Craig Dougan Band

Craig Dougan collects Hard Rock Cafe T-shirts travelling all over the world from London to New York City, so it's only fitting that he's is now competing as one of 12 nationwide bands in Hard Rock Rising at Toronto's Hard Rock Cafe April 7.

And he's bringing a busload of people with him. If he wins, he will be performing at The Big Stage, in Barcelona, Spain.

The Kitchener based self-taught rock and blues guitarist/singer/songwriter has been playing live music for 25 years, sharing stages with Canuck music icons like Kim Mitchell, Colin James, April Wine, Trooper and even Mr. Lahey a.k.a. John Dunsworth from the "Trailer Park Boys" as front-man in Tragically Hip songbook band Almost Hip.

Dougan comes from the school of solid rock like AC/DC, Iron Maiden and Kiss. As a member of fan website Reverbnation, he was asked to participate in the cross-Canada band contest "Hard Rock Rising."

Dougan entered an original rock and roll hot guitar licks tune called "Out on Patrol."

"I got an email stating that I was one of 385 participants in the competition." says Dougan. "I thought 'Now we will battle!' So you have to get your friends to support you and get them to vote. It was a "one-and-done" vote which really helps me because I am not going to be able to sit there in front of my computer for eight hours and do multiple voting." he says with a hearty laugh adding he "reached out" to all his social media friends, who, of course, "reached out" to their social media friends for a wild snowball effect. That garnered Dougan sixth place after a two-week voting frenzy.

Dougan is now hard at work on his Team Green Bus Trip to the Battle, which for $25, includes a free emerald colour T-shirt.

In addition to his upcoming "battle" Dougan is currently writing, recording and producing music at his Clover Place (home) Studio. His first album "Craig Dougan — The Project" (1998) featured lots of guitar-laced classic rock throughout the song-list like "Out of Patrol, "Name of Image" and "Go." With a positive lyrical spin, a second independently produced CD called "Hard Rock Rising" features Dougan on vocals, guitar, and bass. It features a rockin' track with songs such as "Deep Inside" and "Casey is Gone" (with a historic man on the moon sound byte intro), a slice-of-life song "Another Year," plus a Ramones tribute "Rockaway Beach." Longtime band mate, now noted L.A. session drummer Rob Taylor, (Artok) supplies the album's percussive backbone.

For Hard Rock Rising, and upcoming showcases, The Craig Dougan Band will be joined by Almost Hip players Ian Gelb, drums, Keith Craig, bass, and Paul Woods on lead guitar.

But right now it's about getting as many fans as he can for the bus trip.

Dougan says his show will not run late as the first of these half-hour battles begins at 8:15 with the last wrapping up by 11 p.m.

"I would like to fill the bus because nothing would make my day, more than to have the bus pull up in front of the Hard Rock. Then the doors open, with a whole slew up people in green T-shirts bringing all that energy into the building." - KW Record Mar 20, 2015