Aldrich: I quit Whitesnake for sake of my son

Doug Aldrich has revealed he quit Whitesnake after realising he needed to spend more time with his son.

And although he’d rather have stayed with David Coverdale’s band, he’s certain he made the right choice.

He bowed out last May, just as the group started work on what will be their 12th album. Before that he’d been a member of the band for all-star Las Vegas musical Raiding The Rock Vault, and he was also recording with supergroup Revolution Saints.

Aldrich tells Mitch Lafon: “I was really digging Rock Vault. It was great for me because I was able to spend a lot of time with my family and I realised I needed to do that more – spend more time with my son.

“David, all of a sudden, said, ‘Okay, we’re going to get SS Whitesnake up and running – I need you up here, Doug.’

“I was there. I had to work around the schedule I’d set up already. Revolution Saints was going to have to take a back-burner, that was for sure. But I couldn’t just walk away from Rock Vault because these guys were counting on me.

“They’d told me I could cut out when Whitesnake needed me; I just needed to get a sub. That’s what I was in the process of doing and meanwhile I started working with David.”

Aldrich started working with Coverdale on his days off from the musical, and believes they were “accomplishing a lot.” But he adds: “I think David wanted me there full-time like I’d always been before. I was going to be, I wanted to be, but he wanted it now.

“There were some tense moments, and I felt, ‘I’m really proud of what we’ve done together. I don’t want it to become weird or whatever.’”

Aldrich reflects that he “needed a little bit more flexibility.” He adds: “David put Whitesnake on hiatus when his son was the same age. I took the decision that I needed to be with my boy. I decided, ‘Time to step out.’”

He’s been replaced by former Night Ranger guitarist Joel Hoekstra, who he describes as a “fine, fine guitarist.” Revolution Saints, also featuring Journey’s Deen Castronovo and Night Ranger’s Jack Blades, launched their self-titled debut album this week.

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.