Warlock and Doro

There needs to be a documentary that covers the history of Warlock and Doro. It should cover things like the Former Manager Who owned the name of Warlock and caused the name Band name to change to Doro.

What all did this person own besides the Band Name Warlock? Any of the Master Tapes of the material the Band Recorded? The Songs and Music Royalties? The Music Videos Warlock had for "All We Are" and "Fight For Rock"? These are things I'd like to know.

This is a story that's never been told in depth and one I think should be, it's a great band regardless if under the name Warlock or Doro. I think someone should do a documentary and tell  the story, someone did one on Anvil, and Sam Dunn has done several on the genre of Metal, along with some for RUSH, and Iron Maiden. If I had the Resources and Connections this would be the band(s) story I'd  most want to tell/cover the history of.

Both Warlock and Doro really deserve some just due and their story told.



I'm probably getting a bit ahead of myself here, for those of you who don't know who Warlock and Doro are. Warlock was a Heavy Metal Band from Germany that formed in the early '80's. One of the many things that make the band unique is they had a Female Lead Singer/Front Woman, Doro Pesch, and of course a Warlock is a Male Witch. So the band being named Warlock and being fronted by a woman is quite a clever idea (I'd like to know who came up with it. It's probably the same jackass who owned the name Warlock).

Aside from Doro the original Warlock was (to the best of my knowledge) Drummer: Michael Eurich, Bassist:: Frank Rittel, and Guitarists: Peter Szigeti and Rudy Graf.
Warlocks guitarist were both Lead Guitarist think Judas Priest or Iron Maiden. In my opinion Doro is the first True Female Heavy Metal Lead Singer.

Warlock was formed in 1982, which is also the same year that L.A. Hard Rock Band RATT and L.A. Metal Band W.A.S.P. formed, Motley Crue formed a year earlier in '81.

Warlock's first album Burning the Witches was released in 1984. 1984 was also the year that saw the release of RATT's Out of the Cellar and W.A.S.P.'s self titled debut. Motley Crue had released Shout at the Devil in '83.
By 1984 Metal Bands such as Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Motorhead, Saxon, Accept, U.F.O., and the Scorpions had all put out several albums.

Now that I've established a Hard Rock/Heavy Metal time table for ya, back to Warlock.

Warlock's sound (I hate describing a Bands sound by comparing it to another Bands because I feel all Bands sounds should be unique as it gives them their identity So I'll try to refrain from doing that) could be described as Fast Thundering Drums and Bass Rhythms, with  two Guitars that complement the Rhythm while screaming out Unique Leads, and at times adding or carrying tune with Doro's vocals.
Now lyrically the bands songs have themes of Medieval times, Witches, Vampires, and signs of the times such as people passing judgement on the genera of Rock and Roll/Heavy Metal. The Band Warlock had a definite  Gothic under tone.

I'm also going to state my opinion here and that's bands like Lacuna Coil and Evanescence (not because they have a female lead singer) are all following in the footsteps of Warlock and Doro.  When I listen to Evanescence and Lacuna Coil I here some lots of things that have a very Warlock vibe to 'em. The dark Gothic Undertone lots of it all feels very Warlock. Warlock was very ahead of their time and could be called the first Gothic Metal band.

 Warlock released their second album Hellbound in '85. Guitarist Rudy Graf leaves Warlock before their 3rd album and is replaced by Niko Arvanitis. This line of Doro Pesch: Vocals, Frank Rittel: Bass, Michael Eurich: Drums, and Peter Szigeti and Niko Arvanitis: Rhythm/Lead Guitars is considered the Classic Line Up of Warlock due to the release of Warlock's third album in '86 True as Steel which had a Music Video hit on MTV with Fight for Rock.

The 4th and final album under the name Warlock Triumph and Agony was released in 1987, this album didn't have Frank or Peter. Frank (bass) was replaced by Tommy Henriksen. Peter was Replaced by Tommy Bolan (not to be confused with old rocker Tommy Bolin) on Guitar.

Triumph and Agony had a MTV Video hit with All We Are. This video was my introduction to Warlock in 2006 on VH1 Classic's Metal Mania. As such Triumph and Agony was the first Warlock album I ever bought it was in 2009 actually I bought Burning the Witches at the same time as Triumph.
I own all the Warlock albums on CD, and have the 2011 remastered versions of Triumph and Agony, True As Steel, and Hellbound (Burning did not get an updated remastered version if/when it does I'll buy it).

All of Warlock's albums are filled with great songs that I could go into detail and go on and on about but won't.

What was to be Warlock's 5th album was entitled Force Majeure in 1989, this album was not released under the name Warlock but under the name Doro. The Band was forced to switch names because of a lawsuit by a former Manager who on paper technically owned the name Warlock. and what else they owned I don't know. In my opening this is the lawsuit and ownership issues that I was referring to.

So due to the lawsuit the Band called Warlock ceased to exist, and the last album under the name Warlock Triumph and Agony is in my opinion a must have album for any die hard Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Fan. The album titled Force Majeure while under the name Doro it is with out a doubt a Warlock album. The sound of the Warlock band is there, the lyric content is there, everything that made up the very Identity (a bands Identity is in the sound, style and sometimes lyric content) of the band called "Warlock" is on that album except the name Warlock.

In 1990 Doro released a self titled album which is truly a different band than Warlock and is a Doro album. This ablum marked a departure from the Lyric style of Warlock and switched to a more Hard Rock/Rock sound and at time a Soft Rock sound. This album was over seen by Gene Simmons of KISS. Lead Guitar work on the album was done by Tommy Thayer (currently the Space Man in Kiss). This album is good make no doubt about it but it is NOT a Warlock album. Also this album showcases Tommy Thayer's true guitar talent and a style that is his own. The opening Tack Unholy Love is a killer.

Doro released several albums in the 90's the follow up to Doro was '91 True at Heart, followed by '93 Angels Never Die.

In '95 Doro released an album called Machine II Machine (which I've never heard anything from and currently don't own).

In 1998 Doro released Love Me in Black, this album in my opinion had great potential (and yes I own this album) but I think it become a victim of the times, meaning it had computerized instruments like drums and guitars, that shit just destroys an album (any band that relies on that crap to make their music are in my opinion idiots. There is no true musicianship/talent in computer generated music). Doro was not the only person to have an album suffer from this crap at the time W.A.S.P. suffered the same thing on their '97 album Kill, Fuck, Die.
Anyway Love Me in Black had so much potential lyrically it was very strong with very diverse lyric content. The computer generated instruments just destroyed the album. My personal favorite lyrics from this album is Terrorvision a song about Propaganda being broadcasted though TV.

In 2000 Doro released Calling the Wild, and this album is one of my favorites. The reason this album is one of my favorites is it has just enough of a Warlock vibe but remains a true Doro album. In fact every album Doro has done since Calling the Wild has been great in my opinion because they all are undoubtedly Metal albums.

Doro's newest studio release was 2009's Fear No Evil.
Doro's current Bassist Nick Douglass has been with her since 1990, and her Drummer Johnny Dee has been in the band for quite some time., Guitarists have been numerous, Joe Taylor has probably been the most frequent guitarist since '94's Angels Never Die tour. Doro's current Guitarists are Bas Maas and Luca Princiotta.

Doro has also managed to get the rights to the Warlock name and I think everything else that was lost due the lawsuit back in the '80's. Doro has even preformed with Warlock live and it can be seen on the DVDs Doro 20 Years a Warrior Soul and Doro 25 Years in Rock.

Some of my favorite Doro albums  are Calling the Wild (2000), Fight (2002), Warrior Soul (2006), Fear No Evil (2009), and Force Majeure (1989) and of course all the Warlock albums are Classics.

A story that should be told of a Band that was way ahead of their time and ended up dying due to bullshit ownership while becoming a starting point in the career of the First True Metal Front Woman and the unquestionable Queen of Metal Doro Pesch and Warlock.

first draft 1-22-12 updated draft 1-28-12