Doug Aldrich (born February 19, 1963) is an American hard rock guitarist. He founded the band Burning Rain with Keith St. John in 1998 and has played with Whitesnake, Dio, Lion, Hurricane, House of Lords, Bad Moon Rising and Revolution Saints. He has also released several solo albums. Doug toured with former Deep Purple bassist and vocalist Glenn Hughes' band in 2015. It was announced in early 2016 that he would be replacing Richard Fortus as guitarist of The Dead Daisies.
Biography Aldrich began playing guitar at age 11, inspired by his older sister's Jeff Beck albums. Aldrich's first guitar was a cheap Les Paul-copy purchased from a Sears catalog. Fresh out of high school, Aldrich met the girlfriend of Kiss drummer Eric Carr, who told him that he was the type of guitarist Kiss was looking for to replace Ace Frehley. He subsequently auditioned for Kiss in 1982 but the spot ultimately went to Vinnie Vincent.Classic Rock presents Whitesnake The Official Magazine pg.127 Aldrich said that although the members of Kiss treated him very well during the audition process, Gene Simmons told him to "lose this number" when Aldrich attempted to talk with him again months later.
Aldrich joined the L.A. glam band Lion in 1983, recording two albums and one EP before the band broke up in 1989.
When Aldrich was in Lion recording their first album at Scotti Brothers' Recording Studio, he was invited to join the Slaughter, but turned down the invite since the Lion project was just taking off. Nevertheless, Aldrich did play some guitar for Slaughter during those early days.
Aldrich was briefly a member of Hurricane, replacing founding guitarist Robert Sarzo in 1989. He participated in the writing and recording of Slave to the Thrill (1990) before leaving the band.
In early 2014, Aldrich joined the critically acclaimed production show Raiding the Rock Vault at the Tropicana Las Vegas, where he performed six shows a week with other rock 'n' roll artists including Robin McAuley (formerly Survivor, MSG), John Payne (Asia), Howard Leese (Bad Company, Heart), Paul Shortino (Quiet Riot) and Andrew Freeman (The Offspring, Last in Line), among others. As of late 2015, this collaboration was still on ongoing project.
During 2015, Aldrich joined the Glenn Hughes solo European tour as guitarist, along with drummer Pontus Engborg, to complete the power trio with Hughes on bass and vocals.
In late January 2016, it was announced that Aldrich was replacing Richard Fortus as guitarist in The Dead Daisies, as Fortus would be participating in the Guns N' Roses reunion. As of late January 2016 Aldrich was in Nashville with The Dead Daisies, working on a follow-up album to Revolución (2015). Aldrich joined bassist Marco Mendoza in the band; the two previously performed together in Whitesnake. In November 2016, The Dead Daisies performed on the Kiss Kruise VI event.
Equipment
Aldrich was previously endorsed by Jackson Guitars. He used their Dinky and Soloist Superstrats as well as his own signature model which has bridge and neck position humbucking pickups were "Full-shred" pickups which Seymour Duncan specially wired. California-based Suhr Guitars currently offers Aldrich signature humbucking pickups.
He plays various Gibson Les Pauls, Fender Stratocasters through Suhr/ Cameron hot-rodded Marshall JMPs and Vintage Modern amps. In 2016, Aldrich became an official endorsee of ESP Guitars.
Aldrich sums up his philosophy of playing this way: "I'm not one of those guys that follows whatever is trendy. I'd rather do what I do best and do it to the best of my ability."
Discography YearArtistAlbumNotes1983MansfieldGonna Rock You b/w OverdriveEP1990House of LordsSaharaGuest Guitar1990HurricaneSlave to the Thrill
Lion YearArtistAlbumNotes1986LionPower LoveEP1987LionDangerous Attractionincluding "The Transformers (Theme)"1989LionTrouble in Angel City
Bad Moon Rising YearArtistAlbumNotes1991Bad Moon RisingFull Moon FeverEP1991Bad Moon RisingBad Moon Rising1993Bad Moon RisingBlood on the StreetsEP1993Bad Moon RisingBlood1995Bad Moon RisingJunkyard HazeEP1995Bad Moon RisingOpium for the Masses (different title: Free)1995Bad Moon RisingMillwall BrickPromo EP1995Bad Moon RisingJunkyard HazeEP1999Bad Moon RisingFlames on the MoonCompilation2005Bad Moon RisingFull Moon CollectionBox-set
Solo Albums YearArtistAlbumNotes1994Doug AldrichHighcentered1997Doug AldrichElectrovision1997Doug AldrichThe Electro-LessonGuitar Instructional Video2001Doug AldrichAlter EgoCompilation
Burning Rain YearArtistAlbumNotes1999Burning RainBurning Rain2000Burning RainPleasure to Burn2013Burning RainEpic Obsession2019Burning RainFace the Music
Dio YearArtistAlbumNotes2002DioKilling the Dragon2003DioEvil or Divine – Live in New York CityRecorded in 2002, DVD2006DioHoly Diver – Live2010DioElectraSingle
Whitesnake YearArtistAlbumNotes2006WhitesnakeLive... In the Still of the NightFilmed and recorded in 2004, released in 2006 (CD & DVD)2006WhitesnakeLive: In the Shadow of the Blues2006WhitesnakeGoldCompilation2008WhitesnakeGood to Be Bad2011WhitesnakeForevermore2013WhitesnakeMade in JapanCD/DVD, Live2013WhitesnakeMade in Britain / The World Record2CD, Live2018WhitesnakeUnzippedCompilation2020WhitesnakeThe Rock AlbumCompilation2020WhitesnakeLove SongsCompilation2021WhitesnakeThe Blues AlbumCompilation2022WhitesnakeWhitesnake's Greatest HitsCompilation
Revolution Saints YearArtistAlbumNotes2015Revolution SaintsRevolution Saints2017Revolution SaintsLight in the Dark2020Revolution SaintsRise
The Dead Daisies YearArtistAlbumNotes2016The Dead DaisiesMake Some Noise2017The Dead DaisiesLive & LouderLive2017The Dead DaisiesThe Covers: Live at Planet RockEP2018The Dead DaisiesBurn It Down2019The Dead DaisiesLocked and Loaded: The Covers AlbumCompilation2020The Dead DaisiesThe Lockdown SessionsEP2021The Dead DaisiesHoly Ground2022The Dead DaisiesRadiance2022The Dead DaisiesUS Fall Tour EPEP2022The Dead DaisiesLive From Daisyland2023The Dead DaisiesBest Of2024The Dead DaisiesResurrected, Vol. 1Compilation2024The Dead DaisiesResurrected, Vol. 2Compilation2024The Dead DaisiesLight 'Em Up2025The Dead DaisiesLookin' for Trouble
Guest Appearances
1989 – One – Minoru Niihara 1989 – Cutting Air Act 1 – Air Pavilion 1992 - The Crimson Idol - W.A.S.P. 1996 – La Saga du Metal 7 – Melodique – Progressif 1997 (Japan) & 1999 (Europe) – Windows – Mike Vescera Project 1998 (Japan) & 2000 (Europe) – Ignition – Mark Boals 1999 – A Tribute to Early Van Halen – The Atomic Punks (Ralph Saenz) 1999 – Here Before – Stone 2000 – Mikazuki in Rock 2001 – Art of Mackin – Ghetto Dynasty 2001–2002 – Superhero & More... – Brian McKnight 2002 – (1989–2002) From There to Here – Brian McKnight 2003 – Wake the Nations – Ken Tamplin and Friends 2003 – Guitar Zeus 1 – Carmine Appice's Guitar Zeus 2003 – Sho（照）Twist Songs – Sera Masanori 2003 – Wild Souls – On The Road 2005 – The Real Thing – Christian Tolle 2007 – Live for Tomorrow – Marco Mendoza 2007 – Wolfman Jack's Halloween Special: Fun for Kids 2007 – Jacaranda – Masanori Sera 2008 – Anthology – House of Lords 2009 – Play My Game – Tim "Ripper" Owens 2009 – Spirit of Christmas – Northern Light Orchestra 2009 – Conquering Heroes – Carmine Appice's Guitar Zeus 2009 – Stargazer – Stargazer 2009 – Pulling the Trigger – Cooper Inc. 2010 – Harder and Heavier – 60's British Invasion Goes Metal 2010 – Celebrate Christmas – Northern Light Orchestra 2011 – Oceana – Derek Sherinian 2013 – Artpop – Lady Gaga (guitar on "Manicure") 2013 – Living Like a Runaway – Lita Ford 2013 – Lions & Lambs – Alex De Rosso 2013 – Star of the East – Northern Light Orchestra 2014 – I'm Not Your Suicide – Michael Sweet 2014 – On the Road – Wild Souls 2014 – Eye of the Nine – Eye of the Nine 2014 – Knights of Badassdom – Brendan McCreary 2014 – Songs from the Vault, Volume 2 – Raiding the Rock Vault 2014 – Yurica / Hanatan – The Flower of Dim World 2015 – Hard to Bleed – Phill Rocker 2015 – Rise of the Animal – Wolfpakk 2016 – Now and Then – Christian Tolle Project 2017 – Just a Lie – David Scott Cooper 2017 – Howling Wolves – Sera Masanori 2017 – Jake J and the Killjoys – Jake J and the Killjoys 2017 – Star of the East – Northern Light Orchestra 2018 – All for Metal – Doro Pesch 2018 – Forever Warriors, Forever United – Doro Pesch 2018 – La Beriso 20 Años – Dónde Terminaré 2018 – Point Blank – Christian Tolle Project 2019 – Backstage to Heaven – Doro Pesch 2019 – You're the Voice – The Planet Rock All Stars 2019 – IRONBUNNY – Tettsui no Alternative 2020 – Truth in Unity – Chris Catena's Rock City Tribe 2020 – Make a Wish – Shortino 2020 – Dalej – 1ONE 2020 - United Guitars Vol 2 – United Guitars 2022 - New Direction – Marco Mendoza 2024 - Temple of Blues: Influences and Friends – Cactus 2025 - Sign of the Wolf - Sign of the Wolf
Tribute Albums
Crossfire: A Salute to Stevie Ray Vaughan (1996) Forever Mod: A Tribute to Rod Stewart (1998) Little Guitars: A Tribute to Van Halen (2000) Bat Head Soup: A Tribute to Ozzy (2000) Metallic Assault: A Tribute to Metallica (2000) Tie Your MIX Down: A Tribute to Queen (2000) Stone Cold Queen: A Tribute to Queen (2001) One Way Street – Let the Tribute Do the Talkin': A Tribute to Aerosmith (2002) Spin the Bottle: An All-Star Tribute to Kiss (2004) Metallic Attack: Metallica – The Ultimate Tribute (2004) We Salute You: A Tribute to AC/DC (2004) Numbers from the Beast: An All Star Salute to Iron Maiden (2004) An 80's Metal Tribute to Van Halen (2006) Butchering the Beatles: A Headbashing Tribute to the Beatles (2006) Flying High Again: Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne (2006) Frankie Banali & Friends: Led Zeppelin Tribute – 24/7/365 (2007) The Omnibus Album: This Is Guitar Gods (2007) Northern Light Orchestra: The Spirit of Christmas (2008) We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year (2011) A World with Heroes: KISS 40th Anniversary (Calling Dr. Love) (2013) Thriller: A Metal Tribute to Michael Jackson (2013) This Is Your Life: Tribute To Ronnie James Dio (2014) Super Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne:(Japanese Edition) (2014) The House is Rocking: A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan (2015) Immortal Randy Rhoads: The Ultimate Tribute (2015) Moore Blues for Gary: A Tribute to Gary Moore by Bob Daisley and Friends (2018) Harder & Heavier: 60's British Invasion Goes Metal (2023) Ride The Rainbow: The Ultimate Tribute To Blackmore's Rainbow (2026)
Film and television Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter Soundtrack (1984) The Wraith – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1986) The Transformers: The Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1986) Holiday Greetings from the Epic, Portrait and CBS Associated Families (1987) Digital Pinball: Last Gladiators (1995) Digital Pinball: Necronomicon (1996) Knights of Badassdom: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2014) Instruments of Destruction 1986 Transformers: The Movie 30th Anniversary (2016) Welcome to Daisyland: TV series soundtrack – The Dead Daisies (2019)
References
External links
Burning Rain official website Lion website Bad Moon Rising website