Message from Doug

2003

2003.12.25
Christmas
Hey you guys.
Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!
I should have come yesterday, but I was trying to do some last minute shopping ofcourse. I went to the mall and searched for a few hours only to give up and decide that I was done.
Anyway, I hope you all had a safe happy day.
Take care and talk to you soon.
See ya, Doug

2003.11.27
Happy Thanksgiving
Hey you guys, been a while since I have been online but I just wanted to say hi and Happy Thanksgiving to all the Americanos!
I have been getting back into home life since the Japan tour. I was on the road for like a year and a half so it has been alot of home projects and stuff.
I have been working in my studio on new songs and it has been so cool to have the time to create some new music. There are a few news things in the works, but not confirmed yet. I will tell you as soon as I know about the Whitesnake and Burning Rain plans.
Anyway, this was just a chance to say hi to everyone.
Hey Carlos, nice to hear from you. Hope you guys are doing well.
Sharon, get better soon.
OK take it easy you guys. Doug

2003.09.26
Day Off in Osaka
Just checking in.......but we had the day off today. We took the bullet train to Osaka. Checked into the hotel and then I went shopping with David and his assistant Christie. We went to a some really cool sections of Osaka. This city has really grown alot. It feels like NY or at least close. Lots of cool shops and stuff.
got back and had dinner with the Marco, Reb, Tim and Kevin the tour manager.
the crew and some of the band went out cause it is Friday night and stuff, but I am kinda burnt so I am in for the night.
Two more show till the big break. I think we all wish we were gonna keep going, but the time off will be good for everyone to rest up and take care of stuff. I can't wait to get my guitars back home. I havn't seen my touring guitars at home for like a year and a half. I also can;t wait to work on new songs for WS, BR, and solo projects. We are done on the 29th. Everyone except me will be flying home then.
I am gonna stay for 10 more days by myself. I have two shows with a Japanese artist called Sera Masanori. I played on his record and his stuff is kinda like Black Crows a bit. Chris Frazier will be coming over to play drums. We have three rehearsals and a TV show and then the gigs. It should be cool. We will play Tokyo and Osaka. The Tokyo show is at the Budokan which will be great. Joan Jett is also on the bill that day. Strange mix but I guess it makes sense here.
Talk to you guys soon......Doug

2003.09.20
Japan weather & quake
Hey y'all, dont worry. It is not as bad as you might think.
The Typhoon will hit tonight after the Tokyo show. But it is probably not gonna be too bad. We do have to fly tomorrow morning. But should be ok.
We didn't feel the quake. We were on the bullet train.
It is going great here. All the people have been so cool to us.
I have see so many people that I have know for a long time from Lion and Bad Moon Rising tours.
Yuki and Kyoko are doing well. They are always so sweet.
Ok take care and I will check in from Sapporro.
See ya, Doug

2003.09.17
Japan
Hi you guys. Hope you are doing great. Well we all made it here safe. I had to take a separate flight on a different airline cause I am staying a bit longer in Japan. Thai Air. Ok I have been on almost every airline and this one was a bit rough. When I landed in Tokyo, the plane broke and we had to wait an hour on the ground to be towed in. This after a 11 hour flight. Then customs took like anouther hour. When I went through the check point, the customs guy was so funny. He goes, "ok do you have anything to declare?". I said yes, I am burnt and my flight was too long and I need beef curry. He looked at me and said, "you have tobacco?" I said yes. He looked at me real sweet and goes, "Ok so maybe did you bring with you just a little mariuana?" I said huh? He says "you know just a little personal mariuana?" I said no and told him that drugs were bad. He said "yes" and let me go. It was like he wanted me to tell him a secret. Funny. Sorry I don't even know how to spell the word so I obviously don't have any.
We all have Jet Lag. It feels like you are being held upside down by your feet and being swung in circles. Nice. It goes away after like four days.
Yesterday was a day off. I practiced a while then me and Reb went to Micky Ds. when we were walking back we saw Subway so we got sandwiches to go for later. We all went to dinner at a nice Japanese place. Today, we travel to Nagano for the first show tonight.
Anyway, wish you all were here. It is such a cool and different place. Love it here.
See ya...Doug

2003.08.27
First Class!!!!!
Hey, just wanted to say hi to everybody. Got back Sunday afternoon from Detroit. With only like an hour of sleep I made it over to the American terminal just in time. Saw Timithy already there calmly reading the paper. The cool thing was we got upgraded to first class. We all know it...... as we pass by on our way to coach, first class kicks ass! Ive only been there a few times though. Got food, drinks, and sleep which is hard to do.
The tour was really great for everyone. Warrant was so tight. I have the highest respect for that line up. I had not seen them play since like 85 or somthing and I ddidn't know what to expect, but they were killer. Great songs and Jani L is a bad ass. Kip was really great too and funny like hell. I didn't get to hear Slaughter as much as I would have, but they always put on a great show everytime I got to see them. Mark would sometimes jam with us at sound-check which was cool.
The last few shows were really my favorite ones so I didn't want go home yet.
Yesterday I went down to Long Beach to see Dio and Motorhead. Had a great time even if I wasn't playing. I saw so many friends there, and it was great to see Ronnie and the guys. Great show! the sound was amazing and Ronnie opened a major can of woop-ass on LB!!. It was so fun to just hangout at a show and watch my bros up there.
Well, i'm off for two weeks just doing some writting so I will check back in.
Thanks to everybody who came out over the summer to see the Whitesnake shows. I am so lucky to have met alot of you and I can't wait to come back.
Take it easy y'all......Doug

2003.07.10
Tour
Hey you guys, hope you are doing well. I am in Manchester NH just getting ready for the US tour. We had rehearsal today at the venue and I love this part. Getting ready just jamming with no pressure. Everyone is doing well and just so you know my new tech Detford is gonna be great. He is an Englishman so you know he can drink!
OK, well I look forward to seeing you all on the road. I will check in more often. Take it easy.... Doug
PS Happy B-Day Ronnie

2003.06.25
email
Hey you guys, I just wanted to say sorry to anyone who sent an e-mail to me. You all know when it comes to computer skills, I am like a kid in kindergarten. Actually they are more advanced then I am! I just tried to go there but I forgot how to retrieve the mail. I gotta call Crankit and find out.
My tech Maddy is in LA to start his new gig and I took him out to my favorite Mexican restaurant on Monday. It's called Casa Vega. I love this place. They have the best Margaritas and chicken enchiladas that I ever had. If you guys ever get to LA you gotta check it out.
OK take it easy,
Doug

2003.06.19
jet lag
Hey you guys, hope everyone is doing well. Got back home Sunday night and just been trying to get over the jet-lag.
Anyway, the Europe tour was great. I met alot of great people and everyone was very cool to us. The Athens show was unbelievable as was Sofia. I gotta say we have the most kick-ass crew. Those guys worked so hard and some of the funnest times was when we got to take the same flights as the crew guys. Its like going on a plane with 30 of your best friends. Mix in beers, and it gets better.
The only bad thing is I'm losing my guitar tech(Maddy) for a while. He is going on a different tour and I might not get him back til next year. Maddy is the best. Every night he would always tell me this..."OK, I think such n such city is in need of a good ass-kicking, what d'ya say?" And I would say yea your right. This guy has been amazing to work with. He really looked after me and I wish him the best of luck. Ok see ya soon and take it easy... Doug

2003.05.24
UK tour
Hi you guys, just wanted to check in from the UK tour.
We are finished with the England and Scotland parts and only Dublin is left. We are off today in Dublin and I just came across a internet cafe so I wanted to say hi and tell you that although I love it here so much, I do miss the food at home. When we got to the hotel today, David bought me my first real pint of Guiness. I really smooth and was almost like a meal.
The tour is going great and I really loved watching Y&T and Gary Moore play. I think Germany is next and that is gonna be killer too. Yes, I did meet Jimmy Page. All I can say is he was so cool to me and everyone. He came to see David, but hung out in our dressing room for about an hour. We talked about his guitars and then I got the idea to ask him about carving on my guitar. He laughed and then said yea, he had never done that before. It was on the les paul sunbust. I never expected to meet him and it was one of the best things that ever happened to me.. So anyway, I will check back, but I miss you guys and can't wait to see you again. Hope you are doing well and take it easy. See ya Doug

2003.05.03
Thanks
Hey you guys, just wanted to say thanks for all your support and good energy. As you know, I won't be seeing you this summer with Ronnie. But the best is I will be seeing you with Whitesnake. We are putting together a U.S. headline tour that will start around the middle of July and go through August. Japan looks like Sept. which is great. And after, I will be recording hopfully with David. Regarding Dio, it was really difficult, I had to make a choice. You all know that I love Ronnie and the guys. I hope to think the door is open for sometime down the road but for now it won't happen. Dio was schedualed to be off this summer, and then his tour dates started comming in. He is my friend and I didn't want to keep him hangin so I recomended a few guys. For the Dio fans that are concerned about Warren, don't be. He is great and Ronnie knows guitar players. Besides Jimmy is one heavy player and alot of the Dio sound comes from him and Simon.
Anyway, I am getting packed for Europe and really digging the fact that I get to meet and watch Gary Moore play for three weeks of the tour. The UK is hardcore into Whitesnake so I gotta play really good. David is leaving tomorrow and I leave with the guys on Tuesday.
Anyway, Thanks again for being there. Reading your posts helps me keep everything straight in my life..... See ya soon, Doug

2003.03.29
Back home!
Hey you guys. Hope everyone is doing well. It is so good to be home from the cold. I for one am ready from spring/summer. The Whitesnake tour was great. We had a bunch of amazing shows and it was cool to work with the Scorpions again. They are so good, like a well oiled tank. Dokken was great too, Alex De Rosso is a killer player and very cool guy as well. I flew home with Wild Mick and he had me laughing the whole trip.
Got back Sunday and I went to the studio with Ronnie on Monday to work on the mixing of the Dio DVD. It sounds really great. I havent seen the finished product, but the sound is cool.
Next week Whitesnake is playing in Northern Cal just one show. It is at the resort type place where they have a spa and stuff. Dio played there last summer too. It is on a lake and is an outdoor place so I hope the weather is good.
Anyway, I just wanted to save hi to everyone and thanks to everyone who came out to the shows last month. Your support means so much and I will look forward to seeing you all soon. Maybe in the summer.
OK take care, Doug

2003.03.01
From Whitesnake Official Site
Hey you guys, just wanted to come on and say hi and thanx so much for your support for David and the band. The tour has been great. Let me tell you, I wish you all could feel what it is like to look over every night and see David tearing it up! Amazing..... Hope to meet some of you at the upcoming shows! See ya and take it easy....Doug

2003.01.14
Gear
Hey you guys, thanks for the questions about my gear. We will be getting my live rig on the site soon. It will be the same stuff I used on tour with Dio. For Whitesnake I am just changing some of the programed sounds and stuff, like the clean patch.
The amps are an 79 and 78 jmp Marshalls. They are moded by Custom Audio Electronics.
I also use a 71 super lead moded by Mark Cameron
Recently I got a Standel amp the Mark did as well which sounds great too.
See ya and take care Doug