What does it sound like?:
The year of 1987 saw the release of three huge rock albums – G n R’s Appetite For Destruction, Def Leppard’s Hysteria and this effort from Whitesnake. In fact, there are similarities between the latter two bands – both streamlined their traditional British hard rock sound (or blues rock in the case of the Snake) to appeal to the US audience, and had massive worldwide success as a result. In fact David Coverdale even went so far as to jettison the British line up who actually played on the album – John Sykes (who co-wrote too), Neil Murray and Aynsley Dunbar – and toured with a completely different US based line up. Both of the two contrasting line-ups are on show in this two cd version of the 30th anniversary reissue set, which comprises a 2017 remaster of the original album (no bonus tracks on offer here alas), and a live show from the band’s subsequent world tour.
The original album has worn well, although it doesn’t sound particularly different in this incarnation, still having that very polished eighties studio sound. The big hits are all present and correct – the Zeppelin-esque In The Still Of The Night, Give Me All Your Love, Here I Go Again, and the almost Tina Turner like Is This Love, as well as live favourites such as Crying In The Rain. Indeed, earlier, rawer versions of Here I Go Again and Crying In The Rain had previously appeared on the band’s 1982 Saints and Sinners set. This is a very slick sounding album, very much of its time, but it’s still a good listen even now. The live set, unsurprisingly, leans quite heavily on material from this album, which again is very slickly performed by a band of very seasoned musicians. Perhaps though it’s rather too slick in places – at times you yearn for the sound of the original ‘British’ brand of bluesy edged hard rock from earlier in the decade, rather than this very airbrushed AOR friendly sound. Nevertheless, it’s good to hear some of the old live favourites were still included in the set list – Slide It In, Slow an’ Easy, Love Ain’t No Stranger and of course Ain’t No Love In the Heart Of The City.
What does it all *mean*?
A band who found massive worldwide success, but who lost something of their soul in the process of achieving it?
Goes well with…
Denim, leather, hairspray!
Might suit people who like…
Eighties rock. Tawny Kitaen.
This record was absolutely everywhere in 1987-8. I thought it was silly but had a sneaking admiration for DC’s reinvention of the band/brand (see also Hysteria). The video for Is This Love has to be Peak Hair Metal.
I recall listening to Radio One’s coverage of Monsters Of Rock Festival, Castle Donington all day
so that’s Thunder, Quireboys, Poison, Aerosmith (with special guest Jimmy Page who would also show up at their legendary Marquee show a couple of days later) with your headliners ‘ver Snake.
David Coverdale had a barney with his wife Tawney Kitten (aka the lady from those videos) en route and so swore like a trooper until asked not to by Auntie Beeb.
It wouldn’t surprise me if Page n Coverdale discussed the possibility of working together here as Plant had recently nixed a Zep tour to tie in with the Remasters box set. When asked about the possibility of a tour by roving reporter Mick Wall, Pagey cattily replied “Ask Robert”
When the old tart Coverdale sang the first line of ‘Here I Go Again’ and if as one the crowd roared the second one back at him it was genuinely spinetingling – which sadly doesn’t come across on the video but knocks you out on my crummy FM off air cassette
That is truly awful. Squawking way above his range, widdly frottage completely beyond redemption, the death-knell double ticket of Aldridge and Sarzo, and studded codpieces. Did they not just look at each other backstage and think to themselves “Seriously lads, we’re grown humans, what the fucking fuck are we doing?”?
Well they bloody should have.
That’s just nitpicking
Genuine LOL.
If there’s something wrong with studded codpieces, rock’n’roll is pretty much finished.
Unless the studs are on the inside, of course.
* Knightmare voice * ooh, nasty….
Appetite for Destruction, Hysteria and this monstrosity were the big 3 Metal albums of 1987, but the biggest selling one was actually Slippery When Wet, released the year before.
As Moose mentions above, this was a very successful rebranding of a band that looked done and dusted, and I suppose Coverdale deserves some admiration for that, but Lord Almighty, this is a dreadful record, it’s only saving grace being that Hysteria is even worse.
Thing is, I like Coverdale. His version of Deep Purple is, against the odds, aging better than the Gillan one, and the original version of Whitesnake, while not the world’s best band, at least had a sense of humour and a few really good tunes (Fool for your Loving, Don’t Break My Heart Again and Ready & Willing). Harrumph.
@hawkfall
Couldn’t agree more. The Whitesnake of Moody, Marsden, Murray (Ligger of the Year) were a decent rock band and for an album or two my favourite.
This album is appalling.
You missed out Wine, Women and Song……yes indeed.
Wine Women and Song, what a tune.
Best line up as well. I never liked the late 1980s version of the band.
I think your favourite period of a rock / metal band is when you are 14-17 – after that its pretty much unlistenable
True Dat.
That was certainly my Whitesnake era, peaking at Monsters of Rock at Donington in 1983 when I was 16.
I would like David Coverdale audio books more than his records. Lovely rich transatlantic tones , the old rogue
This is more Tap than Tap – ” it’s exhausting up there with the exchange of energy”
“I need more Vim in my cans!”
2 quid for one bloody sausage
It says sausages up there.
Where’s my other bloody sausage
Say it, Den… “Loada bollecks!”
Heavy metal, heavy metal, heavy metal, we’re heavy metal okay? Like your brain
You must have enough for your ruddy record. I’d like to drop you right in the ba-da-daas.
No, it’s the introduction to Excalibur
This is meant to be our big statement, and you’re just saying “Dung!” all over it.
I could play Stairway To Heaven when I was 12. Jimmy Page didn’t actually write it until he was 22.
I think that says quite a lot.
Especially since you are ten years older than him.
Heavy metal, top of the class, stuff the media up your arse!