Whitesnake
Encyclopedia
Whitesnake are an English rock
band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale
after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple
. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock
style. The band's 1987 self-titled album
was their most commercially successful, and contained two of their most recognisable songs, "Here I Go Again
" and "Is This Love
". In 2005, Whitesnake was named the 85th greatest hard rock band of all time by VH1
.
. The core line-up had been working as his backing band The White Snake Band on the White Snake
album tour and they retained the title before officially being known as Whitesnake. They toured with Coverdale as his support band and for both of the solo albums he released, White Snake and Northwinds
, between exiting Deep Purple and founding Whitesnake. At this time, the band was made up of David Coverdale
, Bernie Marsden
, Micky Moody
, Neil Murray
and drummer David "Duck" Dowle
with keyboardist Brian Johnston. Johnston would soon be replaced by Procol Harum
organ player and keyboardist Pete Solley
. Because of Solley's producing
commitments he was replaced by the former Deep Purple
keyboard player Jon Lord
, during sessions for the first LP.
which was released in 1978 and included a cover of a Bobby "Blue" Bland
song "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City
", which became the first hit from the band. The EP had some success in the UK and subsequent reissues of this EP included four bonus tracks from Coverdale's second solo album Northwinds
produced by Roger Glover
. A blues rock/R&B debut album Trouble
, was released in the autumn of 1978 and peaked at #50 in the UK album charts
. Whitesnake toured Europe to promote the album and their first live album Live at Hammersmith
was recorded on this tour and released in Japan in 1979. Whitesnake released Lovehunter
in 1979, which courted controversy due to its risqué album cover by artist Chris Achilleos
, which featured an illustration of a naked woman straddling a coiled snake. The album made the UK Top 30 and contained the minor hit "Long Way From Home" which reached #55 in the single charts. Tracks from the EP Snakebite were included in a reissue of the album Trouble in 2006. Shortly after that Ian Paice
replaced David Dowle giving Whitesnake three ex-Deep Purple members. The new line-up recorded the 1980 release Ready an' Willing
, which was a breakthrough hit for the band reaching the UK Top 10 and becoming their first entry into the U.S. Top 100. The single "Fool For Your Loving
", which the band originally wrote for B.B. King, made #13 in the UK single charts and #53 in the US, and the title track also hit #43 in the UK charts. The Ready an' Willing tour included the Saturday night headline appearance at the 1980 Reading Festival, highlights of which were broadcast by BBC
Radio One in UK. While still mostly unknown in the US, the modest success of Ready an' Willing helped Whitesnake increase awareness there as an opening act for established bands such as Jethro Tull
and AC/DC
. The band also released Live...In The Heart Of The City
, which contained recordings made in 1978 and 1980 and achieved a #5 ranking in the UK album charts.
In 1981 the band recorded the album Come an' Get It
which climbed to #2 in the UK album charts and produced the Top 20 hit "Don't Break My Heart Again
" and the Top 40 hit "Would I Lie To You". The album flopped in the US. During 1982 Coverdale took time off to look after his sick daughter and decided to put Whitesnake on hold. When David Coverdale returned to music he reformed the band and after the recording of the album Saints & Sinners
replaced Bernie Marsden, Ian Paice and bass player Neil Murray with Mel Galley
from Trapeze
, bassist Colin Hodgkinson
, and Cozy Powell
as the new drummer. Saints & Sinners was another Top 10 UK album and contained the hit "Here I Go Again
" which featured guest keyboard player Malcolm Birch from Chesterfield based band Pegasus. The new lineup toured in 1982–83, headlined the Monsters of Rock
Festival at Castle Donington
UK in August 1983 and the single "Guilty of Love
" reached #31 in the UK singles chart.
, which was released in Europe in early 1984. At this same time, the band secured a major US record deal with the Geffen
label. The Slide It In album had drawn mixed reviews, the negatives particularly focusing on its "flat" mix. While a personnel change saw the touring band replace Moody with former Thin Lizzy
guitarist John Sykes
, plus the return of bassist Neil Murray in place of Hodgkinson, producer David Geffen
insisted that the album be remixed for the US release. In addition to the remix, Sykes and Murray re-recorded the lead guitar and bass parts. This revised version of the album had its US release in April 1984. Despite Coverdale's misgivings regarding the lack of edge in these new tracks, Slide It In just barely missed the US Top 40, and went double platinum there three years later after the release of the band's eighth album. The Slide It In album led to the album-oriented rock
hits in the US: "Slow An' Easy
" and "Love Ain't No Stranger
", as well as the album's title track. It was at this point that Geffen suggested to Coverdale that he "start taking America seriously."
While touring in spring 1984, Mel Galley suffered a broken arm in an accident, leaving John Sykes as the sole guitarist for the remaining dates. A few weeks later, Jon Lord left to reform Deep Purple Mk.II, and keyboard player Richard Bailey was brought in. The band was booked in the US to open for acts such as Dio
and Quiet Riot
. The tour ended with a performance in front of a crowd of over 100,000 people, at the Rock in Rio
festival held in Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
. Galley remained a member — "he's still getting paid," said Coverdale — until Galley rashly discussed plans to reform Trapeze in an interview, and Coverdale then fired him.
. Drummer Aynsley Dunbar
, formerly of Journey
, and keyboardist Don Airey
from the Ozzy Osbourne
band and Rainbow
, were brought in for the recording of the album. The album was put on hold for much of 1986 when Coverdale contracted a serious sinus infection that put his singing career in jeopardy. He eventually recovered, and the Whitesnake
album was finished in 1987. But shortly before the album's release, Coverdale had dismissed Sykes. Adrian Vandenberg
and Vivian Campbell
mimed Sykes' guitar parts in the videos and played in the subsequent live shows.
The album was entitled 1987 in Europe and Serpens Albus in Japan and marked the band's first mainstream success in the US. With the guidance of A&R
guru John Kalodner
, it has sold 8x platinum in the US. The success of Whitesnake also pushed sales of Slide It In from its RIAA certified
gold status to platinum status, and made the band a bona fide arena headliner for the first time in North America. The album continued to sell throughout 1987 and 1988 and peaked at #2 in the US album charts. The album's biggest hits were the #2 power ballad "Is This Love
" and the #1 hit single "Here I Go Again
", a re-recording of a song originally on Saints & Sinners
released in 1982. (Another track on the album, "Crying In The Rain," was also a redone song from Saints & Sinners.) Other hit singles from the album were "Still of the Night
" (#79) and "Give Me All Your Love
" (#48 in 1988). The album's exposure was boosted by heavy airplay of its videos on MTV
, which featured actress Tawny Kitaen
, whom Coverdale later married. None of the band members who played on the album appeared in these videos with the exception of Adrian Vandenberg
, who had been hired after the others had been fired by Coverdale. Vandenberg's only work on the album was the solo on "Here I Go Again
" though he became a full time member of the band shortly afterwards. The resulting music videos from Whitesnake also featured new band members Rudy Sarzo
, Tommy Aldridge
and Vivian Campbell
(who also re-recorded the solo for the "Give Me All Your Love" remix).
While some long-time fans viewed the 1987 album as a sell-out and attempt to pander to mainstream tastes at the time, Coverdale was still reaching back to his musical roots, including most prominently Led Zeppelin, but even older artists like Elvis. "I remember the Jailhouse Rock EP," Coverdale said. "It’s interesting because you don’t know what it is, but it gets you fluffed up. And ‘Jailhouse Rock,’ contrary to what a lot of people imagine, was the inspiration for the verses of ‘Still Of The Night’.”
left Whitesnake in late 1988 due to creative differences, and so the band's line-up changed yet again for the 1989 album Slip of the Tongue
. Although he co-wrote all of the songs, while preparing for the recording of the album, guitarist Adrian Vandenberg
sustained a serious wrist injury, making it impossible for him to play without experiencing great discomfort. Coverdale had no choice but to find a new guitar player to record the parts. He eventually found former Frank Zappa
and David Lee Roth
guitar player Steve Vai
, whom Coverdale had seen in the 1986 film Crossroads
. Upon its release, Slip of the Tongue sold three million copies and hit #10 in both the US and UK album charts. The album also spawned three successful singles: a reworking of the band's 1980 classic "Fool for Your Loving" (#37 US and #43 UK), the melodic "The Deeper the Love
" (#28 US and #35 UK) and "Now You're Gone
" (#96 US and #31 UK). Steve Vai became an official member of the band and appeared in all of the band's new music videos.
With Vai and Vandenberg both as a full-time members, the band hit the road to support the album. Consumers' response was warm, and during the tour for Slip of the Tongue, the band co-headlined the 1990 Monsters of Rock festival (their third time appearing and second headlining). After the last show of the Slip of the Tongue
Liquor and poker tour in 1990, Coverdale decided he would fold the band. Coverdale announced that he would be taking a break from the music business, but the next year he started to work with former-Led Zeppelin
guitarist, Jimmy Page
, which resulted in the album Coverdale and Page.
album. They embarked on a short tour in Europe, with former Ratt
guitarist Warren DeMartini
playing lead guitar, drummer Denny Carmassi
, the return of bassist Rudy Sarzo and guitarist Adrian Vandenberg, and the addition of keyboard player Paul Mirkovich
before their recording contract with Geffen expired. Following this Whitesnake was in hiatus for three years and spent time in Bolivia.
In 1997 Coverdale and Vandenberg re-grouped to work together on a new Whitesnake album Restless Heart
. This was originally to be a solo album for Coverdale, but the record company pressures released it under the Whitesnake name. However, despite a release in both Japan and Europe, it was never available officially in the US. The album marked a return to the band's earlier R&B music. The album reached the UK Top 40 album chart and produced the blues
ballad "Too Many Tears" which reached #46 UK singles chart. The album featured Coverdale, Carmassi, Vandenberg, Pink Floyd
touring bassist Guy Pratt
with keyboardist Brett Tuggle who had played with Coverdale and Page. The touring lineup featured Coverdale, Vandenberg, Carmassi, Mr Mister guitarist Steve Farris, keyboardist Derek Hilland and The Firm bassist Tony Franklin. During the tour, Coverdale and Vandenberg recorded unplugged
show in Japan entitled Starkers in Tokyo
(released in 1998). The two also played another unplugged show, this time for VH1
. In the end of '97, Coverdale folded the band at the end of the tour, and took another break from the music business.
the upcoming year. Joining Coverdale for a 2003 tour were guitarists Doug Aldrich
of Dio
and Reb Beach
of Winger, bass player Marco Mendoza
, drummer Tommy Aldridge and keyboard player Timothy Drury
. During 2003 they headlined the Rock Never Stops Tour
with other popular rock bands.
The anniversary tour line up remained stable until early 2005, when Mendoza left to pursue the Soul SirkUS
project and was replaced by Uriah Duffy
. In February 2006, Whitesnake released a live DVD titled, Live... In The Still of the Night and announced a Spring and Summer tour of Japan and Europe. In June 2006 it was announced Coverdale had signed Whitesnake to a new record deal with Steamhammer/SPV Records who released a double live album entitled, Live: In The Shadow Of The Blues
during November 2006 in UK, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The album had tracks recorded since 2003, and also included four new studio tracks: "Ready to Rock", "If You Want Me", "All I Want Is You" and "Dog." These songs have been described by Coverdale as "three balls-to-the-walls rockers and a ballad". In June 2007 the band released a dual CD/DVD titled 1987 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition to mark the 20th anniversary of the mega-selling album 1987. This was the re-mastered album along with a host of bonus material of four live tracks from the Shadow Of The Blues Live set. It also includes the four promo videos for the album on the DVD. In December 2007 Alridge left the band, and was replaced by Chris Frazier
, who had previously worked with Eddie Money
, Edgar Winter
and The Tak Matsumoto Group
.
two day festival, which also featured Ozzy Osbourne
, Kiss
, Poison
, Alice Cooper
and Lordi
, with special effects by the Academy Award winning WETA Workshop
. In April 2008 the band released their tenth studio album, Good to Be Bad
, which reached #5 in the UK album chart. During the summer of 2008 Whitesnake headlined a UK tour along with Def Leppard, with Black Stone Cherry
opening the UK arena shows in June and Thunder
opening the July shows.
In early November 2008, Whitesnake received the Classic Rock Best Album award for Good To Be Bad.
On February 11, 2009, Whitesnake announced they would be playing a festival slot at Download Festival
, UK on June 14 via their official website. They also announced Def Leppard
would be playing on the same day. It was also announced that Whitesnake, Def Leppard and Journey
would play The O2
in Dublin on June 12, 2009.
On March 17, 2009, it was announced that Whitesnake will be supporting Judas Priest
on the 2009 North American Summer tour.
On August 11, 2009 Whitesnake was playing a show at Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado
, when front man David Coverdale suffered a vocal injury. After seeing a specialist, it was announced on August 12, 2009 that Coverdale was suffering from severe vocal fold edema and a left vocal fold vascular lesion, and the band had to withdraw from the remainder of Judas Priest tour.
In early February 2010, David Coverdale has announced his voice seems to have fully recovered from the trauma that sidelined him and the band on the Priest tour. He states he has been recording new demos, aiming for a new Whitesnake album, and on tape his voice is sounding full and strong.
In June 2010 Whitesnake announced they will be releasing their own wine, a 2008 Zinfandel, described by David Coverdale as "filled to the brim with the spicy essence of sexy, slippery Snakeyness ... I recommend it to complement any & all grown up friskiness & hot tub jollies ..."
On June 18, 2010, it was announced that Whitesnake had parted ways with bassist Uriah Duffy and drummer Chris Frazier and that their new drummer is former Billy Idol
drummer Brian Tichy
. On August 20, 2010, Whitesnake announced that their new bassist is Michael Devin.
On September 13, 2010, keyboardist Timothy Drury
announced his departure from Whitesnake to pursue a solo career. Drury has returned though, as a guest musician, to record keyboards for the band's 2011 album Forevermore
.
, on March 25, 2011 in Europe, and on the 29th in North America. They have released a number of scheduled 2011 tour dates on their website, with six scheduled UK tour dates and other European dates. In February 2011, Whitesnake was announced as one of the headliners to play the annual Rocklahoma festival in Pryor, Oklahoma, on Memorial Day weekend. A digital single for the song 'Love Will Set You Free' was released, along with a video for the song, on February 21.
The album Forevermore will be released as a special edition 'Snakepack' through Classic Rock magazine and will be released on March 25, a full 3 weeks before its commercial release. The fan pack includes the full, official new album Forevermore, a 132-page magazine, poster and pin badge. On March 20, 2011, Whitesnake announced that Brian Ruedy would play keyboards on the Forevermore World Tour
. On March 25, 2011 it was announced by Amazon.co.uk, that pre-order sales for Whitesnake's album had exceeded Britney Spears' new Femme Fatale album by 35%.
A live album, Live at Donington 1990
, was released on May 20, 2011 in Japan, and will be released on June 3 in Europe and June 7 in the US.
" appears in both the Off-Broadway production Power Balladz
and the award-winning Broadway hit Rock of Ages
.
Hard
Hard or Hardness may refer to:* Hardness, resistance of physical materials to change under force* Hard water, water with a high mineral content* NP-hard, a term used in Computational complexity theory* Hard, Austria, a town in Austria...
band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale
David Coverdale
David 'Jack' Coverdale is an English rock singer, most famous for his work with the his own hard rock band Whitesnake which achieved massive commercial success.-Early life:...
after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
style. The band's 1987 self-titled album
Whitesnake (album)
Tracks 12-15 taken from Live: In the Shadow of the Blues-20th Anniversary Edition DVD:-Singles:*"Here I Go Again" *"Is This Love"*"Still of the Night"*"Crying in the Rain" *"Give Me All Your Love"-Personnel:...
was their most commercially successful, and contained two of their most recognisable songs, "Here I Go Again
Here I Go Again
"Here I Go Again" is a #1 hit song recorded by Whitesnake. Originally released on their 1982 album, Saints & Sinners, the song was re-recorded for their eponymous 1987 album Whitesnake. The song was re-recorded yet another time that year in a new "radio-mix" version...
" and "Is This Love
Is This Love (Whitesnake song)
"Is This Love" is a song by the English hard rock band Whitesnake. The song is taken from their self-titled album, which released in 1987.The song was written by vocalist David Coverdale and guitarist John Sykes during the albums early writing process , but it was long rumored that the song had...
". In 2005, Whitesnake was named the 85th greatest hard rock band of all time by VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
.
Formation (1978)
David Coverdale founded Whitesnake in 1978 in North YorkshireNorth Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
. The core line-up had been working as his backing band The White Snake Band on the White Snake
White Snake (album)
White Snake is the first solo album by David Coverdale, released in 1977. Coverdale would use the album title as the name of his future band, first known as "David Coverdale's Whitesnake" and soon afterwards shortened to just Whitesnake...
album tour and they retained the title before officially being known as Whitesnake. They toured with Coverdale as his support band and for both of the solo albums he released, White Snake and Northwinds
Northwinds
Northwinds is the title of the second solo album by David Coverdale, released in early 1978. The original release contained eight tracks, with two more tracks added on recent reissues...
, between exiting Deep Purple and founding Whitesnake. At this time, the band was made up of David Coverdale
David Coverdale
David 'Jack' Coverdale is an English rock singer, most famous for his work with the his own hard rock band Whitesnake which achieved massive commercial success.-Early life:...
, Bernie Marsden
Bernie Marsden
-External links:*...
, Micky Moody
Micky Moody
Michael Joseph "Micky" Moody is an English guitarist, and a former member of the rock bands Juicy Lucy and Whitesnake. He was also a founder-member of Snafu. Together with his former Whitesnake colleague Bernie Marsden he founded the Moody Marsden Band, and later, The Snakes...
, Neil Murray
Neil Murray (British musician)
Philip Neil Murray is a Scottish bass player, best known for his work in Whitesnake and Black Sabbath.-Early days:Originally a drummer, Murray formed his first band with school friends in 1967 and his musical tastes were heavily influenced by the mid-1960s 'blues boom' bands and musicians,...
and drummer David "Duck" Dowle
Dave Dowle
David 'Duck' Dowle is an English drummer who has played with the bands Brian Auger's Oblivion Express, Streetwalkers, Whitesnake, Runner, Midnight Flyer, Bernie Marsden.-Biography:...
with keyboardist Brian Johnston. Johnston would soon be replaced by Procol Harum
Procol Harum
Procol Harum are a British rock band, formed in 1967, which contributed to the development of progressive rock, and by extension, symphonic rock. Their best-known recording is their 1967 single "A Whiter Shade of Pale"...
organ player and keyboardist Pete Solley
Pete Solley
Peter "Pete" Solley is a Hammond organ player, pianist and a Grammy-nominated record producer. He has recorded with Eric Clapton, Al Stewart and Whitesnake as well as producing records for Ted Nugent, Oingo Boingo, Motörhead, The Romantics, Peter Frampton, The Sports, Wreckless Eric and many...
. Because of Solley's producing
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
commitments he was replaced by the former Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
keyboard player Jon Lord
Jon Lord
Jonathan Douglas "Jon" Lord is an English composer, pianist and Hammond organ player.Jon Lord, also known as 'Hammond Lord', is a classically trained piano player. He is recognised for his Hammond organ blues-rock sound and for his pioneering work in fusing rock and classical or baroque forms...
, during sessions for the first LP.
Early releases and commercial success (1978–1983)
Whitesnake recorded the EP SnakebiteSnakebite (album)
Snakebite is an Extended Play and the first official release by Whitesnake in June of 1978. This EP unto itself would not be released in the U.S. The EP initially featured four tracks but was then re-released in September of 1978 as a Double Extended Play containing four extra studio tracks from...
which was released in 1978 and included a cover of a Bobby "Blue" Bland
Bobby Bland
Robert Calvin Bland better known as Bobby "Blue" Bland, is an American singer of blues and soul. He is an original member of the Beale Streeters, and is sometimes referred to as the "Lion of the Blues"...
song "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City
Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City
"Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City" is a 1974 R&B song written by Michael Price and Dan Walsh and first recorded by Bobby "Blue" Bland for the ABC Dunhill album Dreamer. While Bland scored a minor hit with the song, landing in the top ten of the R&B charts, it is perhaps best known through...
", which became the first hit from the band. The EP had some success in the UK and subsequent reissues of this EP included four bonus tracks from Coverdale's second solo album Northwinds
Northwinds
Northwinds is the title of the second solo album by David Coverdale, released in early 1978. The original release contained eight tracks, with two more tracks added on recent reissues...
produced by Roger Glover
Roger Glover
Roger David Glover is a Welsh bassist, songwriter, and record producer. Glover is best known as the bassist and lyricist for the hard rock band, Deep Purple.-Early career:...
. A blues rock/R&B debut album Trouble
Trouble (Whitesnake album)
Trouble is the first studio album from British rock band Whitesnake, led by former Deep Purple vocalist David Coverdale. It reached #50 on the U.K. Chart when it was released in October 1978...
, was released in the autumn of 1978 and peaked at #50 in the UK album charts
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. Whitesnake toured Europe to promote the album and their first live album Live at Hammersmith
Live at Hammersmith (Whitesnake album)
Live at Hammersmith is a live album released by hard rock band Whitesnake. It was released in Japan only, although these recordings would become sides 3 and 4 of the international double-vinyl release, Live...In the Heart of the City, which was released in 1980.-Track listing:# "Come on" - 4:06#...
was recorded on this tour and released in Japan in 1979. Whitesnake released Lovehunter
Lovehunter
Lovehunter is the second studio album by the British band Whitesnake, released in 1979. The album charted at #29 on the UK Albums Chart."Long Way from Home", the leading track on the album, was the band's first single but only reached #55 on the UK charts.-Cover art:Lovehunters cover art featuring...
in 1979, which courted controversy due to its risqué album cover by artist Chris Achilleos
Chris Achilleos
Chris Achilleos is a painter and illustrator who specialises in fantasy artwork and glamour illustration. Born in Famagusta, Cyprus, his family emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1959, where he currently resides....
, which featured an illustration of a naked woman straddling a coiled snake. The album made the UK Top 30 and contained the minor hit "Long Way From Home" which reached #55 in the single charts. Tracks from the EP Snakebite were included in a reissue of the album Trouble in 2006. Shortly after that Ian Paice
Ian Paice
Ian Anderson Paice is an English musician, best known as the drummer of the English rock band Deep Purple. As of Jon Lord's departure in 2002, he is the only founding member of the band who never stopped performing with the group, and the only member to appear on every album the band has...
replaced David Dowle giving Whitesnake three ex-Deep Purple members. The new line-up recorded the 1980 release Ready an' Willing
Ready an' Willing
Ready an' Willing was Whitesnake's third studio album, released in 1980 and peaked at #6 on the UK Albums Chart, it was also the band's first to chart outside of the UK reaching #32 in Norway and #90 in the US...
, which was a breakthrough hit for the band reaching the UK Top 10 and becoming their first entry into the U.S. Top 100. The single "Fool For Your Loving
Fool For Your Loving
"Fool for Your Loving" is a song recorded by British hard rock band Whitesnake. The song is from the band's 1980 album Ready an' Willing, but it was later re-recorded in 1989 for the album Slip of the Tongue.-Original version:...
", which the band originally wrote for B.B. King, made #13 in the UK single charts and #53 in the US, and the title track also hit #43 in the UK charts. The Ready an' Willing tour included the Saturday night headline appearance at the 1980 Reading Festival, highlights of which were broadcast by BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Radio One in UK. While still mostly unknown in the US, the modest success of Ready an' Willing helped Whitesnake increase awareness there as an opening act for established bands such as Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
and AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
. The band also released Live...In The Heart Of The City
Live...In the Heart of the City
Live...in the Heart Of The City is a 1980 live album by Whitesnake. Originally released as a double-vinyl album, and double-play cassette, it utilises recordings made in 1978 and 1980...
, which contained recordings made in 1978 and 1980 and achieved a #5 ranking in the UK album charts.
In 1981 the band recorded the album Come an' Get It
Come an' Get It
- Personnel :* David Coverdale – vocals* Micky Moody – guitar, backing vocals* Bernie Marsden – guitar, backing vocals* Jon Lord – keyboards* Neil Murray – bass guitar* Ian Paice – drums- Album :Billboard...
which climbed to #2 in the UK album charts and produced the Top 20 hit "Don't Break My Heart Again
Don't Break My Heart Again
"Don't Break My Heart Again" is a single by the English hard rock band Whitesnake. The song is taken from the band's fourth studio album Come an' Get It, and was written by the band's vocalist, founder and leader David Coverdale. The song peaked at number 17 on the UK Singles Chart.The song starts...
" and the Top 40 hit "Would I Lie To You". The album flopped in the US. During 1982 Coverdale took time off to look after his sick daughter and decided to put Whitesnake on hold. When David Coverdale returned to music he reformed the band and after the recording of the album Saints & Sinners
Saints & Sinners (Whitesnake album)
-Personnel:* David Coverdale – Lead Vocals* Micky Moody - Guitars* Bernie Marsden – Guitars, Backing vocals* Jon Lord - Keyboards* Neil Murray – Bass* Ian Paice – Drums* Mel Galley – Backing vocals-Production notes:...
replaced Bernie Marsden, Ian Paice and bass player Neil Murray with Mel Galley
Mel Galley
Mel Galley was an English guitarist and a former member of the Hard rock bands Whitesnake, Trapeze, Finders Keepers and Phenomena. He was born in Cannock, Staffordshire, England...
from Trapeze
Trapeze (band)
Trapeze were an English rock band formed in March 1969, by vocalist John Jones and guitarist/keyboardist Terry Rowley , with guitarist Mel Galley, singer/bassist Glenn Hughes, and drummer Dave Holland...
, bassist Colin Hodgkinson
Colin Hodgkinson
Colin Hodgkinson is a British rock, jazz and blues bassist, who has been active since the 1960s.-Career:...
, and Cozy Powell
Cozy Powell
Colin Flooks , better known as Cozy Powell, was an English rock drummer who made his name with many major rock bands.-Early history:...
as the new drummer. Saints & Sinners was another Top 10 UK album and contained the hit "Here I Go Again
Here I Go Again
"Here I Go Again" is a #1 hit song recorded by Whitesnake. Originally released on their 1982 album, Saints & Sinners, the song was re-recorded for their eponymous 1987 album Whitesnake. The song was re-recorded yet another time that year in a new "radio-mix" version...
" which featured guest keyboard player Malcolm Birch from Chesterfield based band Pegasus. The new lineup toured in 1982–83, headlined the Monsters of Rock
Monsters of Rock
Monsters of Rock was an annual music festival held in England, then moved in other locations like The Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Chile.The Last show was in 2008....
Festival at Castle Donington
Castle Donington
Castle Donington is a village, with a population of around 7000 in the North West of Leicestershire, part of the Derby postcode area and on the edge of the National Forest. It is the closest town to East Midlands Airport.-Transport and housing:...
UK in August 1983 and the single "Guilty of Love
Guilty of Love (Whitesnake song)
"Guilty of Love" is a single by the English hard rock band Whitesnake, from their 1984 album Slide It In. The song peaked at number 31 on the UK singles charts....
" reached #31 in the UK singles chart.
Shift from blues rock to hard rock (1983–1985)
In late 1983, the band recorded Slide It InSlide It In
Slide It In is the sixth studio album by British hard rock band Whitesnake, released in 1984.It was the first Whitesnake album to be released by Geffen Records in the United States, but was remixed for the release there. Because of this, two different editions of the album exist, each with its own...
, which was released in Europe in early 1984. At this same time, the band secured a major US record deal with the Geffen
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
label. The Slide It In album had drawn mixed reviews, the negatives particularly focusing on its "flat" mix. While a personnel change saw the touring band replace Moody with former Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
guitarist John Sykes
John Sykes
John James Sykes , is an English rock guitarist, who has played with Streetfighter, Tygers of Pan Tang, John Sloman's Badlands, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, and Blue Murder, in addition to having a notable solo career....
, plus the return of bassist Neil Murray in place of Hodgkinson, producer David Geffen
David Geffen
David Geffen is an American record executive, film producer, theatrical producer and philanthropist. Geffen is noted for creating Asylum Records in 1970, Geffen Records in 1980, and DGC Records in 1990...
insisted that the album be remixed for the US release. In addition to the remix, Sykes and Murray re-recorded the lead guitar and bass parts. This revised version of the album had its US release in April 1984. Despite Coverdale's misgivings regarding the lack of edge in these new tracks, Slide It In just barely missed the US Top 40, and went double platinum there three years later after the release of the band's eighth album. The Slide It In album led to the album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
hits in the US: "Slow An' Easy
Slow An' Easy
"Slow An' Easy" is a song by the English hard rock band Whitesnake, taken from their 1984 US-breakthrough album Slide It In. The song , along with the previous single "Love Ain't No Stranger", were the bands first real "hits" in the US, although they only reached #17 and #34 on the Billboard...
" and "Love Ain't No Stranger
Love Ain't No Stranger
"Love Ain't No Stranger" is a single by the English hard rock band Whitesnake, and is taken from the band's US-breakthrough album Slide It In. The song charted at number 44 on the UK Singles Chart and 34 on the US Mainstream rock charts...
", as well as the album's title track. It was at this point that Geffen suggested to Coverdale that he "start taking America seriously."
While touring in spring 1984, Mel Galley suffered a broken arm in an accident, leaving John Sykes as the sole guitarist for the remaining dates. A few weeks later, Jon Lord left to reform Deep Purple Mk.II, and keyboard player Richard Bailey was brought in. The band was booked in the US to open for acts such as Dio
Ronnie James Dio
Ronald James Padavona , better known as Ronnie James Dio, was an American heavy metal vocalist and songwriter. He performed with, amongst others, Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and his own band Dio, which means God in Italian. Other musical projects include the collective fundraiser...
and Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot is an American Heavy Metal band. They are best known for their hit singles "Metal Health" and "Cum On Feel the Noize". They were founded in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni, under the original name Mach 1, before changing the name to Little Women and finally Quiet...
. The tour ended with a performance in front of a crowd of over 100,000 people, at the Rock in Rio
Rock in Rio
Rock in Rio is a series of music festivals held in three cities: Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Lisbon in Portugal and Madrid in Spain.Four incarnations of the festival were in Rio de Janeiro, in 1985, 1991, 2001 and 2011, four in Lisbon, in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010, and two in Madrid in 2008 and 2010....
festival held in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. Galley remained a member — "he's still getting paid," said Coverdale — until Galley rashly discussed plans to reform Trapeze in an interview, and Coverdale then fired him.
The self-titled album and success in the US (1985–1988)
Starting in 1985, Coverdale and Sykes began writing the material for a follow-up studio album, and the approach was more modern, adding a slick Eighties studio polish to a band that up until Slide It In had a bluesier sound rooted in the Seventies. Sykes would play the rhythm and lead guitars for almost the entire album. Cozy Powell had left to join Emerson, Lake & PowellEmerson, Lake & Powell
Emerson, Lake & Powell, sometimes abbreviated as ELPowell, were an English rock band, an offshoot or variant lineup of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, that released one official studio album in 1986....
. Drummer Aynsley Dunbar
Aynsley Dunbar
Aynsley Thomas Dunbar is an English drummer. He has worked with some of the top names in rock, including Eric Burdon, John Mayall, Frank Zappa, Ian Hunter, Lou Reed, Jefferson Starship, Jeff Beck, David Bowie, Whitesnake, Sammy Hagar, UFO, and Journey...
, formerly of Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
, and keyboardist Don Airey
Don Airey
Donald Airey has been the keyboardist in the rock band Deep Purple since 2002, succeeding Jon Lord...
from the Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
band and Rainbow
Rainbow (band)
Rainbow were an English rock band, controlled by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore from 1975 to 1984 and 1994 to 1997. It was originally established with American rock band Elf's members, though over the years Rainbow went through many line-up changes with no two studio albums featuring the same line-up...
, were brought in for the recording of the album. The album was put on hold for much of 1986 when Coverdale contracted a serious sinus infection that put his singing career in jeopardy. He eventually recovered, and the Whitesnake
Whitesnake (album)
Tracks 12-15 taken from Live: In the Shadow of the Blues-20th Anniversary Edition DVD:-Singles:*"Here I Go Again" *"Is This Love"*"Still of the Night"*"Crying in the Rain" *"Give Me All Your Love"-Personnel:...
album was finished in 1987. But shortly before the album's release, Coverdale had dismissed Sykes. Adrian Vandenberg
Adrian Vandenberg
Adrian van den Berg is a Dutch rock guitarist, best known for his tenure as one of the guitarists in Whitesnake during their successful late 1980s period.-Early years:...
and Vivian Campbell
Vivian Campbell
Vivian Patrick Campbell is a Northern Irish rock guitarist who is a member of Def Leppard and was, from May 2010 to November 2011, a member of Thin Lizzy. Prior to joining Def Leppard in April 1992, he had been a member of Whitesnake, Sweet Savage, Trinity, Riverdogs, and Shadow King...
mimed Sykes' guitar parts in the videos and played in the subsequent live shows.
The album was entitled 1987 in Europe and Serpens Albus in Japan and marked the band's first mainstream success in the US. With the guidance of A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
guru John Kalodner
John Kalodner
John David Kalodner is a retired American A&R executive. His achievements included signing Foreigner, AC/DC, Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins to Atlantic Records in the seventies....
, it has sold 8x platinum in the US. The success of Whitesnake also pushed sales of Slide It In from its RIAA certified
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
gold status to platinum status, and made the band a bona fide arena headliner for the first time in North America. The album continued to sell throughout 1987 and 1988 and peaked at #2 in the US album charts. The album's biggest hits were the #2 power ballad "Is This Love
Is This Love (Whitesnake song)
"Is This Love" is a song by the English hard rock band Whitesnake. The song is taken from their self-titled album, which released in 1987.The song was written by vocalist David Coverdale and guitarist John Sykes during the albums early writing process , but it was long rumored that the song had...
" and the #1 hit single "Here I Go Again
Here I Go Again
"Here I Go Again" is a #1 hit song recorded by Whitesnake. Originally released on their 1982 album, Saints & Sinners, the song was re-recorded for their eponymous 1987 album Whitesnake. The song was re-recorded yet another time that year in a new "radio-mix" version...
", a re-recording of a song originally on Saints & Sinners
Saints & Sinners (Whitesnake album)
-Personnel:* David Coverdale – Lead Vocals* Micky Moody - Guitars* Bernie Marsden – Guitars, Backing vocals* Jon Lord - Keyboards* Neil Murray – Bass* Ian Paice – Drums* Mel Galley – Backing vocals-Production notes:...
released in 1982. (Another track on the album, "Crying In The Rain," was also a redone song from Saints & Sinners.) Other hit singles from the album were "Still of the Night
Still of the Night (song)
"Still of the Night" is a single released by Whitesnake, from their hugely successful self titled 1987 album. It reached #16 in the U.K., #18 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks and #79 on the Billboard Hot 100 when it was released on March 9, 1987...
" (#79) and "Give Me All Your Love
Give Me All Your Love
"Give Me All Your Love" is a song by the English hard rock band Whitesnake. The song is taken from the bands 1987 multi-platinum self-titled album...
" (#48 in 1988). The album's exposure was boosted by heavy airplay of its videos on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, which featured actress Tawny Kitaen
Tawny Kitaen
Julie "Tawny" Kitaen is an American actress and media personality. She became famous in the 1980s for appearing in several hard rock videos for the band Whitesnake, including the hit "Here I Go Again". Kitaen was married to Whitesnake lead singer David Coverdale from 1989–1991...
, whom Coverdale later married. None of the band members who played on the album appeared in these videos with the exception of Adrian Vandenberg
Adrian Vandenberg
Adrian van den Berg is a Dutch rock guitarist, best known for his tenure as one of the guitarists in Whitesnake during their successful late 1980s period.-Early years:...
, who had been hired after the others had been fired by Coverdale. Vandenberg's only work on the album was the solo on "Here I Go Again
Here I Go Again
"Here I Go Again" is a #1 hit song recorded by Whitesnake. Originally released on their 1982 album, Saints & Sinners, the song was re-recorded for their eponymous 1987 album Whitesnake. The song was re-recorded yet another time that year in a new "radio-mix" version...
" though he became a full time member of the band shortly afterwards. The resulting music videos from Whitesnake also featured new band members Rudy Sarzo
Rudy Sarzo
Rudy Sarzo is a Cuban American hard rock/heavy metal bassist. Sarzo has played with many well known heavy metal acts including Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, Manic Eden, Dio and Blue Öyster Cult.-Early life:...
, Tommy Aldridge
Tommy Aldridge
Tommy Aldridge is a veteran heavy metal and hard rock drummer. Aldridge is noted for his work with numerous bands and vocalists, most notable being Black Oak Arkansas, Pat Travers Band, Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Moore, Whitesnake, Ted Nugent and Thin Lizzy.Self taught, Aldridge was inspired by Cream,...
and Vivian Campbell
Vivian Campbell
Vivian Patrick Campbell is a Northern Irish rock guitarist who is a member of Def Leppard and was, from May 2010 to November 2011, a member of Thin Lizzy. Prior to joining Def Leppard in April 1992, he had been a member of Whitesnake, Sweet Savage, Trinity, Riverdogs, and Shadow King...
(who also re-recorded the solo for the "Give Me All Your Love" remix).
While some long-time fans viewed the 1987 album as a sell-out and attempt to pander to mainstream tastes at the time, Coverdale was still reaching back to his musical roots, including most prominently Led Zeppelin, but even older artists like Elvis. "I remember the Jailhouse Rock EP," Coverdale said. "It’s interesting because you don’t know what it is, but it gets you fluffed up. And ‘Jailhouse Rock,’ contrary to what a lot of people imagine, was the inspiration for the verses of ‘Still Of The Night’.”
Slip of the Tongue and more success (1988–1990)
Vivian CampbellVivian Campbell
Vivian Patrick Campbell is a Northern Irish rock guitarist who is a member of Def Leppard and was, from May 2010 to November 2011, a member of Thin Lizzy. Prior to joining Def Leppard in April 1992, he had been a member of Whitesnake, Sweet Savage, Trinity, Riverdogs, and Shadow King...
left Whitesnake in late 1988 due to creative differences, and so the band's line-up changed yet again for the 1989 album Slip of the Tongue
Slip of the Tongue
-20th Anniversary Edition DVD:-Singles:*"Fool for Your Loving"*"Now You're Gone"*"The Deeper the Love"-Personnel:*David Coverdale – vocals*Steve Vai – All Guitars*Adrian Vandenberg - Guitars *Rudy Sarzo – bass...
. Although he co-wrote all of the songs, while preparing for the recording of the album, guitarist Adrian Vandenberg
Adrian Vandenberg
Adrian van den Berg is a Dutch rock guitarist, best known for his tenure as one of the guitarists in Whitesnake during their successful late 1980s period.-Early years:...
sustained a serious wrist injury, making it impossible for him to play without experiencing great discomfort. Coverdale had no choice but to find a new guitar player to record the parts. He eventually found former Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
and David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....
guitar player Steve Vai
Steve Vai
Steven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....
, whom Coverdale had seen in the 1986 film Crossroads
Crossroads (1986 film)
Crossroads is a 1986 film starring Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca and Jami Gertz, inspired by the legend of blues musician Robert Johnson.The film was written by John Fusco and directed by Walter Hill and featured an original score featuring Ry Cooder and Steve Vai on the soundtrack's guitar, and...
. Upon its release, Slip of the Tongue sold three million copies and hit #10 in both the US and UK album charts. The album also spawned three successful singles: a reworking of the band's 1980 classic "Fool for Your Loving" (#37 US and #43 UK), the melodic "The Deeper the Love
The Deeper the Love
"The Deeper the Love" is a song by the English hard rock band Whitesnake, taken from their 1989 album Slip of the Tongue. The song reached number 28 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and number 4 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks and #35 on the UK Singles Chart....
" (#28 US and #35 UK) and "Now You're Gone
Now You're Gone (Whitesnake song)
"Now You're Gone" is a single by hard rock/heavy metal band Whitesnake from their 1989 album Slip of the Tongue. Recorded in 1988 and featured on the aforementionned album in 1989, the song was released as a single in 1990....
" (#96 US and #31 UK). Steve Vai became an official member of the band and appeared in all of the band's new music videos.
With Vai and Vandenberg both as a full-time members, the band hit the road to support the album. Consumers' response was warm, and during the tour for Slip of the Tongue, the band co-headlined the 1990 Monsters of Rock festival (their third time appearing and second headlining). After the last show of the Slip of the Tongue
Slip of the Tongue
-20th Anniversary Edition DVD:-Singles:*"Fool for Your Loving"*"Now You're Gone"*"The Deeper the Love"-Personnel:*David Coverdale – vocals*Steve Vai – All Guitars*Adrian Vandenberg - Guitars *Rudy Sarzo – bass...
Liquor and poker tour in 1990, Coverdale decided he would fold the band. Coverdale announced that he would be taking a break from the music business, but the next year he started to work with former-Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
guitarist, Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
, which resulted in the album Coverdale and Page.
Greatest Hits, Restless Heart and Starkers in Tokyo (1994–1998)
A new line-up of the band was assembled for 1994's Whitesnake's Greatest HitsWhitesnake's Greatest Hits
Whitesnake's Greatest Hits is a compilation of Whitesnake's biggest hits from the 1980s. It features hit singles from their albums Slide It In, Whitesnake and Slip of the Tongue. The album also contains three tracks previously unavailable in the USA.The compilation charted at number 161 on The...
album. They embarked on a short tour in Europe, with former Ratt
Ratt
Ratt is an American heavy metal band that had significant commercial success in the 1980s. The band is best known for songs such as "Round and Round," "Wanted Man," "Lay It Down," "You're in Love", "Slip of the Lip", "Back For More", "Dance", "Body Talk", "I Want a Woman", and "Way Cool Jr." Ratt...
guitarist Warren DeMartini
Warren DeMartini
Warren Justin DeMartini , nicknamed Torch, is the lead guitarist for Ratt, a popular American band during the mid-to-late 1980s Los Angeles glam metal scene.-Early life:...
playing lead guitar, drummer Denny Carmassi
Denny Carmassi
Denny Carmassi is an American drummer.Carmassi was a member of the first four line-ups of the band Montrose. After Montrose, he played with his former Montrose bandmate Sammy Hagar as a solo artist, and with his former Montrose bandmates Ronnie Montrose and Jim Alcivar in the band Gamma.He also...
, the return of bassist Rudy Sarzo and guitarist Adrian Vandenberg, and the addition of keyboard player Paul Mirkovich
Paul Mirkovich
Paul Mirkovich is a Los Angeles native, and has been the band leader, keyboardist and duet singing partner for Cher for the last 16 years. He has also been the band director for Janet Jackson and Anastasia and a member of the multi-platinum bands Whitesnake and Nelson...
before their recording contract with Geffen expired. Following this Whitesnake was in hiatus for three years and spent time in Bolivia.
In 1997 Coverdale and Vandenberg re-grouped to work together on a new Whitesnake album Restless Heart
Restless Heart (Whitesnake album)
Restless Heart is the ninth studio album recorded by Whitesnake. This was their first new studio album since 1989's Slip of the Tongue. The CD remains unreleased in the U.S...
. This was originally to be a solo album for Coverdale, but the record company pressures released it under the Whitesnake name. However, despite a release in both Japan and Europe, it was never available officially in the US. The album marked a return to the band's earlier R&B music. The album reached the UK Top 40 album chart and produced the blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
ballad "Too Many Tears" which reached #46 UK singles chart. The album featured Coverdale, Carmassi, Vandenberg, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
touring bassist Guy Pratt
Guy Pratt
Guy Pratt is a session bassist and also a songwriter, actor and comedian. He is the son of actor Mike Pratt. In Kensington and Chelsea, London, in 1996, Pratt married Gala Wright, the daughter of Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright...
with keyboardist Brett Tuggle who had played with Coverdale and Page. The touring lineup featured Coverdale, Vandenberg, Carmassi, Mr Mister guitarist Steve Farris, keyboardist Derek Hilland and The Firm bassist Tony Franklin. During the tour, Coverdale and Vandenberg recorded unplugged
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
show in Japan entitled Starkers in Tokyo
Starkers In Tokyo
Starkers in Tokyo is a live acoustic album by Whitesnake released only in Japan on September 9, 1997. It is performed in the style of the Unplugged series and simply features David Coverdale on vocals and Adrian Vandenberg on acoustic guitar. The performance was recorded at the EMI studios in...
(released in 1998). The two also played another unplugged show, this time for VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
. In the end of '97, Coverdale folded the band at the end of the tour, and took another break from the music business.
25th anniversary reformation (2002–2007)
In December 2002 Coverdale reformed Whitesnake for Whitesnake's 25th anniversaryAnniversary
An anniversary is a day that commemorates or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. For example, the first event is the initial occurrence or, if planned, the inaugural of the event. One year later would be the first anniversary of that event...
the upcoming year. Joining Coverdale for a 2003 tour were guitarists Doug Aldrich
Doug Aldrich
Doug Aldrich , is a Los Angeles-based hard rock guitarist, since 2003 a member of Whitesnake. He founded the band Burning Rain with Keith St.John in 1998 and has played previously with the bands Dio, Lion, Hurricane, House of Lords, and Bad Moon Rising...
of Dio
Dio (band)
Dio was an American heavy metal band from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Formed in 1982 and led by vocalist Ronnie James Dio, after he left Black Sabbath with intentions to form a new band with fellow former Black Sabbath member, drummer Vinny Appice. Naming the band Dio made sense from a commercial...
and Reb Beach
Reb Beach
Reb Beach is an American rock guitarist. He is a member of the bands Winger and Whitesnake...
of Winger, bass player Marco Mendoza
Marco Mendoza
Marco Mendoza is an American musician. He spent his formative years living with his grandmother in Tijuana, Mexico. He started playing the guitar at an early age, adopting the bass when he was invited to join a band that needed a player....
, drummer Tommy Aldridge and keyboard player Timothy Drury
Timothy Drury
Timothy Drury is a keyboardist, guitarist and vocalist. He was the keyboard player in rock band Whitesnake up until September 2010.He is the son of actor James Drury....
. During 2003 they headlined the Rock Never Stops Tour
Rock Never Stops Tour
Rock Never Stops is a U.S. rock tour that features various rock groups of the 1980s and 1990s. The tour started in 1998 with L.A. Guns, FireHouse, Slaughter, Warrant and Quiet Riot. However, the line-up has changed through the years adding various bands of the genre.-Tour lineup:The tour's lineup...
with other popular rock bands.
The anniversary tour line up remained stable until early 2005, when Mendoza left to pursue the Soul SirkUS
Soul SirkUS
Soul SirkUS is a band that initially featured singer Jeff Scott Soto, guitarist Neal Schon, bassist Marco Mendoza, and drummer Deen Castronovo.-History:...
project and was replaced by Uriah Duffy
Uriah Duffy
Uriah Duffy is an American bassist. He is best known as the former bassist of Whitesnake.-Has been a member of/played with:* Whitesnake – rock...
. In February 2006, Whitesnake released a live DVD titled, Live... In The Still of the Night and announced a Spring and Summer tour of Japan and Europe. In June 2006 it was announced Coverdale had signed Whitesnake to a new record deal with Steamhammer/SPV Records who released a double live album entitled, Live: In The Shadow Of The Blues
Live: In the Shadow of the Blues
Live: In The Shadow Of The Blues is a live album by the band Whitesnake Live: In The Shadow Of The Blues is a live album by the band Whitesnake Live: In The Shadow Of The Blues is a live album by the band Whitesnake (the second live album under the Whitesnake band name and includes 4 bonus new...
during November 2006 in UK, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The album had tracks recorded since 2003, and also included four new studio tracks: "Ready to Rock", "If You Want Me", "All I Want Is You" and "Dog." These songs have been described by Coverdale as "three balls-to-the-walls rockers and a ballad". In June 2007 the band released a dual CD/DVD titled 1987 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition to mark the 20th anniversary of the mega-selling album 1987. This was the re-mastered album along with a host of bonus material of four live tracks from the Shadow Of The Blues Live set. It also includes the four promo videos for the album on the DVD. In December 2007 Alridge left the band, and was replaced by Chris Frazier
Chris Frazier
Christopher Ridgeway Frazier is a musician who became the drummer of veteran rock band Whitesnake in December 2007 and left in June 2010...
, who had previously worked with Eddie Money
Eddie Money
Eddie Money is an American rock guitarist, saxophonist and singer-songwriter who found success in the 1970s and 1980s with a string of Top 40 hits and platinum albums...
, Edgar Winter
Edgar Winter
Edgar Holland Winter is an American musician. He is famous for being a multi-instrumentalist. He is a highly skilled keyboardist, saxophonist and percussionist. He often plays an instrument while singing. He was most successful in the 1970s with his band, The Edgar Winter Group, notably with their...
and The Tak Matsumoto Group
Tak Matsumoto Group
Tak Matsumoto Group is a supergroup consisting of members from several bands around the world. Since 2004, the group includes Tak Matsumoto, Eric Martin, Jack Blades and Brian Tichy.- TMG I lineup :...
.
Good to Be Bad and back on the road (2008–2010)
In March 2008 Whitesnake played at the Rock2WgtnRock2Wgtn
The Rock2Wgtn Fesival was a two day music festival. It is the second major music festival to be held in New Zealand, the first being the Big Day Out, but Rock2Wgtn is the first purely metal/rock festival. It is also the first two-day festival, as the Big Day Out is held over a single day...
two day festival, which also featured Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
, Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
, Poison
Poison (band)
Poison is an American glam metal band that achieved great success in the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. To date, Poison has sold over 30 million records worldwide and have sold 15 million records in the United States alone. The band has also charted ten singles to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100,...
, Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
and Lordi
Lordi
Lordi is a Finnish hard rock/heavy metal band, formed in 1996 by the band's lead singer, songwriter and costume-designer, Mr. Lordi. The band is known for wearing monster masks and using pyrotechnics during concerts...
, with special effects by the Academy Award winning WETA Workshop
Weta Workshop
Weta Workshop is a special effects and prop company based in Miramar, New Zealand, producing effects for television and film.Founded in 1987 by Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger as RT Effects, Weta Workshop has produced creatures and makeup effects for the TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys...
. In April 2008 the band released their tenth studio album, Good to Be Bad
Good to Be Bad
-European Bonus Disc:-US/Canadian Bonus CD:All tracks taken from 2006's Live: In the Shadow of the Blues-Still Good To Be Bad :-Personnel:*David Coverdale - vocals*Doug Aldrich - guitars...
, which reached #5 in the UK album chart. During the summer of 2008 Whitesnake headlined a UK tour along with Def Leppard, with Black Stone Cherry
Black Stone Cherry
Black Stone Cherry is an American rock band formed in 2001 in Edmonton, Kentucky. They are signed to Roadrunner Records. The band consists of Chris Robertson , Ben Wells , Jon Lawhon , and John Fred Young...
opening the UK arena shows in June and Thunder
Thunder (band)
Thunder were an English hard rock band, who originally formed in 1989 when the band Terraplane broke up, leaving lead singer Danny Bowes and guitarist/main songwriter Luke Morley to form a new group, namely Thunder...
opening the July shows.
In early November 2008, Whitesnake received the Classic Rock Best Album award for Good To Be Bad.
On February 11, 2009, Whitesnake announced they would be playing a festival slot at Download Festival
Download Festival
The Download Festival is a three day rock music festival held annually at Donington Park, England . It usually takes place in June...
, UK on June 14 via their official website. They also announced Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
would be playing on the same day. It was also announced that Whitesnake, Def Leppard and Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
would play The O2
The O2, Dublin
The O2 is a 14,000-seat amphitheatre located at North Wall Quay in the Dublin Docklands in Dublin, Ireland, which opened on 16 December 2008. The venue is jointly owned by Live Nation and Harry Crosbie with Live Nation in charge of programme booking and operating the venue...
in Dublin on June 12, 2009.
On March 17, 2009, it was announced that Whitesnake will be supporting Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
on the 2009 North American Summer tour.
On August 11, 2009 Whitesnake was playing a show at Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado
Morrison, Colorado
The historic Town of Morrison is a Home Rule Municipality in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The population was 430 at the 2000 census...
, when front man David Coverdale suffered a vocal injury. After seeing a specialist, it was announced on August 12, 2009 that Coverdale was suffering from severe vocal fold edema and a left vocal fold vascular lesion, and the band had to withdraw from the remainder of Judas Priest tour.
In early February 2010, David Coverdale has announced his voice seems to have fully recovered from the trauma that sidelined him and the band on the Priest tour. He states he has been recording new demos, aiming for a new Whitesnake album, and on tape his voice is sounding full and strong.
In June 2010 Whitesnake announced they will be releasing their own wine, a 2008 Zinfandel, described by David Coverdale as "filled to the brim with the spicy essence of sexy, slippery Snakeyness ... I recommend it to complement any & all grown up friskiness & hot tub jollies ..."
On June 18, 2010, it was announced that Whitesnake had parted ways with bassist Uriah Duffy and drummer Chris Frazier and that their new drummer is former Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
drummer Brian Tichy
Brian Tichy
Brian Tichy is a drummer, guitar player, vocalist and songwriter. He is currently the drummer with Whitesnake. Previously he was the drummer for Foreigner from 2009 until 2010, when he was replaced by Jason Sutter. Tichy began playing drums at age eight and started playing guitar at age 12...
. On August 20, 2010, Whitesnake announced that their new bassist is Michael Devin.
On September 13, 2010, keyboardist Timothy Drury
Timothy Drury
Timothy Drury is a keyboardist, guitarist and vocalist. He was the keyboard player in rock band Whitesnake up until September 2010.He is the son of actor James Drury....
announced his departure from Whitesnake to pursue a solo career. Drury has returned though, as a guest musician, to record keyboards for the band's 2011 album Forevermore
Forevermore (Whitesnake album)
-Personnel:* David Coverdale – lead & backing vocals* Doug Aldrich – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals* Reb Beach – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals* Michael Devin – bass, backing vocals* Brian Tichy – drums, percussionAdditional personnel...
.
Forevermore (2011–present)
Whitesnake released ForevermoreForevermore (Whitesnake album)
-Personnel:* David Coverdale – lead & backing vocals* Doug Aldrich – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals* Reb Beach – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals* Michael Devin – bass, backing vocals* Brian Tichy – drums, percussionAdditional personnel...
, on March 25, 2011 in Europe, and on the 29th in North America. They have released a number of scheduled 2011 tour dates on their website, with six scheduled UK tour dates and other European dates. In February 2011, Whitesnake was announced as one of the headliners to play the annual Rocklahoma festival in Pryor, Oklahoma, on Memorial Day weekend. A digital single for the song 'Love Will Set You Free' was released, along with a video for the song, on February 21.
The album Forevermore will be released as a special edition 'Snakepack' through Classic Rock magazine and will be released on March 25, a full 3 weeks before its commercial release. The fan pack includes the full, official new album Forevermore, a 132-page magazine, poster and pin badge. On March 20, 2011, Whitesnake announced that Brian Ruedy would play keyboards on the Forevermore World Tour
Forevermore World Tour
Forevermore World Tour is a worldwide concert tour by English rock band Whitesnake. It follows the release of the album Forevermore. The tour began on 11 May 2011 in Westbury, New York. The North American dates were followed by European dates, which were again followed by North American dates...
. On March 25, 2011 it was announced by Amazon.co.uk, that pre-order sales for Whitesnake's album had exceeded Britney Spears' new Femme Fatale album by 35%.
A live album, Live at Donington 1990
Live at Donington 1990
Live at Donington 1990 is a live album by English hard rock band Whitesnake It was recorded at Castle Donington on August 18, 1990 during the Monsters of Rock festival...
, was released on May 20, 2011 in Japan, and will be released on June 3 in Europe and June 7 in the US.
Discography
- TroubleTrouble (Whitesnake album)Trouble is the first studio album from British rock band Whitesnake, led by former Deep Purple vocalist David Coverdale. It reached #50 on the U.K. Chart when it was released in October 1978...
(1978) - LovehunterLovehunterLovehunter is the second studio album by the British band Whitesnake, released in 1979. The album charted at #29 on the UK Albums Chart."Long Way from Home", the leading track on the album, was the band's first single but only reached #55 on the UK charts.-Cover art:Lovehunters cover art featuring...
(1979) - Ready an' WillingReady an' WillingReady an' Willing was Whitesnake's third studio album, released in 1980 and peaked at #6 on the UK Albums Chart, it was also the band's first to chart outside of the UK reaching #32 in Norway and #90 in the US...
(1980) - Come an' Get ItCome an' Get It- Personnel :* David Coverdale – vocals* Micky Moody – guitar, backing vocals* Bernie Marsden – guitar, backing vocals* Jon Lord – keyboards* Neil Murray – bass guitar* Ian Paice – drums- Album :Billboard...
(1981) - Saints & SinnersSaints & Sinners (Whitesnake album)-Personnel:* David Coverdale – Lead Vocals* Micky Moody - Guitars* Bernie Marsden – Guitars, Backing vocals* Jon Lord - Keyboards* Neil Murray – Bass* Ian Paice – Drums* Mel Galley – Backing vocals-Production notes:...
(1982) - Slide It InSlide It InSlide It In is the sixth studio album by British hard rock band Whitesnake, released in 1984.It was the first Whitesnake album to be released by Geffen Records in the United States, but was remixed for the release there. Because of this, two different editions of the album exist, each with its own...
(1984) - WhitesnakeWhitesnake (album)Tracks 12-15 taken from Live: In the Shadow of the Blues-20th Anniversary Edition DVD:-Singles:*"Here I Go Again" *"Is This Love"*"Still of the Night"*"Crying in the Rain" *"Give Me All Your Love"-Personnel:...
(1987) - Slip of the TongueSlip of the Tongue-20th Anniversary Edition DVD:-Singles:*"Fool for Your Loving"*"Now You're Gone"*"The Deeper the Love"-Personnel:*David Coverdale – vocals*Steve Vai – All Guitars*Adrian Vandenberg - Guitars *Rudy Sarzo – bass...
(1989) - Restless HeartRestless Heart (Whitesnake album)Restless Heart is the ninth studio album recorded by Whitesnake. This was their first new studio album since 1989's Slip of the Tongue. The CD remains unreleased in the U.S...
(1997) - Good to Be BadGood to Be Bad-European Bonus Disc:-US/Canadian Bonus CD:All tracks taken from 2006's Live: In the Shadow of the Blues-Still Good To Be Bad :-Personnel:*David Coverdale - vocals*Doug Aldrich - guitars...
(2008) - ForevermoreForevermore (Whitesnake album)-Personnel:* David Coverdale – lead & backing vocals* Doug Aldrich – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals* Reb Beach – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals* Michael Devin – bass, backing vocals* Brian Tichy – drums, percussionAdditional personnel...
(2011)
Band members
Current members- David CoverdaleDavid CoverdaleDavid 'Jack' Coverdale is an English rock singer, most famous for his work with the his own hard rock band Whitesnake which achieved massive commercial success.-Early life:...
– lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
(1976–1990, 1994, 1997–1998, 2002–present) - Doug AldrichDoug AldrichDoug Aldrich , is a Los Angeles-based hard rock guitarist, since 2003 a member of Whitesnake. He founded the band Burning Rain with Keith St.John in 1998 and has played previously with the bands Dio, Lion, Hurricane, House of Lords, and Bad Moon Rising...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, backing vocals (2002–present) - Reb BeachReb BeachReb Beach is an American rock guitarist. He is a member of the bands Winger and Whitesnake...
– guitars, backing vocals (2002–present) - Michael Devin – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals (2010–present) - Brian TichyBrian TichyBrian Tichy is a drummer, guitar player, vocalist and songwriter. He is currently the drummer with Whitesnake. Previously he was the drummer for Foreigner from 2009 until 2010, when he was replaced by Jason Sutter. Tichy began playing drums at age eight and started playing guitar at age 12...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
(2010–present) - Brian Ruedy - keyboards, backing vocals (2011–present)
In films
- JoJo's Bizarre AdventureJoJo's Bizarre Adventureis a manga written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki. Every main character's name in each part can be read as JoJo. The manga, published by Shueisha, first ran in the magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1987 to 2002, before being transferred to the seinen magazine Ultra Jump in 2004. The current story...
- Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky BobbyTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky BobbyTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is a 2006 American comedy film, directed by Adam McKay and starring Will Ferrell. The film also features John C. Reilly, Michael Clarke Duncan, Leslie Bibb, Amy Adams, Gary Cole, Jane Lynch, and Sacha Baron Cohen. Various Saturday Night Live alumni also...
- Old SchoolOld School (film)Old School is a 2003 American comedy film released by DreamWorks SKG and directed by Todd Phillips, director of the documentary Frat House. The story was written by Court Crandall, and the film was written by Phillips and Scot Armstrong...
- Just My Luck
- The RockerThe Rocker (film)The Rocker is a 2008 American comedy directed by Peter Cattaneo, starring Rainn Wilson, Josh Gad, Teddy Geiger, Emma Stone, Christina Applegate and Jason Sudeikis...
- The Fighter
- Bad TeacherBad TeacherBad Teacher is a 2011 comedy film directed by Jake Kasdan based on a screenplay by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, and starring Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, and Jason Segel...
On TV
- CSI New YorkCSI: NYCSI: NY is an American police procedural television series that premiered on September 22, 2004, on CBS. The show follows the investigations of a team of NYPD forensic scientists and police officers as they unveil the circumstances behind mysterious and unusual deaths as well as other crimes...
- in the episode "Blacklist" (season 6, episode 2), Lindsay MonroeLindsay MonroeLindsay Monroe is a fictional character from the CBS crime drama CSI: NY, portrayed by actress Anna Belknap.-Background:Lindsay is a native of Bozeman, Montana. Her Western manners, such as removing her shoes before entering a suspect's home, are a novelty to her co-workers...
comes into work wearing a Whitesnake t-shirt because it was the only clean shirt she had (thanks to her newborn baby spitting up all the time) and her coworker Sheldon HawkesSheldon HawkesDr. Sheldon Hawkes is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: NY, portrayed by Hill Harper. He was originally the sultry voiced Medical Examiner during the first season, but moves into the field in the start of the second season, much to the initial surprise of head CSI Mac...
commented on it. - The Venture Bros.The Venture Bros.The Venture Bros. is an American animated television series that premiered on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim on February 16, 2003. The series mixes action and comedy together while it chronicles the adventures of the Venture family: well-meaning but incompetent teenagers Hank and Dean Venture; their...
"Fallen Arches" episode includes the "Here I Go Again" video - The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
in the "Treehouse of Horror XTreehouse of Horror X"Treehouse of Horror X" is the fourth episode of The Simpsons eleventh season, and the tenth annual Treehouse of Horror episode, consisting of three self-contained segments. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on Halloween 1999. In "I Know What You Diddily-Iddily-Did", the...
" episode - In SmallvilleSmallville (TV series)Smallville is an American television series developed by writers/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar based on the DC Comics character Superman, originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The television series was initially broadcast by The WB Television Network , premiering on October...
, Lois Lane's favorite band is Whitesnake, and has a throw pillow she made from a concert T-shirt. Also in the episode "Crimson" she gave Clark a mix CD of their power-ballads. - JoeyJoey (TV series)Joey is an American sitcom, which stars Matt LeBlanc reprising his role as Joey Tribbiani from the sitcom Friends. It premiered on the NBC television network, on September 9, 2004, in the former time slot of its parent series, Thursday nights at 8:00 p.m...
- Season One episode 11 "Joey and the Road Trip" & 16 "Joey and the Tonight Show" Season Two episode 1&2 "Joey and the Big Break, Part 2" - Will & GraceWill & GraceWill & Grace was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 21, 1998 to May 18, 2006 for a total of eight seasons. Will & Grace remains the most successful television series with gay principal characters...
- In the fifth season finale, Karen Walker remarks that Danny Mordy (Nicollette SheridanNicollette SheridanNicollette Sheridan is an English film and television actress. She is best known for her roles as Edie Britt on Desperate Housewives and as Paige Matheson on Knots Landing.-Early life:...
) was hot enough to be in a Whitesnake video. - FrasierFrasierFrasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars...
- Roz tells Frasier her boyfriend thinks she was in a Whitesnake video. - "And the Wiener Is..." episode of Family GuyFamily GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
- LoisLois GriffinLois Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is voiced by writer Alex Borstein and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Lois was created and designed by series creator Seth MacFarlane...
tells MegMeg GriffinMeg Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is the eldest child of Lois and Peter and elder sister of Chris and Stewie. Meg is considered as the black sheep of the series due to the lack of attention she receives....
about the music "mommies and daddies listen to."
In musical theatre
The Whitesnake song "Here I Go AgainHere I Go Again
"Here I Go Again" is a #1 hit song recorded by Whitesnake. Originally released on their 1982 album, Saints & Sinners, the song was re-recorded for their eponymous 1987 album Whitesnake. The song was re-recorded yet another time that year in a new "radio-mix" version...
" appears in both the Off-Broadway production Power Balladz
Power Balladz
Power Balladz is a live comedy performance featuring a mixture of comedy, trivia, and iconic rock n' roll songs from the 70s, 80s & 90s for which it is also named...
and the award-winning Broadway hit Rock of Ages
Rock of Ages (musical)
Rock of Ages is a rock/jukebox musical, with a book by Chris D'Arienzo, built around classic rock hits from the 1980s, especially from the famous glam metal bands of the decade. The musical features songs from Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Steve Perry, Poison and Asia, among...
.
"Here I Go Again" (as soundtrack)
- On the computer game World in ConflictWorld in ConflictWorld in Conflict, or WiC, is a real-time tactical video game developed by the Swedish video game company Massive Entertainment and published by Ubisoft for Microsoft Windows. The game was released in September 2007...
- BBC ThreeBBC ThreeBBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
TV series Nighty NightNighty NightNighty Night is a British dark comedy sitcom written by and starring Julia Davis. It was first broadcast on 6 January 2004 on BBC Three before moving to BBC2.... - In the American Dad episode "Dungeons and Wagons"
- In the 2003 comedyComedyComedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
film Old SchoolOld School (film)Old School is a 2003 American comedy film released by DreamWorks SKG and directed by Todd Phillips, director of the documentary Frat House. The story was written by Court Crandall, and the film was written by Phillips and Scot Armstrong... - In the 2009 film "Adventureland".
- During the credits of the 2009 film Fired UpFired Up (film)Fired Up! is a 2009 teen comedy film produced and directed by Will Gluck and written by Freedom Jones. The main plot revolves around two popular high school football players who create their lie to attend cheerleading camp for the summer and get close to its female cheerleaders.-Plot:Nick Brady...
after Nicholas D'AgostoNicholas D'Agosto- Early life :D'Agosto was born in Omaha, Nebraska, the son of Deanna Rae and Alen D'Agosto, who own several Arby's in Omaha. His father is Italian and his mother is of Dutch and English descent. He was raised Catholic and selected Genesius of Rome, the patron saint of actors, as his confirmation...
sang the chorus as a joke - On the Axe Men TV show advert on Channel 5
- In the episode of It's Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaIt's Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaIt's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is an American television sitcom that premiered on FX on August 4, 2005. New episodes continue to air on FX, with reruns playing on Comedy Central, general broadcast syndication, and WGN America—the first-ever cable-to-cable syndication deal for a sitcom...
titled "Mac's banging the Waitress" - In the Life season 2 episode 14 "Mirror Ball"
- In The Fighter, the chorus was briefly muttered by Christian Bale.