by Steve Patrick
– Senior Columnist —
On the heels of the release of The Purple Album, rock legends Whitesnake are hitting the road on a North American tour featuring support from Ireland’s The Answer. The Purple Album is a tribute to Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale’s time in Deep Purple and features Snake-bitten takes on Purple classics like “Burn,” “Mistreated” and “Stormbringer.”
The Purple Album is also noteworthy because it features the Whitesnake recording debut of ex-Night Ranger guitarist Joel Hoekstra. Hoekstra was kind enough to speak to Hardrock Haven about his experiences so far in Whitesnake and how the band is preparing for their tour.
Hoekstra also recalled how it felt to be re-recording “Soldier of Fortune” in the studio with Coverdale one-on-one, how fellow Whitesnake guitarist Reb Beach showed him the ropes when he first joined Night Ranger, and getting to tell Sebastian Bach on the set of Rock of Ages that he is often confused for the ex-Skid Row singer.
Later in the chat, Hoekstra shared his thoughts on Dee Snider’s recent rant directed at his predecessor in Whitesnake, Doug Aldrich. Also, fans of Hoekstra’s solo work will also be excited to hear the details on his upcoming solo record featuring guest appearances by Vinny Appice, Russell Allen, Jeff Scott Soto, Derek Sherinian, and Tony Franklin.
For more information, please visit www.whitesnake.com or www.joelhoekstra.com.
