Doogie White is known for his time in Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Michael Schenker. There could very well have been a universe out there where White took over for Bruce Dickinson after he left Iron Maiden in 1993. On an appearance with the Rocking With Jam Man show, White talked about his audition for Iron Maiden and how he felt about Blaze Bayley. Blabbermouth had the transcription.
Doogie White On Iron Maiden And Blaze Bayley
I was recording in Brussels in Belgium, I was doing an album, and a friend of mine phoned me up and said Bruce was gonna be leaving Iron Maiden at the end of the tour and I should really send a tape in to [Iron Maiden’s management company] Sanctuary. So when I got home from doing the album, I put together four or five songs and sent them out. And I got contacted and told I would be singing with Iron Maiden on the Monday. And I got a cassette with, I think, 20 songs or something, and I had to learn them over the weekend. I was younger then; I could remember things, I sang with them on the Monday.
It was up at Steve Harris’ house. The studio was in an old farmhouse, an old building. And they stood around me in a circle. So I had Janick [Gers, guitar] and Davey [Murray, guitar] and Steve, and they put Nicko [McBrain, drums] behind me, so at least the drums were coming from behind. We just went through the songs. We had a cup of tea, biscuits. And then we went back and did some more songs. And then they asked me back again.
But they gave the gig to Blaze [Bayley]. And Blaze did a great job. And then the planets realigned and the universe was saved and Iron Maiden became the greatest metal band on the planet.
It’s an interesting thought about if White would have gotten the Maiden gig. His voice is similar to Bruce Dickinson’s, but also fairly different. Blaze Bayley was completely different to Bruce’s voice. You can check out our reviews of the two Bayley-led Iron Maiden albums: The X-Factor and Virtual XI.
So, for more on metal, make sure to check out That Hashtag Show.
