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Doogie White Interview
October 2002

YJMGA caught up with 'Attack' vocalist for a third interview, this time we concentrated on the making of the new album and Dougie's thoughts on his role in it.

Doogie thanks for giving YJMGA another interview.
That sir, is no problem.

Well I am sat here listening to 'Attack!!' blasting out the speakers. To me its a superb album with great performances all round. Yngwie seems to have really pushed you in the vocal stakes, is that how you see it?
I also think it is a very strong album..Tom, YJM and I sat for an hour or so and talked about the vocal approach. I knew how I wanted to do things. YjM wanted a more aggresive edge, a contrast to what he had done on the last couple of albums. I agreed!! We tried out a couple of voices as Tom set up the sound and we settled on the one you hear on the album. Now before anyone gets their knickers in a twist about this, let me explain... Nothing bores me more than a singer going though the motions, same sound and approach on all the songs. YJM has had some of rock's finest voices fronting his band and I knew I had to do something that would set me apart from those other guys. You, the fans, are the one to decide whether I succeeded or not.

The album seems to cover most of the classic Yngwie territory: pounding neo- classical metal, commercial metal to epic metal - its quite a diverse album. Did you approach each song with a specific vibe after getting a feel for that song, or did you have the same mindframe for the album as a whole?
Every day we would do a new song. I would arrive at the studio to find YJM hunched over, with pen in hand adapting the lyrics. On some songs we would sing, (and this musical KAK,) the 3rd or 5th or the root to find which was the best. YJM had it all mapped out, it was great. Painless.

The melody lines are some of Yngwie's best in years, did you get the chance to play a little with what Yngwie presented to you, or was it all following the Maestro's directions?
Imagine, doing a play, Hamlet? ... the lines are written...the director gives his instructions and THEN the actor does his thing. Thats how it was on this record for me. We discussed and then we did!! I am sure that had it been a different vocalist, it would have been a different album.

Do you know why there is no ballad on the album?
This is not a record that required a ballad. The tensions contained within the album are enough. A ballad.......about what... love ..pah.... been there. This was an album of desent!! an album of passion, not love nor lust. Do you feel the album is less because it does not have a ballad??. Want a ballad,,, go buy an REO Speedwagon album!!!

Do you know if Yngwie was concerned as to how this album sounded after the controversy surrounding 'War To End All Wars'?
I think the name TOM FLETCHER answers that.....

Typically how many vocal passes did you do of each song?
With Rainbow I spent ages doing vocals as they wanted the American radio sound. YJM wanted pure rock and so we did 2 or at most 3 passes on the vocals. After 10 day we only had to correct 2 lines. Not bad for a Scotsman with laryngitis.

There are some great vocal harmonies throughout the album - 'Valley Of Kings' is superb. How do you approach harmonies? Do you have any favoured intervals?
YJM has them all worked out. Some are high so he cant sing them so... we found if he put them down on guitar I could follow them. A bit like Made in Japan. Trouble was he has the most astonishing vibrato and so when it came to doing the vocal there was no note to hit as it was moving. My most enduring memory of recording isYJM playing stacato notes with no vibrato and no sustain. My........ how the summer evenings flew by.

Whats was the hardest song to sing and what was the easiest?
They were all pretty much at the same intense level.

How do you approach singing lyrics that you did not write, does it make it easier or harder to put across a personally convincing vocal?
Are you suggesting that my vocals lack passion?? That I lack conviction and that you are not convinced? Oh!! I see....I understand where you are coming from. Once I find the voice for a particular song then I am half way there. It is about learing the lines and melody and NOT doing to many takes. Paul Rogers does 3 takes. I agree with that.

What are your personal favourite tracks on 'Attack!!'?
Stronghold. Vallhalla, Ship of Fools, Rise,,, see now you got me going... They all have something special.. Rise up was the first we did and I think it kicks serious bottom.

How many tracks did you record for the album, are their any in the archives that may see the light of day sometime?
Nothing that I know of.... Maybe Patrik would be able to say. I sang all the songs I heard. It was not until the album came out that I heard the instrumentals.

Can you tell us anything about the forthcoming tour?
Is it gonna be big? I am looking forward to a long tour. I want to go everywhere. We have a very strong band and I believe that YJM's fans from Tokyo to Toronto, Moscow to Glasgow deserve to see this line up. we have done our part, (the Album) it's now down to everyone else to make this thing happen.

Is there anything Yngwie said whilst you were recording your parts that will always stick with you?
I knocked over 4 of his Strats and he said "Dont worry man at least they were Fenders".

Finally how would you sum up 'Attack!!'??
I like the record. I had fun doing the record. I hope that it becomes an important record in YJM catalogue. I hope that the fans enjoy it and I hope that we will have the chance to do another.......

Thanks once again for your time Doogie and I hope to meet up if the 'Attack' tour rolls into England.
If you are buying then I'm drinkin.............

Then I am buying and you are drinking (laughing).

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