Doogie White • As Yet Untitled – CD

Ah, me and Doogie White go back a long way.  I saw La Paz more times than was good for me, and not that long ago saw him doing an acoustic set in a shopping centre.  In between I saw him with Midnight Blue, Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen and White Noise.  Of course, he’s also sang with everyone from Tank to Jon Lord, and all points inbetween, but this is his first solo album, after a quarter of a century in the music business.  And it’s good.
Sometimes it borders on the great, and I’m pleased to report that it’s very much in the Rainbow / Malmsteen vein, rather than any of his many other records.  Mr White has always reckoned that he had unfinished business with Mr Blackmore, and this could be the calling card that’s needed to get that show on the road.  He’s also dug deep into his wee black book, and dragged in an array of famous friends to help him out.  So you can hear drumming from Thomas Broman (Glenn Hughes’s band) and Patrick Johansson (Yngwie Mamlsteen), bass from Neil Murray (Whitesnake), Ted Nugent‘s Greg Smith and Paul Logue from Eden’s Curse, with producer Pontus Norgren (HammerFall) taking care of most of the guitars.  There’s also assistance from Tony Carey (Rainbow) and Derek Sherinian (Black Country Communion / Dream Theater) on keyboards.
Rather cheekily, things kick off with a song called ‘Come Taste The Band’, and it’s a real cracker that sees him duetting with Patti Russo of Meat Loaf fame, along with some parping keyboards from aforementioned, former Rainbow man, Tony Carey.  And with the ‘R’ word firmly to the fore, you won’t want to miss ‘Dreams Lie Down And Die’ or ‘Land Of The Deceiver’.  There are a couple of weaker numbers towards the end, with the AC/DC soundalike ‘Catz Got Yer Tongue’ and the skippable ‘Living On The Cheap’ letting the side down a little.  But overall, songs such as ‘Time Machine’, ‘Lonely’ and ‘Sea Of Emotion’ leave you wanting to hear more from Mr White sooner rather than later.
Stuart A Hamilton

CD available from DTB Online store