Whitesnake

[Zzzptm]

Tricky band for me to place in my likes and dislikes, overall.

Before the big push to take on the USA with the "Whitesnake" album on Geffen with a totally different band, there's Coverdale with some great blokes, putting out some great hard rock...

... but most of their songs were so misogynistic, I couldn't take them seriously after I turned 16. And then there was the Lovehunter cover, sheesh, guys...

And then, after that 1987 smash, they were waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too glam-rock-Hollywood for my liking. I wanted the older stuff with the gritty production, not the transformed hair band.

After the media faded, Coverdale could get back to his roots, but his voice was on a downhill trend with age really taking its toll.

[Thelemech]

For some reason I really like both phases of the band. I agree though their lyrics are pretty cringeworthy but Coverdale always made sure that he had top shelf musicians in the band.

[Tyr66]

I used to enjoy this band during 81-84.
Saints and Sinners is my favorite. Better than Slide It In . Ian Paice fits so much better for Whitesnake than the mighty Cozy Powell.
That being said, the Rock in Rio concert with this legendary line up Coverdale/Sykes/Powell/Murray is a must.
I loved 1987 but it seems to have aged badly, which is not the case for the Moody /Marsden era.

[Axefiend]

I enjoy Whitesnake, first got into them around 1987 or so, with Slide It In. Then as was my custom back then, I'd try to get the whole catalogue and learn about the band. Used to do a few Whitesnake covers (Come On, Trouble and Medicine Man) with my first band back then (Late 80's). I still like everything they did up until Restless Heart (which was supposed to be a solo album), The last 3, just don't do anything for me at all. After all these years, I think I like Slide It In the best.

Here's a criminally underrated gem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPxpgpiQy3M

That voice!!!!

[Tyr66]

^^ I bought the cd when it came out. Glad to see David back to more sobriety in his music. If the album had contained more titles like the magnificent Don "t Fade Away, Restless Heart or the beautiful Too Many Tears it would have been crowned with much more success.
Into The Light (2000) also deserves to be better known. very good album.

[Zzzptm]

When Coverdale does the blues, he absolutely does them good and proper.

[Axefiend]

Maybe you'll like this Z:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEEqtcfYAMM

[Axefiend]

I was glad that this old gem had gotten some attention:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJobvP8-6BY

[Zzzptm]

Both great tracks, Axe. The first one really brings out the Rod Stewart notes in Coverdale's voice.

[Zzzptm]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ1PfB59zf8

Great stuff from before anyone knew how to make a video with a model doing gymnastics on a car...

No makeup, and they're playing like they're in a small club. I love it.

[Axefiend]

^^^ Ian Paice must have just joined at this point, since he's not on the album AFAIK. Nice layed back tune.

Here's a good one too, with Dave Dowle and Pete Solley:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qt0F2BOtq8

[Zzzptm]

Looks like I went on a classic Whitesnake kick...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMT-Uyxy5pg

Seeing 3/5ths of a DP lineup there, I'm impressed with how it sounds quite different from any DP that I know, even Mk4 with Bolin. It's more guitar-driven blues rock, not really metal, but we'll let them sneak in the back entrance because we're all good friends, right? That sort of sound.

Reflecting on that, I'm glad that Coverdale didn't try to pass off his band as Deep Purple. Same for Blackmore when he had Roger Glover in Rainbow. Both kept their bands with different identities and didn't try to make us accept them as DP and neither did they try to rehash what they put out with Purple. Yes, they used Purple material in their live sets, but they didn't play the songs like tribute bands, note for note or anything like that.

[Axefiend]

First version of "Here I Go Again", with Cozy and Mel miming Bernie and Ian's parts. My favourite version of the song, although it took a little while to used to "hobo" instead of "drifter".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2Y8fjGH12U

[Zzzptm]

That's the right version, I agree, even though sometimes "hobo" sounds like "homo".

[Axefiend]

That's the right version, I agree, even though sometimes "hobo" sounds like "homo".

Ha! Maybe that'd be a good thread, misheard lyrics.

Always thought this was a kick ass tune, even if the lyrics are little cringe-worthy (even more-so with a 60+ year old Coverdale singing them):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkaY0a_V7KY