CORNERSTONE: The Making Of The 'Best Album RAINBOW Never Recorded'

CORNERSTONE, the project featuring ROYAL HUNT bassist Steen Mogensen and ex-RAINBOW/current YNGWIE MALMSTEEN vocalist Doogie White, are in the process of recording their third album, "Once Upon Our Yesterdays", tentatively due in the fall.

The following is the latest update from White's official web site:

"Steen has been working day and night on the production of the new album. The drama, energy and emotion captured by him from the performances of the band members Doogie, Kasper Damngard and Allen Sorensen as well as Steen himself make this the most exciting and challenging CORNERSTONE album so far.

"Steen and Doogie locked themselves away for 10 days in June in Steen's summer house 5 mins walk from the beach. The isolation made for some hard work from both, and Doogie has turned in his finest vocal performances ever.

"Doogie says. 'We agreed that we would like to be out of the studio to record the vocals, just to give the whole thing a different vibe. It worked too!! We would start with a strong coffee a 3 mile run and some backing vocals just to warm my voice up then we would listen to the next song and make sure that the lyrics and melody were the best we could have for the given song. It was a real throw-back to the way Ritchie Blackmore, Pat Regan and I worked on the ['Stranger In Us All'] album for RAINBOW. There were no interruptions and our focus was on making this, the best album we could. I think we have done that. I had chills listening back to the songs and can say without a doubt that this is the finest album I have ever worked and written on. Steen is becoming one of the best producers around and knew how to get the best performance from me.'

"Steen is now taking a couple of weeks holiday before the task of mixing this, the 3rd CORNERSTONE album. No release date has been finalised but it should be in the late Autumn.

"Talks are also underway to get some touring dates scheduled for later in the year.

"Doogie says: 'With this new album [and previous efforts], 'Arrival' [2000] and 'Human Stain' [2002], we will have enough strong material to put together a great live show. Not all songs work in the live environment but we have a great selection to work from. Now we really have to get out and take the music to the people. That will put an end to the continued speculation that CORNERSTONE is just a studio project, which of course it is not and was never meant to be. But up until now has seemed that way from the outside. Kasper and Allen will be joining us for the live shows and this will cement a permanent lineup for the band.

" 'We are all looking forward to the reaction to 'Once Upon Our Yesterdays'. We have continued to grow as writers and performers and we now have a sound that is unlike that of any of our peers. Some people said that 'Human Stain' was the best RAINBOW album they never recorded, but this is misleading, for me, RAINBOW's sound was always defined by Ritchie's guitar playing. Kasper is a very different beast. Of course some of the arrangements and song keys may sound familiar but CORNERSTONE really has its own sound. If I were to describe it, it would be an updated 'Classic Rock' sound. We are using the best of the modern technology, pro tools and the like, while writing in a grand and heavy hard rockin' style. I don't hear anyone else doing what we are doing or sounding like we do. That's very encouraging and also rewarding.' "

In related news, White has collaborated with guitarist Bill Liesegang on a new LIESEGANG album, tentatively due in the fall through Escape Music. More information, including the full track listing, is expected to be announced soon.