these videos?) in a future video?

[@rodrigodias5852]

Flawless as always brother!

[@ILLRICARDO]

Love watching your videos, that is a beautiful explorer and it's tone is so amazing!!

[@BustOfNefertitiMusic]

Amazing performance as always (or should I say 'performances' as you so fantastically capture Dave and Adrian's essences)! This has been one of my favorite Maiden songs for nearly 40 years. It has so many different moods and just keeps you completely involved lyrically and musically. I would love to see them include it more in their current setlists. Up The Irons!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thanks so much! And yeah I would love to see them do it again live 😃

[@rodrigotadeo168]

Perfect, plz play on Dave Murray guitar signature on Dave line

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

I usually use the Dave signature for more recent songs... For their older songs I tend to prefer this strat :)

[@jimyounger9490]

I’d recognize that guitar anywhere. That’s an Ibanez destroyer ll , the same one Adrian Smith played , and I also had that exact guitar. Awesome man,

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

It is and it is a very awesome instrument, indeed 😊 🤘

[@StevieS969]

Absolutely awesome cover! Lovely playing.

[@ninaholicova3984]

Pure pleasure🎉

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank you!! So glad you're enjoying these videos! 😊

[@benitocharland4028]

Always amaze lol wow!

[@teamhumane]

This cover brought tears to my eyes. Brilliant job Nico 👍🏼🎸

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Wow I don't know what to say... Thank you! 🙏🙏🙏

[@AnthonyMUmana]

Awesome

[@jonatanmarques6942]

Fantastic job mate!! I always felt something missing in 1:33 and 1:36/37 when I used to play this song, and now it is very clear (an A makes a great diference)!! I think "Total Eclipse" is a good one for the next video!! Regards from Brasil!!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

I felt the same way when I realized that note was there. It's one of those things that when you hear it, all of a sudden EVERYTHING makes sense LOL Thank you so much!

[@jasongeorgeson8551]

Frickin beautiful dude. Perfect in every way. Struggled with a few things on this song and you just cleared them up for me. Cheers man. Can I ask what amp you are using? You capture their sound perfectly. I wish I had a destroyer like that I am soooo jealous lol. Thanks for posting dude

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Many many thanks, man! I am so glad to hear this helped figure out some details - it's the main reason for the different views and close ups so it's great to know it's useful!! :) For my sound I just use the Bias FX II plugin. Makes my life easy and it allows you to get a pretty wide range of sounds. I can't really use an amp as I live in an apartment in the middle of the city. It's great fun for jamming but not to practice or shoot a video with multiple takes for hours... :-D

[@jasondesjardins7371]

Brilliant.

[@lesliebarth8026]

Thank you for sharing your talent and passion. Up the irons!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thank YOU!!

[@3TVforall]

Nice !!! I like that oldschool destroyer , very Adrian Smith circa that time 🤘🏻 obviously fender strat for Dave is cool too 🤘🏻 sounded great 👍🏻

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Many thanks!! 🤜🤛

[@nicosteream]

Amazing performance ! That's one of my favorite song.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Thanks so much!

[@davidhill7448]

Bravo. Top.

[@gregorioabrego]

Neat tone!

[@lorettahookano6139]

Frickin epic !

[@TheSterlingSound]

Really well played!

[@Hadogei123456789]

My favourite Maiden track and as always, you killed it!! Wondering if we might get a Transylvania cover soon? 😝

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

I don't know about soon but I'll definitely do it! And thanks!!

[@Hadogei123456789]

@@LicksOfTheBeast You definitely got around to it!

[@gunner1996ify]

Seria muy épico hacer el cover del shown en Hammersmith de esta canción \m/

[@KTB3007]

This is wicked good!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

1000 thanks!

[@shugnixx]

My dude. Hell yes.

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

🤜🤛

[@joaobatistajunior6799]

MAGNÍFICO meu amigo

[@atranfanatic]

Such a criminally underrated track from Maiden! I want to sing this at karaoke so bad! And I know it would be a blast! Awesome job man and up the Irons! \,,/

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Yeah I'd love to seem them bring it back live!

[@edgard-rosacedric4495]

Ibanez Destroyer DT380, i had the same. 💯

[@kit3300]

Awsome bruva! Mate! I can sometimes you want to let rip and start shaking your head and sh"t. Do it Do it. 😂🤘

[@pro3gamer685]

Another great song to practice Heavy metal ;) And Another Time LOTB made great job!!! I Fighting now with Empires of the Cloud-Masterpiece, but really hard to learn those parts ;) 3 guitars-to many ;)

[@michaeldean7220]

Any chance you could do a breakdown or maybe comparison of Dave's studio solo to his brilliant live version on the BBC archives album recorded at the Reading Festival 1982 (3.56 mins in). The studio version is good but that live version is just a thing of beauty. The tone is as creamy as ever but with a little more dreamy delay and he throws in a handful of extra trills that sound awesome.

[@Lolo-uz5py]

Adrian the master !!!

[@hexgraphica]

All I can say is this is aced!

[@TensioneLeone]

U ARE THE MAN

[@Ironjagg]

Do quest for fire next !!

[@strkken3046]

Mi cancion favorita, me gusta mas en la version "Live", admiro mucho tu trabajo me encanta como tocas hermano!

[@LicksOfTheBeast]

Muchisimas gracias hermano!!

[@arilson.santos]

Show!!!