David Coverdale Interview: It’s Good Being Me!

By: Rob Cavuoto

David Coverdale and company return to their no-holds-barred, bluesiest, sexiest rock n’ roll roots with Whitesnake’s 11th studio album, Forevermore, the band’s first in more than two years. Coverdale has reignited an explosively fruitful vein of creativity with guitarist and co-writer-producer Doug Aldrich, guitarist Reb Beach, drummer Brian Tichy and Michael Devin on bass. As with all Whitesnake’s albums, Coverdale unleashes his incomparable vocal chops with emotional fervor. Armed with an arsenal of key players, the CD shows the world that the “snake” is an unstoppable wall of guitars!

I had the chance to sit with one of the premier and legendary frontmen of all time while rehearing for his upcoming world tour to chat about his latest release, Forevermore, his musical arsenal, as well as all things “snake.”

He even dropped a hint of two about a possible book How White is Your Snake? On stage as well as off, he is powerhouse of raw energy and excitement. Somebody better let this guy loose on stage or he’s going to explode!

Whitesnake Photo: Ash Newell (Photo: courtesy of Whitesnake)

******

Rob Cavuoto: I love the new CD. It offers a great combination of raw, gritty guitar with melodic hooks. Also the production value with the guitars upfront really shows people that Whitesnake is a true guitar-driven band.

David Coverdale: Well then, there you go Rob, were all set, nice talking to you! [Laughing]. If you think the CD is good, wait until you hear this fucking band live. We started rehearing the other day and I can’t wait. I’m 60 years old in September and I can’t wait to get back to work.

I do agree because that was the initial idea of Whitesnake until John Lord asked to come on board. There is no way that I could ignore that John’s left hand with Deep Purple, contributed to that huge fuckin’ sound of Purple’s identity. That’s where I kind of back pedaled and made keyboards a featured instrument.

It was never part of the original plan. The blue print for Whitesnake was the Allman Brothers first LP. Where the organ is more of a rhythm part, and Greg Allman’s immense guitar is upfront. That was to be the structure of Whitesnake, like an orchestral blues band.

Rob: With Good To Be Bad, the guitars weren’t as up front in the mix, I thought there was equal production value across all the instruments on that CD. Was that the intent?

David Coverdale: We were a bit apprehensive about putting our feet back in the water for that CD. Good to be Bad was so well received; it gave us a big shot of confidence, not only for Doug Aldrich and I as the creators of the music, but the production team of the Los Bros Brutalos, Doug, Michael McIntyre, and myself. That kind of success gives you the courage to take a step off the edge. There is no way you are going to get some progressive silliness that we used to say in the ‘70s, “we must progress from the last LP.”

All of these songs are bloodline relatives of the others. Our mission is; can we tell the story quicker and make the songs better? The circumstance is that Doug Aldridge and I have an amazing friendship which transitions into a fucking amazing writing partnership. It’s almost telepathic and it has been noticeable for us in rehearsal where Doug and the band are picking up on things immediately, there is no labor involved. To me the consistency and versatility of the CDs are the things that are immensely rewarding to me. Something I generally look forward to getting into the car and cranking.

I’m pretty critical of the stuff I do, but I don’t really listen to my work after it’s done. But with Forevermore I’m really enjoying it.

Rob: Do you generally like taking that step off the edge with your music?

David Coverdale: That’s what keeps it interesting; working with loose cannons can have its rewards. It’s interesting because we had a lot of success with the LP in 1987 with John Sykes. Unfortunately, John became very antagonistic very quickly. It was a marriage made in hell! Were there ever two fucking guys that wrote 20 million selling records? From the outside we look unbeatable, on the inside it wasn’t fun for him or me.

Everyone knows the history of Townsend-Daltry and Jagar-Richards and what comes out the other end. That’s not remotely interesting to me. My idea of composing is going into the zone. You don’t have to be pushed there. I loathe anger and rage. I think it is a waste of emotional time and it’s an expense that I simply can’t afford. But to come in and fuck with my joy is wrong [Laughing]. I know John and I wrote super songs, but there is no way that chapter would have worked for long. With this band I have the arsenal that I need to launch.

David Coverdale Photo: Rob Cavuoto

Rob: So you don’t see yourself working with John Sykes anytime soon?

David Coverdale: I don’t see why. It’s like saying would you go back to a former wife, are you kidding me? Do you realize how happy I am? I have blue birds flying out of every orifice! I walk around and oops there’s another blue feather on the floor [Laughing]. It would be interesting to play a charity thing, in front a lot of people, but that’s about it.

Rob: How did you find Brian Tichy? He’s an amazing drummer and talented musician.

David Coverdale: Tichy is a fuckin monster! He was supposed to be in the revamped Whitesnake, we made the decision before we spoke to him that we wanted him in the band. It took eight years to get him, but it was worth every minute. I was looking for an Aldridge style player so Marko Mendoza told me Tommy Aldridge sends his love and is there if I need him.

Tichy also has an amazing voice too. I made him wear a head set at practice the other day and he said “no I just want to play the drums”. I said fuck you you’re singing! With all these talented guys and voices I want to do this Crosby Still and Nash type of thing for some songs, where we stop the show and do “Deeper the Love.”

It’s amazing to have this huge environment and then be able to hear a pin drop and fans singing along with you. It’s an astonishing and emotional exchange. I think we can take it further with “Fare Thee Well” and “Forevermore.” Not only can this band kick the living shit out of the stage but now check this out.

Rob: What songs from the new CD are you going to do live?

David Coverdale: I’m not telling you! Not telling you! I actually gave you a few giveways [Laughing]. The big stuff for Whitesnake was Slide It in and beyond. Interestingly, in the past my American shows would be vastly different than the Asia or Europe shows. Now I’m going “fuck it, we’re going to do “Aint No Lovin” and “Heart of the City” and “Walking in the Shadow of the Blues.” All of the things I want to do.”

Rob: I just read you also are putting out a CD/DVD Live at Donington 1990.

David Coverdale: Yeah I want to put out stuff that that was on the back burner so I can go out on tour and enjoy myself. I’m still astonished on a daily basis. I wake up with a fucking smile going “my God I get the opportunity to talk about a new CD, go on a tour while knocking on 60’s door. Did I win the lottery?”

Rob: With so many ‘70’s bands being nostalgia acts, why do you continue to make CDs?

David Coverdale: If I didn’t put out new CDs, I’d be on American Idol. I would rather go home and be a house husband and take up knitting. That’s why I work with such inspirational musicians. Another incredible thing is when we put the word out that we’re looking for new snakes, people line up. The guitarist can’t wait to do “Still of the Night” the big penis song for guitar. All of that delights me!

David Coverdale Photo: Rob Cavuoto

Rob: You’ve worked with come amazing players such as Ritchie Blackmore, Jimmy Page, Steve Vai, Doug Aldrich and Reb Beach. What do you look for in a guitarist; their sound, technique, body of work, compatibility, song writing or all of the above?

David Coverdale: All of the above. What I look for in musicians is if they can take Whitesnake to another level. I told Tichy the other day, “I didn’t bring you in to play like Cozy Powell or Ian Pace, I want you bring as a musician who will add character to the music. I want you in Whitesnake because I feel that it’s going to help the band.”

We couldn’t have that wall of guitars and rhythm section that we had on Good to Be Bad. But on Forevermore we have all three layers covered. The Foundation, who I call the wrecking crew, Michael Devin and Brian Tischy, have created this immense powerful rhythmic bed to support the wall of guitar of Reb Beach and Doug. That in turn supports what all the guys sing. All the layers and original ingredients that I wanted for the Whitesnake cake in the right measurements.

With Deep Purple it became very difficult to write within that head banging, heavy metal identity. Jacket and trousers all the time [Laughing]. For me, I wanted Whitesnake to be this huge umbrella of hard rock rhythm and blues. Big riffs, fun, tongue in check, an elbow in the ribs, a knee in the nuts. From the beginning I knew I needed to electrify Whitesnake. To continue to take things further.

Simultaneously with the kind of music I do, Whitesnake, it’s a guitar hero syndrome. I think my experience with Tommy Bolin, who I love and treasure, got a bit crazy in the end. And with Richie Blackmore, who I honor and respect and thank for all the lessons I learned from him. But I didn’t want to go through that phase where one person can be dictatorial.

Believe me, I’m not dictatorial. If people expect Whitesnake to be awesome, then everybody who comes in has to be awesome! That’s a prerequisite. When I started Whitesnake I went with extraordinarily good musical guitarists versus guitar heroes. I didn’t go for a Coverdale foil. I was probably playing it a bit safe and we did great. We established Whitesnake and gave it an identity. I needed the house of snake to have a redo but maintain that integrity with rhythm and blues. But to have a guitar players that scorch like Beach and Doug.

Rob: How do multi-platinum artist like yourself measure success in 2011 with no rock radio, no video channels, and file sharing?

David Coverdale: I don’t go there; artistically I feel the CD is a success already. Our site gets 150 to 200 thousand hits a day. The response from critics and fans has been overwhelmingly positive. It’s up to the record company to make sure it’s available. I was describing this similar thing to someone the other day.

Now days you can make a record for a tenth of the price, so I only have to sell a tenth of those records and Whitesnake sells records! That’s a fact. Earlier this year, I had a nice accounts meeting, and found out that not only is Whitesnake flourishing but it is also getting more and more successful over the past 5 years.

Rob: Looking back on your career was there ever a song that you wrote that you were confident would not be a hit and it was or vice versa?

David Coverdale: I have no regrets. I’m not the type of person who says “if only this” or “if only that.” I do remember having a stand up argument with my management, Geffen records, and executives at MTV that I wanted “Judgment Day” from Slip of the Tongue to be the song out of the box. They all wanted the redo of the older song “Fool For Your Loving. I though the original version was fine. I think this came from John Kalodner doing his behind the scenes manipulations. Fuck it. I wouldn’t change anything. It’s good being me!

Rob: What do you want Whitesnake to be remembered for?

David Coverdale: That’s nothing to do with me, that’s what other people want to do. That’s something that doesn’t occur to me.

At first, I got into this for the chicks. It was a real lustful thing. As a child I would always write poetry as I wanted to express myself. I was also very weary of what my friends might think. I probably would have got my ass kicked. So I kept a lot of those things to myself. Once I learned an instrument, the poems became lyrics.

Once I heard the emotional reservoir of the blues that was it for me. That music just fucks me up! I love that nitty-gritty stuff. I like it when it’s open for business. So if I had to be remembered for something hopefully it would be for being a good dad and husband.

Rob: Way back, there were rumors of you playing with Eddie Van Halen. Can you elaborate what happened and how they got out of hand?

David Coverdale: Someone on the inside told me and I’m not sure how true it is, that the Van Halen camp floated the idea on the internet. I was so angry about that, as I was semi-retired at the time. I like being my own boss!

I haven’t spoken to Eddie since he came up to my room in London when I was working with Pagey. He knocked at the hotel door and asked if Jimmy was here? [Laughing] He got on his knees in front of Jimmy Page, asking him how he played this thing and how he played that thing. It was very sweet. He also went straight to my fucking mini bar at 10:00am too!