You’ll never guess who we ran into at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, New Jersey. The guitarist who ruled the ‘80s, Adrian Vandenberg. You might know him from Whitesnake, Vandenberg (the band), and MoonKings. No, we didn’t get to shake our ass on the hood of his car (it’s a song, leave me alone), but we did get to talk to him all about creating his unique style, his career, and of course his awesome signature Peavey guitar. Check out the interview now!
Peavey and Adrian Vandenberg – Anything but “Standard”
At a time when guitarists everywhere were flocking to Stratocasters and Les Pauls, one guitarist decided to go in a different direction. At the peak of Whitesnake rule in the ‘80s, Adrian Vandenberg was approached by Peavey to create a signature guitar.
Peavey wasn’t really a guitar manufacturer. They built some amazing speakers and amps, but the mere fact that Peavey guitars were essentially ignored by the entire rock scene, Adrian knew he just had to do it.
As an artist, if you sign with a company like Fender or Gibson, your signature guitar will most likely be a standard Les Paul or Stratocaster with a fancy finish or some custom pickups. Peavey basically offered Adrian a blank page to create whatever he wanted, and that’s what was most exciting — creating something that was anything but “standard.”
Plus, Peavey gear is TOUGH. Most of those amps and speakers from the ‘80s are still around!
After he told Peavey he wanted to design the guitar, Adrian spent some time in the “fancy hotel” Whitesnake was in drawing guitar designs and sticking them on the walls. He wanted something that looked different.
Adrian sent his ideas to Peavey, and they didn’t say no! In fact, they invited him out to the factory (in their private jet, no less) to get the guitar off the ground.
Sticking with the non-standard idea, Adrian Vandenberg wanted a really flat neck. He was used to the baseball bat on his Gibson Les Paul, which he still has, but he wanted to try something perhaps a bit more comfortable. “Why torture yourself!?”
The result of all that back-and-forth was the Peavey Adrian Vandenberg Signature Series. I guess you could call it an S-style guitar(?) with sharp cutouts in the waist, a dive-bombable tremolo system, and HS pickup setup with the three-way toggle mounted in the lower bout of the guitar. This thing ROCKS.
Peavey Adrian Vandenberg Signature Series Rock-it Pink with Case
Special Price $2,999.99
Peavey Adrian Vandenberg Signature Series Purple Flame Maple with Case
Special Price $2,999.99
Peavey Adrian Vandenberg Signature Series Matte Black with Case
Special Price $2,999.99
Adrian Vandenberg used it during his time in Whitesnake and, really, ever since. Peavey stopped producing the Vandenberg Signature for a while, but the sheer fan response encouraged them to bring it back for 2024.
During the interview, Adrian told a story about a fan going up to Hartley Peavey himself at NAMM and asking if he’s ever going to reissue the Adrian Vandenberg Signature.
Peavey responded something along the lines of, “We make so many great guitars and that’s the only guitar people keep asking for!”
Long story short(ish), the Peavey Adrian Vandenberg Signature Series is back! And Adrian is very excited to see that players of all ages (not just ‘80s rock guys) are picking them up and enjoying them. He said that it’s very nice and rewarding to see so many loyal people still enjoying his music and guitars.
“Nothing Is for the Glory”
Rockstars are known to have giant egos. And you might think someone who wore leather pants; had long, blonde, hair-sprayed hair; and shredded in one of the biggest hair metal bands of the ‘80s would have a case of Rockstar Syndrome. But that’s DEFINITELY not the case with Adrian Vandenberg.
Throughout the entire interview, one theme was abundantly clear: Adrian Vandenberg doesn’t do anything for the glory. It’s all about love and passion.
Adrian loves to compose. He likes to cook, which is composing with flavors. He likes to paint, which is composing with colors. And he likes to make music, which is composing with sound. And all of these passions he does because he genuinely loves it.
Vandenberg grew up in a very musical household. His dad was an accomplished pianist and trombone player, and his sister is a classical pianist. Whenever he heard a song, he’d say things like, “I like this part, but not this part so much.” Then he’d head to the piano and “fix” the part he didn’t like. He thought everyone did that, but of course, that’s just because he was (is) incredibly talented!
That mentality of doing what you think is best and pleasing yourself first has followed Adrian throughout his career. When he first came to the United States (LA to be exact), it was the height of the ‘80s shredding phase. Guitarists were playing faster and faster and faster. But Whitesnake didn’t follow the trend. Adrian kept playing like Adrian, finding “the right note for the right spot.” He was more influenced by blues players and classical musicians who play with melodies and feelings rather than stuffing as many notes as you can into every space.
And you know what happened? People loved it! It’s pretty easy to pick out Adrian Vandenberg’s playing, even when he’s not in one of his iconic bands. It’s also why his solos, like the one in “Here I Go Again,” are so iconic. They were different than anything that was coming out at the time. And he did it all just by staying true to himself, following his passion, and not getting caught up in the “trends.”
Music was never supposed to be a career. Adrian admits that he has to pinch himself every now and then, and he can’t believe that music has become his job.
What’s Next for Adrian Vandenberg?
Adrian Vandenberg took a ten-year hiatus from music to raise his daughter. He didn’t want to be one of those dads who pokes his head in occasionally just to say he’s going back out on the road. He admits that he expected nobody to remember him when it was finally time to reenter the scene. Of course, that wasn’t the case at all!
When he went to NAMM in 2024 to promote the rerelease of his signature guitar, there was a line out the door to see him! He has very loyal fans, for which he’s grateful. He came back to the rock scene and made an impact almost immediately.
Adrian has played with a lot of different guitar players, including iconic players like Steve Vai. He even said “Whitesnake’s lineup changed more than most people change their underwear.” However, his current band, Vandenberg, has what he calls “the best lineup he’s ever played with.” His bandmates are great players with great timing. They’re the kind of guys who make you want to play better. They know when NOT to play and leave space — which isn’t always the easiest thing to do for musicians.
If you want to hear the new-and-improved Vandenberg in action, check out their website for tour dates. They might be coming to a town near you!
A huge thanks to Adrian Vandenberg for taking the time to hang out with us. We had a blast and learned a lot about staying true to yourself and not doing things just for the glory. Don’t forget to check out Vandenberg on tour and definitely check out the Peavey Adrian Vandenberg Signature Series Guitars, and all sorts of other built-tough Peavey gear, right here at American Musical Supply.
