SMITH/KOTZEN have just released new single/video for Black Light

February 20, 2025

Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen have just released the second single from their upcoming album. The song Black Light is off their sophomore album Black Light/White Noise which is scheduled for an April 4th release via BMG. Accompanying the release is a video, again produced and directed by Kevin and Richard Ragsdale aka The Ragsdale Brothers (Daughtry, Dorothy feat. Slash, Theory of A Dead Man), and featuring the duo performing with bassist Julia Lage and drummer Bruno Valverde, alongside acclaimed Russian acrobat, contortionist and former Cirque de Soleil performer Gyulnara Karaeva.

Richie comments on the video,

“It was a fun video to make, as they have all been when we play together. Adding the UV performance section was fantastic and took us back to the album shoot that we did in London last year.”

Adrian adds,

“Our friend Gyula really added something to it. it helped the song’s narrative of all is not what you see!”

Check out the single and video here:

The new album was recorded at The House, Los Angeles, California, produced by Richie and Adrian and mixed by Jay Ruston, the ten-track album is a masterclass in modern rock, with Adrian and Richie’s prodigious talents as songwriters, musicians and vocalists on full display.

“We had a lot of fun making this,”says Adrian. “We’d be writing and I’d want something inspired by some of my old hard rock or blues go-to bands then it’d go into a more progressive feel – and then Richie has these strong soul influences so there’s a lot to dig into there too. Influences are what makes the musical world go round – they go through you and come out slightly differently.”

“Smith/Kotzen is all about finding common ground,”adds Richie.“Maybe Adrian will tend to go heavy, and then I’ll lean more in the fusion or funk or soul side of things, but somewhere in the middle is our sound: that heavy blues rock vibe that we really connect on.”