Page 6 - ROCKNATION ISSUE 26

PAGE 6 ROCKNATION ISSUE 26

Interview with

Adrian Vandenberg
by Ernest Skinner

Photo credit - Philippe Bareille

Adrian Vandenbergs’ Moonkings that is. I was recently lucky enough to have a fireside chat with one of hard rocks’ most influential guitar
players of all time. Yes, Adrian, who was also coined as the Flying Dutchman by Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale, has influenced
many, including yours truly.

Along with many of you, I was interested in knowing a bit more about Adrian than I could scramble with Google. I was aware that after
Vandenberg, Adrian went on to play as the lead axemaster with Whitesnake for about thirteen years. I also knew that in the past five
years or so, the FD had formed Vandenbergs’ Moonkings and they have released 3 studio albums, (Moonkings, MK II, Rugged &
Unplugged).

Before I get into recapping some basic history regarding Adrian for the passive fan, I will get into some of the questions I had for him
and some of the answers actually surprised me. For one thing, I asked him what kind of classical guitar training he had and who his
influences were. If you have listened to any of his Vandenberg stuff (pre-Whitesnake), you would have asked the same.....just sayin.

“Well thank you very much for your interest in.....in what I do.... and I feel very honoured that you (me), were influenced by my
wheedling on the guitar (laughter). It was assumed that I had classical training but I didn’t and I can’t read a note. My sister
and my Dad are classically trained piano players and so there was always a lot of classical music in the house, next to the jazz
from my Dad so yes, it was always in the back of my mind and of course subliminal I assume. (Regarding classical music
influences)... yes, of course, I did get influenced by Mozart, Beethoven, Bach,.....Paganini....because it was always around
when I was growing up.”

Adrian went on to say that guitar players that “left a mark” on him influentially started with Jimi Hendrix, Clapton when he was in
Cream, Leslie West, Michael Schenker, Brian May, and even Eddie Van Halen. His influences were from “guys that play from the
heart”.

Speaking of playing from the heart, just listen to his (Adrian) solos from his early stuff, such as How Long and Burning Love......talk
about playing from the heart.....a true magician on the six string.

I then asked Adrian, who was the first person to refer to him as the Flying Dutchman; “when I first got coined the Flying Dutchman,
it was actually David (Coverdale) who started announcing me as TFD, as I used to fly around the stage playing and jumping
up on anything that was higher than anything on the stage itself (laughter).....and also TFD was a legendary pirate ship, ghost
ship, in all kinds of legends”