Granite
Doogie White & La Paz
•
April 9, 2012
With this guy called Doogie White, you are about to experience a hell of a tumult as his career is a real Scottish hullabaloo. I first noticed him as the singer in the good band MIDNIGHT BLUE (album: "Take The Money And Run") thru the mighty Japanese label ZERO Corp. (RIP)-this album was reissues in early 2012 by YesterRock with a new cover art and 2 additional track. He was also performing alongside with Udo Dirkschneider for Alex Parche's solo album "Prohibido El Paso". CHAIN (album: "Eros of Love and Destruction" ) was also pretty good , it was just after the big break... I truly mean the big break, in 1995 Mr Doogie White was fronted nothing more than the legendary RAINBOW for a world tour and one of my preferred Ritchie Blackmore's album ever , the very underrated "Stranger In Us All".
Since then, Mr. white became an honorable member of the PURPLE Familly congregation and as Joe Lynn Turner, Glenn Hughes orDon Airey, he found his way by playing the hired gun in a lot of tribute / Solo album and project! Most are quality stuff but some are outstanding as Nikolo Kotzev's NOSTRADAMEUS (with Goran Edman / Jorn Lande / Glenn Hughes) or "Once and Future King" by Gary Hughes (TEN). His name was evoked & rumored as lead singer for Pink Cream 69 / ROYAL HUNT and even IRON MAIDEN. The big bull eye hit was once again, when he became YNGWIE J. MALMSTEEN's RISING FORCE new vocalist (albums :"Attack" + "Unleash The Fury"), and even if those albums are far from being the high caliber music that we could expected by the mighty Swedish Maestro, it brings to him enough fame & prestige to enlighten his career pursuit.
CORNERSTONE was a fine new project formed with Steen Morgensen (ex-ROYAL HUNT) in more mellow Scandi-AOR way 5 albums were released... At that time, the big turmoil is starting once again he contributes to a batch of recording like: PRAYING MANTIS / THE RING / EMPIRE / EDEN's CURSE / VODOO CIRCLE / SEBASTIEN / RATA BLANCA / CANDELMASS / Iain Ashley Hersey Doogie once more break the routine by recording an exceptional album with once legendary NWOBHM act TANK, while nobody's expected nothing at all, the album "War Machine" established once again his status as an important & influential vocalist, but also set ,the new incarnation of TANK , as a future force to watch: it's also start a new collaboration with polish label Metal Mind and quite logically his first solo album saw the light of day with a great guest-list but finally a little disappointing result.
His first solo work is now quickly followed by this on-hold late school band era 1984/88, both project are in the same way traditional British Classic Hard Rock not really interesting and far from innovative. I think the fans of Classic Rock, could found some interest here, but I think DEMON'S EYE or KRUK were already better at this game, and we could also ask for a better sounding recording. From time to time, you had a short hope for something more progressive or cleverer in term of songwriting, but soon you'll realize that this band was made to play live, and the sterile-studio-background, isn't the right place for those Scottish Rockers. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad album, but Doogie White is the only attraction as both the songwriting and the players are average... For completists only!
6 / 10
Had Potential
"Granite" Track-listing:
1. Too Good To Lose
2. This Boy
3. Lesson In Love
4. Amy
5. Just For Today
6. What Do You Say
7. Still In Love
8. Young And Restless
9. Shame The Devil
Doogie White & La Paz Lineup:
Doogie White - Lead Vocals
Alex Carmichael - Bass/Vocals
Andy Mason - Keyboards
Chic McSherry - Lead Guitar
Paul McManus - Drums
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