Doug Harrington
Encyclopedia
Doug Harrington was an American
heavy metal
guitarist. He was best known for being one of the lead guitarists for the thrash metal
band Defiance
throughout their entire recording career. Doug joined Defiance in 1984, left in 1985 and rejoined again the same year in a turn of events where he and his replacement Jim Adams
ended up sharing the lead guitar position. Doug was an integral member of Defiance as soon as he joined the band, composing the bulk of the band's music on all three of their albums, Product of Society
, Void Terra Firma
and Beyond Recognition
.
Around 1993, Defiance folded and Harrington, along with his former bandmates Jim Adams
and bassist Mike Kaufmann
formed a new band, Inner Threshold, with ex-Heathen
vocalist Dave White. This band played a more groove oriented traditional metal style. After the departure of Adams and White, Harrington and Kaufmann formed Under
, which also eventually folded after an EP
.
Harrington married his wife Adrianne around this time. Their daughter Grace was born in August 2002. No longer a professional musician, Harrington went back to school and went into Marketing and Sales. He played in a cover band called Fat Freddie's Cat which also featured Dave White, Mike Kaufmann and Jim Adams.
Defiance reunited in 2004 with Harrington, Adams, Kaufmann, vocalist Steev Esquivel
, and new drummer James Raymond (later replaced by Mark Hernandez), but at the time Harrington was secretly battling cancer
. Harrington spent the last few years of his life recording and writing for the new Defiance album, but died in late 2006. The remaining four members of Defiance have carried on as Harrington requested and the new album will be dedicated to him. A park bench in the Montclair district of Oakland, California was also dedicated to Harrington.
Harrington is survived by his wife, daughter, brother Adam Harrington, sister Reva Kidd, his father Sherwood Harrington and his stepmother, Diane Harrington.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
guitarist. He was best known for being one of the lead guitarists for the thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band Defiance
Defiance (band)
Defiance is a thrash metal band from Oakland, California. While virtually unknown to mainstream metal and rock circles, Defiance is known as one of the classic second-tier thrash bands to come from the Bay Area thrash metal scene...
throughout their entire recording career. Doug joined Defiance in 1984, left in 1985 and rejoined again the same year in a turn of events where he and his replacement Jim Adams
Jim Adams
Jim Adams born is an American heavy metal guitarist. His is best known for being lead guitarist for thrash metal band Defiance. Joining the band in 1986, Adams quickly became an integral member of the band, co-writing much of their material and playing on all three of their LP's, Product of...
ended up sharing the lead guitar position. Doug was an integral member of Defiance as soon as he joined the band, composing the bulk of the band's music on all three of their albums, Product of Society
Product of Society
Product of Society was the debut album by thrash metal band Defiance. It was released in 1989 on Roadracer Records. It was the only album by Defiance to feature Ken Elkington on vocals and had cover art by Ed Repka...
, Void Terra Firma
Void Terra Firma
Void Terra Firma was the second album by thrash metal band Defiance, released in 1990. It was the first album to feature vocalist Steev Esquivel...
and Beyond Recognition
Beyond Recognition
Beyond Recognition is the third full length album, and final until 2009's The Prophecy by thrash metal band Defiance, released in 1992 on Roadrunner Records. This album was a bit of a departure from the bands previous work...
.
Around 1993, Defiance folded and Harrington, along with his former bandmates Jim Adams
Jim Adams
Jim Adams born is an American heavy metal guitarist. His is best known for being lead guitarist for thrash metal band Defiance. Joining the band in 1986, Adams quickly became an integral member of the band, co-writing much of their material and playing on all three of their LP's, Product of...
and bassist Mike Kaufmann
Mike Kaufmann
Mike Kaufmann is an American heavy metal bass guitarist. He is best known as the bass player for the thrash metal band Defiance...
formed a new band, Inner Threshold, with ex-Heathen
Heathen (band)
Heathen is an American thrash metal band originating from the Bay Area San Francisco, founded in 1984 by guitarist Lee Altus and drummer Carl Sacco...
vocalist Dave White. This band played a more groove oriented traditional metal style. After the departure of Adams and White, Harrington and Kaufmann formed Under
Under
"Under" is a song by American R&B singer-songwriter Pleasure P. It was released as the third single off his first studio album The Introduction of Marcus Cooper. The song was co-written and produced by Tank and was released in May 2009...
, which also eventually folded after an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
.
Harrington married his wife Adrianne around this time. Their daughter Grace was born in August 2002. No longer a professional musician, Harrington went back to school and went into Marketing and Sales. He played in a cover band called Fat Freddie's Cat which also featured Dave White, Mike Kaufmann and Jim Adams.
Defiance reunited in 2004 with Harrington, Adams, Kaufmann, vocalist Steev Esquivel
Steev Esquivel
Steev Esquivel is a Mexican-American heavy metal vocalist and bassist. He is best known for his work in the metal band Skinlab. He also has sung for the bands Laughing Dead , Defiance , and Xzanthus. He was a member of the thrash metal band, Exodus for a brief period...
, and new drummer James Raymond (later replaced by Mark Hernandez), but at the time Harrington was secretly battling cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. Harrington spent the last few years of his life recording and writing for the new Defiance album, but died in late 2006. The remaining four members of Defiance have carried on as Harrington requested and the new album will be dedicated to him. A park bench in the Montclair district of Oakland, California was also dedicated to Harrington.
Harrington is survived by his wife, daughter, brother Adam Harrington, sister Reva Kidd, his father Sherwood Harrington and his stepmother, Diane Harrington.