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From Snakepit to Whitesnake
The latest press release from the Whitesnake camp informs us that the band is back in the studio, working on the follow up to Good To Be Bad, and with a new lineup to boot. Out are bassist Uriah Duffy and drummer Chris Frazier. Brian Tichy (whose resume includes Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol, Foreigner, Glenn Hughes, Slash’s Snakepit, and many others) takes the spot behind the drum kit, while the bassist position is still open.
“One never enters into a relationship expecting it to end, but, as in other avenues of life, these things happen…Often it is not necessarily any one persons fault, it just unfolds that the relationship has naturally run it’s course…I really wish Chris & Uriah well in everything they do…they are great guys & exceptional musicians…
As we bid a fond farewell to the guys, it is with great pleasure we welcome Briian Tichy to the band…I’ve personally been a fan of his work since I first heard him destroy a drum kit years ago with Ozzy & thro’ his amazing career with Pride & Glory, Billy Idol & Foreigner…I have no doubt he will help take the Snake to new & dizzying heights with his personality & powerhouse playing…& I believe he will inspire me to boldly go where no singer has gone before…
David Coverdale
Thanks to George Kikonishvili for the info.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Although I hated Coverdale in my first years of listening DP (mostly because he replaced Gillan), the day after day I ensure that David is a true musician and true rock star. He is a GREAT singer and knows how to rule a band.
———-
EVERYBODY in the Purple family are in studio, are creative musicians and are still making new good music… the only “big five” which is quiet is…. unfortunately Deep Purple itself…
Wish David and Co. the success to the follow up album…
August 9th, 2010 at 15:49though I think that David’s ambition “to boldly go where no singer has gone before” is exaggerated. He has already done his best and there’re several singers who went where David hasn’t gone and won’t go… who knows…
August 9th, 2010 at 15:53I didn’t enjoy “Good To Be Bad” AT ALL. Zero interest in the follow up.
August 9th, 2010 at 17:00I know it´s just a wet dream but….can´t help it !! What about a call to Glenn Hughes to fill the vacant position ???? He´s a workaholic anyway so….why not ???? Just imagine the heights of vocal power it could regenerate, not to mention some really interesting song writing….MMMMM….just the very thought of it is mouthwatering..!!!! Ahh, well….nothing wrong in dreaming !!! ROCK ON !
August 9th, 2010 at 17:45No bass player yet, hey David, there’s a guy named Neil Murray available and he knows a lot of the older material too!
August 9th, 2010 at 18:48David Coverdales RAINCOAT, hehehe
Sorry, could not resist.
Old joke from the 80 s when Ritchie was being accused of firing and hiring them too often.
Ermmmmmmmmmmm, somewhere in me there is a voice I ve got it all wrong.
August 9th, 2010 at 19:51Getting old sucks……
Ritchie s RAINVCOAT and Davids Milkshake!!!!
That was it!!!
I wish you well, David.
August 9th, 2010 at 19:56Maybe David realises he needs John Sykes as well for GOOD songs?
Neil Murray is a good one. Is he still with Schenker?
Anyway, get rid of those 2 shredders and hire a REAL one.
Maybe Jon has some time and when DP splits Ian Paice is free as well.
August 9th, 2010 at 20:00I hope he has the balls to call Moody and Marsden as well
Fair enough Ormandy, if you didn´t like “Good To Be Bad”…..taste differs ! Personally I think it´s a killer album with a bluesy, hardrocking & Zepesque edge and want more of the same ! Looking forward to the next albun with great anticipation !!!
August 9th, 2010 at 21:08Stefan…very good point with the Glenn Hughes idea. The duo put together some very good work, particularly on Burn. Unfortunately, I doubt David would want to share the microphone duties, and Glenn would never relinquish the mike and just play bass, but it is a great thought. How about a “guest” spot?
George…another great point. Why NOT Neil Murray?
August 9th, 2010 at 21:35Get Glenn Hughes, and I’ll give PROJECT WHITESNAKE…one…more…chance.
August 10th, 2010 at 00:33wow, Hughes as a bass/voc in Whitesnake would be GREAT! He still can deliver it. Funky Hughes and Bluesy David – writing new Whitesnake songs together! what a wonderful dream…
August 10th, 2010 at 03:47Maybe not recording is better than recording yet another commercial cheesy “Americanish”-AOR uninventive stuff? Doug Aldrich is not a songwriter in my book….test yourself – can you whistle any of his “tunes”? I don’t think so. He is miles behind Vandenberg, let alone Moody and Marsden. I understand, David needs money for living and the source for that is a huge American market….but those who understand something in music can not take this incarnation of the band as a band of real musicians….No expectations at all. Sorry
August 10th, 2010 at 04:57@4
I think that David couldn’t follow Glenn today. They were great and amazing duo in DP days, they did something new, beside guitar – organ competing they added voice – voice “fight”. But today only Glenn remained able to sing out of all DP family.
August 10th, 2010 at 06:14“Doug Aldrich is not a songwriter in my book….test yourself – can you whistle any of his “tunes”? I don’t think so. He is miles behind Vandenberg, let alone Moody and Marsden.”
August 10th, 2010 at 10:46I TOTALLY AGREE…
HZ @14
You got it man. You might have flushed all the very wet dreams about Coverdale/Hughes above. Coverdale will be looking like a loser on stage if he hire Glenn, and I think BCC is going on rise right now so no need to steal a Glenn HUghes. Guest star on WHitesnake concert is make sense and will be more than enough..
Some is here also talking about Neil Murray. Based on troubled Slide it In line up history, I bravely predict Murray will turn Mr. Cov down if he is invited to rejoin Whitesnake. Why not the great Rudi Sarzo? As I notice that he do not have any serious issue with the big boss of Whitesnake. Could be another brilliant line up.
IMO, Cov. better looking for a new bassist, maybe a young one, as Coverdale to me seems to make Whitesnake as a company rather than brotherly peaceful band like Deep Purple or Def Leppard. I believe many new or rising bassists will go for Whitesnake audition to gain wonderful experience in their career while probably prepare to move on another step in their career next years.
Anyway, it’s very refreshing to know Coverdale always say goodbye and the best of luck to all the people who have left Whitesnake ‘Millenium’ line up like Vandenberg, Aldridge, Mendoza, Uriah, and Frazier. No story of animosity or dissapointment.
Cheers
August 10th, 2010 at 12:00Through the years I ve been thinking it would have been great if Glenn had taught David a way to deal better with his voice.
I dont know what the exact reason is David sang excellent around 1983 and since then a certain downfall with inbetween great moments.
Like Ian Gillan, so to speak.
Both like to drink and smoke.
Or was there more to it?
Glenn used everything forbidden in the book before 1993 and still came out with this voice with an enormous range.
Apologise to bring it up AGAIN!!!!…..but…..the only bad thing about his voice is the over excessive screaming and the Michael Jackson parts.
Otherwise……
THE MAN ROCKS!!!
August 10th, 2010 at 13:21Once – in old old days – Whitesnake was a killer band of first class music and maybe the best singer on earth. Today nothing but a joke of what Whitesnake once was. The name of the singer is the same, but today he’s NOT singing anymore.
August 10th, 2010 at 18:04Bring back the sound of “Walking in the Shadow of the Blues” and I’m in again. The last one is just another heavy metal CD.
@10
“Unfortunately, I doubt David would want to share the microphone duties”
I think you´re spot on, but I have another thought on why… Compared to Coverdale, Hughes has still got a voice..It would be all too obvious that he’s finished. I’ve witnessed my last Whitesnake show I’m afraid. Seen the last few one’s and all has been fine except for the man who is the band leader.
Thought he was OK at best on the last album but I feel no excitement at all about a new Whitesnake record…Sorry!
August 10th, 2010 at 18:18@17
That’s because Glenn to tis day hasn’t even performed 1000 concerts in his life.
August 12th, 2010 at 15:28I think Dave still has a great voice in the studio but live he can’t cut it anymore except for the songs he actually sings, not schreeches. Still of the night still somehow sounds good live
August 12th, 2010 at 15:35The problem is that David will never be able to sing again, so why bother being intersted in a new record with a singer who now actually sounds like a hissing snake.
August 12th, 2010 at 20:06@ 20
Sound like making sense.
Really?
August 13th, 2010 at 12:17Just 1000?
Whitesnake has always been Coverdale’s Band. Just as with Rainbow being Blackmore’s. It’s his gig and the rest are whom he hires. Just as with Rainbow. As a matter of fact, just as with Rainbow’s first album being titled..”Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow”, that goes the same for Whitesnake. “David Coverdale’s Whitesnake”, which actually followed a solo effort by David with an album title “Whitesnake”. There have been many line-ups and some more to some’s taste than others. I for one have no problem with the various changes throughout the years. Brings a nice variety of sound with quite a different range of choice to listen to. Throwing Hughes into the mix would be Awful. Never enjoyed their duo singing with Purple live, would be even worse now.
As for David’s singing. He still has a magnificent voice. Unfortunately he has for some reason centered the majority of his efforts toward the High End beyond his actual normal range. There was a time when he could pull it off, but unlike the natural ability Hughes has and Gillan did for years, Coverdale ran out of that range long ago. He can manage to go there from time to time and should make it an account to minimize that style as much as possible. Going the more Bluesy Whitesnake style tunes would really go a long way towards earning his respect back overall from his fans. I saw them last year when they supported Judas Priest. Enjoyed them thoroughly and look forward to this new line-up and album.
Cheers
August 13th, 2010 at 17:51Look at Coverdale’s point of view. he made a couple of albums where he tried to go back to his old style of bluesy singing ( Restless heart and into the light). Nobody bought them though into the light was marketed as a coverdale solo effort rather than a whitesnake album. these albums had some decent songs in them. He then goes back to his screeching ways and everybody is buying it. Business sense tells him screeching is money. The fans who want the old cov like you and me are too far and in between and wont give him a comfy retirement. so his next album will definitely be ” Here’s another screech for ya”
August 18th, 2010 at 16:50prem @#25…
You are partially correct regarding what the Masses want. Yes he unfortunately got his massive Worldwide notoriety during the late 80’s Hairband Era. That is what the majority of folks know him for and that is somewhat where he must stay. That being said, some good hard Bluesy tunes thrown in the mix would go very well and do him some good. I disagree with your Restless Heart and Into the Light point. Those were nothing like his days of Old Whitesnake. They were softer, more ballad type efforts, but not of the down and dirty bluesy rock style of old. Pulling more songs from the classic albums ‘Ready and Willing, Come an Get It, Trouble, Saints and Sinners”, would be great. Actually, 2 from his Hairdays are re-recorded from those days. “Fool for Your Lovin'” and “Here I Go Again”. Of course again, unfortunately, Here I Go Again didn’t get discovered as a hit until it surfaced as a re-do on the ’87 album. That’s timing for ya. Now it is his “Smoke on the Water”. Kind of the same thing. The original studio version didn’t get discovered. It wasn’t a hit until later on when it showed up on “Made In Japan”. Amazing to think that Purple didn’t want to do that live album at all. The Record Company demanded it. Purple agreed only as long as it was release in Japan Only. It was released there as ‘Live in Japan’. Then, when it finally went out as “Made in Japan” worldwide, the tune got noticed and the rest is history. Makes one wonder….would ‘Smoke on the Water’ be what it is today had that not happened? I doubt it. Right place Right time. It really ain’t that great a song…just ask TMIB.
Coverdale could do a jam up job with a hard rock, bluesy album cutting the ‘Robert Plant’ dubbing to a minimum and do very well I believe. Yeah, live he would have to continue his known anthems….”Still of the Night” and others from the Hair Days, but he doesn’t have to do them all, and he can also change his delivery, cutting back on his overdone screeches. Go Low sometimes for a change. He has a good enough range to find more comfortable notes that still deliver the impact.
Cheers
August 20th, 2010 at 01:40You re right on, Tracy.
But why did you not mention the REMAKE of Crying In The Rain?
One of my true favourites.
I wish a series of DVDs would finally be released.
With different line ups, that is.
Due to cancelling shows overhere again and again I did not get to see them after 1983.
1990 Monsters Of Rock was already very bad, espescially the vocals.
Did not get to see the Coverdale/Page effort either.
Since then I sam them weveral times where I could but I always hankered for the old line ups.
Well, at least I saw them in 1983 from which, coincedentally or not, come 2 DVD s, one from a festival and one from a tv broadcasting.
There must be loads of material to gain great dvd s from.
WHY NOT, DAVID?!
August 24th, 2010 at 10:03Tracy @26
Yeah Tracy, you right.. Restless Heart and Into the Light were more balladish…not like the old Cov who sang Lonely Days, Lonely Nights, Wine, Women An’ Song, Guilty of Love etc. In fact Jorn Lande sounds more Coverdale than Coverdale himself now.
August 26th, 2010 at 15:57I m not sure on this but could it be that both Restless Heart and Into The Light lacked strong material?
Or was it the ZeitGeist that did not help things?
I like certain tracks, not all, on these 2 albums.
September 1st, 2010 at 18:48Probably I was wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too spoiled compared to 1982 to appreciate good stuff on it……
Priest, I don’t think it was a matter of Strong vs Weak material. It was a style he delved into and at the time, Whitesnake was in the midst of the times when music was going through changes and the Masses didn’t care anymore.
The Good Stuff again, is subjective and tuned to the ear of the listener and only the individual can truly claim whether they like it or not. That’s where the term “Good to be Bad” comes in. One’s Good maybe bad for another and vice-versa….
Cheers
September 2nd, 2010 at 16:24