Aldrich Leaves Whitesnake

[T-BONE]

 

Doug Aldrich, WHITESNAKE's guitarist of the past 11 years, is leaving the band "to pursue a solo career," according to the group's founding singer and mainman, David Coverdale.

 

Aldrich has since issued the following statement regarding his departure from WHITESNAKE:

 

"Thanks to my big bro David for such a killer run together!! So many songs, tours, projects, always inspiring and pushing each other! Mostly I want to thank the loyal WHITESNAKE choir and fans around the world. You have been so amazing to me and it's been an honor to play for you with WHITESNAKE. I love you, guys, and I'll see you all again. Thank you so very much for your unending support.

 

"Also, not sure how or where the info started about a solo career, but this is not true or correct information. I have no plans at this time to go solo. I'm just not in the WHITESNAKE/David Coverdale band anymore.

 

"I'll let you guys know what I'm doing [as soon as possible] but for now please know I very much appreciate your support and will hopefully do a statement with my brutal brother [David Coverdale] shortly."

 

Aldrich played on the last two WHITESNAKE studio albums, 2008's "Good To Be Bad" and 2011's "Forevermore", and appeared on several live releases, including last year's "Made In Japan" and "Made In Britain/The World Records".

 

Asked in a 2013 interview with Classic Rock Revisited how he has been able to stay in WHITESNAKE so long considering how "tough on guitar players" David has been throughout the years, Doug said: "Honestly, I think he really cares about how hard I work and how much I care about his musical vision. I might make a mistake and overstep my bounds, now and then, but David knows I am only doing it because I really care. I think that is a part of it. My style fits in with him, as well. Reb [Beach, WHITESNAKE's other guitarist] and I really work well together for WHITESNAKE as well.

 

Doug added: "I think for me, [Coverdale] is at the point to where he does not need to prove anything to anybody, but he still wants to move forward, anyway. I love that. At the same time, I'm going, 'Let's try this!' I am not pushing him, but I am enthusiastic about our music. I love the guy and he is one of a kind and I have a lot of respect for the fact that he is still going for it. I love being in WHITESNAKE and David knows it. By the same token, if David said to me that he wanted to go back to any one of the past guitar players, I would absolutely respect that and I would be appreciative of everything that we've done together."

 

Regarding how he came to join WHITESNAKE, Doug said: "When David first contacted me about doing WHITESNAKE, I had heard he was going to reform the version of WHITESNAKE with John Sykes. I said, 'David, there is no reason for you to talk to me if you're thinking of getting back with Sykes. I have my own thing to offer and I am not going to be in a band with him.' David said,'No, no, no, I want you.' So I thought, 'Yes!' 'Okay, cool. Let's talk.'

 

"There was a period, in 2003, where he said that he might do something with previous members and he wondered if I would consider being a part of it. At the time, I said no because I hadn't put my mark on WHITESNAKE yet. It wouldn't have felt right to me at that early time. Now we have 30-plus songs together and I'm very proud of them. Now we jam with past members all the time and its fun. I am humble and inspired working with David and very thankful for our relationship."

 

Aldrich has spent the past few months performing with Raiding The Rock Vault — dubbed "the ultimate classic rock concert experience" — which plays the LVH Hotel And Casino in Las Vegas four or times a week. Boasting the ultimate set list, the show takes audiences on a magical musical journey, traversing the genre's history from the '60s through the '80s.

 

Read more at http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/guitarist-doug-aldrich-quits-whitesnake/#Oyv8VdLTYfWD2sTu.99

 

[KarpetRydOFunk]

Leaving "to pursue a solo career," then the article goes on with him saying that's not the case. Sloppy journalism.

[Axelinger]

"When David first contacted me about doing WHITESNAKE, I had heard he was going to reform the version of WHITESNAKE with John Sykes. I said, 'David, there is no reason for you to talk to me if you're thinking of getting back with Sykes. I have my own thing to offer and I am not going to be in a band with him."

 

Yeah, best to not play in tandem with Sykes when your spotlight would be so much smaller.

[Metal T]

I liked Aldrich in Whitesnake,didn't care much for Reb Beach though.Aldrich/Vandenberg would've been a nice combo.

[Captain Howdy]

Leaving "to pursue a solo career," then the article goes on with him saying that's not the case. Sloppy journalism.

Don't think it is sloppy journalism. The solo career thing was in quotes as that's apparently what Coverdale had said.

The writer was merely posting both parties statements, one of which is apparently wrong.

[Jez]

Get Marsden And Moody and Neil Murray back in and let's relive the glory days

[Captain Howdy]

you mean the BOREY days .. sorry, couldnt resist.

[Geoff]

The return of Lion is imminent.

[Mullethead]

The return of Lion is imminent.

I'd take Bad Moon Rising as well!

[KarpetRydOFunk]

The return of Lion is imminent.

That was my first thought, and it needs to happen. The Monsters of Rock Cruise holds a poll each year to find out which bands the fans want to see on the next cruise. Lion was on that list, which I thought voided any validity to the entire poll, but maybe MOR knows something we don't.

[T-BONE]

I wonder if John Sykes' phone has been ringing at all?

[heaven&hell]

As I've said on the Mafia page on facebook I'd love to see one of these Sykes or Vandenberg things happen but I don't see it happening especially Sykes. As for DA he would only leave Snake if he had a bigger band or project or maybe job(producer) to go to so while I'd be first in line for a Lion(I'd prefer BMR)I don't see that being the point of him leaving Snake. I could see him spending more time with Burning Rain but again he doesn't make any real money from any of these other bands so he has to have something bigger lined up or he is just an idiot which I don't think he is.

[Metal T]

Hopefully its not Steve Vai again.

[Mullethead]

Hopefully its not Steve Vai again.

SOTT was killer!

[PeterS]

Being a guitarist in Whitesnake is like being a character in Game of Thrones. You know they'll be going, you just don't know when.

 

I really like Reb Beach. When I saw him with Winger the other day I was mesmerized, he's one of those genius who just makes it look like he was born with a guitar in his hands.

[JC_AOR]

The return of Lion is imminent.

Bring it on...sounds perfect to me :-)

[Glen]

Just stop.

 

a mate of mine commented the other day that on the last tour his vocals were weak as hell.

[Geoff]

Just stop.

 

a mate of mine commented the other day that on the last tour his vocals were weak as hell.

 

Doesn't surprise me, as they're even rusty at best on those last two studio albums. He still sounds okay, but it is evidently not nearly the Coverdale of the past on those two CDs.

[Mullethead]

 

Just stop.

 

a mate of mine commented the other day that on the last tour his vocals were weak as hell.

 

Doesn't surprise me, as they're even rusty at best on those last two studio albums. He still sounds okay, but it is evidently not nearly the Coverdale of the past on those two CDs.

 

He's 95, what do you expect?

 

In all seriousness though, I hope I look like him at his age. The vox are getting rough though.

[T-BONE]

Exactly... The guitar tone on that album sucked. Well written songs, but the tone was weak and thin. Aldrich was the best thing to happen to Whitesnake since Sykes.

[KarpetRydOFunk]

Exactly... The guitar tone on that album sucked. Well written songs, but the tone was weak and thin. Aldrich was the best thing to happen to Whitesnake since Sykes.

Which one are you referring to?

[T-BONE]

The album with Vai

[Mullethead]

The album with Vai

I don't think the tone sucked. If anything he just wasn't a great fit for that band. Did you not like his DLR sound either?

 

As for the album, which it know you didn't say it was bad but I have to say its my third fave from the band behind 1987 and Slide it In