ROCKLINE INTERVIEW WITH DAVID COVERDALE
June 1, 2005
PART 4(Play a little bit of Slow an’ Easy after the commercial break).Bob Coburn: Take me down slow an’ easy, David Coverdale our guest tonight on Rockline. I’m Bob Coburn and coming soon on the show, next week, it’s Ted Nugent, followed by Judas Priest, Foreigner, Tommy Iommi and Geezer Butler together and a whole lot more. Rocklineradio.com will give you more information. Green Bay, Wisconsin, it’s Michael. You’re on Rockline.
Michael: Good morning, good evening, David.
David Coverdale: And a good morning, Michael.
Michael: (Laughs)
David Coverdale: How are you doing?
Michael: I’m fine. Hey, I think you’re one of the best, ever.
David Coverdale: Why that’s very kind. I think you’re one of the best too, Michael.
Michael: Oh thank you. My question for you was… 2 years ago you did a show in Milwaukee and about halfway through the show, the local festival next door decided to shoot off some fireworks. Do you remember that show?
David Coverdale: No, there’s always fireworks at my show, Michael. You should know that yourself. (Bob laughs).
Michael: I was just kind of curious if you had ever experienced anything as strange as that.
David Coverdale: I’ll tell you what it was. If you remember, everyone was paranoid at that time for anything that sounded explosive and to hear that kind of stuff echoing around that ballpark or whatever we were in was a bit chilling initially, if you remember.
Bob Coburn: That’s probably what it was. Michael, glad you enjoyed the show and nice comments for David there. We have John who would like to speak to David in Georgetown, Massachusetts. Good evening.
John: Hi David, this is Shaker from Boston.
David Coverdale: Ah, how are you?
Shaker: Quick question for you.
David Coverdale: Here’s an answer for you, Shaker!
Shaker: How did you get involved in the Last Note of Freedom?
David Coverdale: Oh, there’s going to be a new version of that coming out on this Gold Series from what’s-its-name… what was that? Days of Thunder. Was it Days of Thunder? The movie?
Bob Coburn: Yeah, is that the Tom Cruise movie?
David Coverdale: Yeah, where he met Nicole. Yeah, it’s a new mix of that which is one of the reasons, as you know Shaker, from looking at the website when I’ve answered questions about this particular song before, is that it was a personal request, the reason I did that. And the other reason is, of course, I adore Trevor Horn’s work, the producer. On the Slip of the Tongue tour I took a private plane down to LA to do the track with him but he was so fried by then, I was never really happy with the mix that resulted on the actual soundtrack so I had a friend of mine called Chris Lord-Alge do an alternate mix, which was excellent and actually didn’t see the light of day so that’s gonna be on this Gold Series thing that Geffen are putting out soon.
Bob Coburn: You’ve got lots of goodies coming out, it sounds like. All kinds of goodies forthcoming. Good stuff. John, thanks for being on.
David Coverdale: It’s about time too.
Bob Coburn: It certainly is. You have to catalogue the mine, there’s no doubt about that and a good mine is a terrible thing to waste. We have Martin on the line right now and he’s in Montreal. Hi Martin!
Martin: Hi, how are you?
David Coverdale: Is that Martin with two “n”’s?
Martin: That’s Martin with two “n”’s on the board, of course. Yes.
David Coverdale: Nice to speak to you, Martin. How are you?
Martin: It is an honour for me to speak to you.
David Coverdale: My pleasure, my pleasure.
Martin: My question would be… how do you get emotionally prepared for a live show or individual, like you did with the Starkers album? How do you get into the songs to be able to perform like you do?
David Coverdale: I get zoned. I go into the zone before a show. There’s nothing, I don’t meet with anybody. If my wife’s on the road with me she is allowed there. Some girls I work with, the wardrobe girl and my assistant, Christie… they’re the only ones around me and I just get into the vibe of what I’m going to do. I meditate and stuff now so all of that helps me immensely, indescribably… and, you know, just get myself vibed for the show.
Bob Coburn: So you block everything out, except being in a room with women (laughs).
David Coverdale: Absolutely.
Bob Coburn: You’re a good man, David. It’s the Still of the Night. Whitesnake on Rockline.
(Play Still of the Night)Bob Coburn: Still of the Night, Whitesnake. David Coverdale our guest tonight on Rockline. I’m Bob Coburn. From Eaton, Ohio, we welcome Jennifer. Hi, Jennifer.
Jennifer: Hey, what’s up, David? Bob?
David Coverdale: Hello, Jennifer. How are you?
Bob Coburn: Having fun!
Jennifer: Hey, I’m fine. I just got off work.
David Coverrdale: Good, good, good.
Jennifer: Getting ready to do chores, feed the horses.
David Coverdale: Well, whatever you like to call it, darling.
Bob Coburn: And that’s why you’re from Eaton, I guess?
Jennifer: Yes, I am. Eaton, Ohio.
Bob Coburn: What do you have for Mr. Coverdale?
Jennifer: Well, I’d like to say that I seen him out at Buckeye Lake… lovely experience with Motley Crue. That was the only time I got to see your presence… lovely, lovely, lovely. My question for you, David, is what was your greatest learning experience working with Jimmy Page?
David Coverdale: Oh, god. You know what? The fascinating thing was that I learned much more than I thought I did when I was working with him. That was the biggest eye-opener for me was afterwards, because the guy’s an alchemist, he can make a silk purse out of a pig’s ear. That was probably the most… and of course, affecting what is now a lifelong friendship. But that’s the most enduring thing for me. I learned how the architect in him would structure guitar tracks and it was a fascinating learning experience, which I didn’t feel I’d learned as much until later on and then the light went on and I went “oh my god!”, you know? And it was a… that helped me change my approach to recording.
Bob Coburn: And still you managed to get your name first?
David Coverdale: Alphabetical, doll. Biff!
Bob Coburn: Dave! (laughs)
David Coverdale: You know, I think Biff is a cool name.
Bob Coburn: I think Dave is a cool name for you (laughs).
David Coverdale: Man, I just have images of you waxing your surfboard between waves.
Bob Coburn: I should explain a little running joke that David and I have with each other (laughs).
David Coverdale: That was the sake, I think. (laughs).
Bob Coburn: I believe it was (laughs). Jennifer, thank you.
David Coverdale: Thank you, Jennifer.
Bob Coburn: Let’s talk to Erin in New Jersey. Hi Erin.
Erin: Hi!
David Coverdale: There’s an Irish name for you. Hi Erin.
Erin: Well, thank you very much. Very Celtic. What I wanted to ask you… have any of the books that you read inspired your performances?
David Coverdale: Oh, inspired my performances? No, but they’ve inspired my lyrics.
Bob Coburn: Anything in particular stand out?
David Coverdale: No, no. I think you absorb everything you hear, see, touch, read, you know? All of those things are absorbed, put into the blender and hopefully something unique comes out. I like to think I’ve learned pretty much from everything I’ve been involved in.
Bob Coburn: Thank you, Erin for joining us tonight. We played Still of the Night a moment ago and I want to ask you this question. For years, I have heard that you did that in one vocal take.
David Coverdale: Two.
Bob Coburn: Two? Second take. Really?
David Coverdale: I don’t know... a lot of the things you do in the studio… what I do when I’m doing vocals, I’ll sing the song maybe 4, 5, 6 times and then I’ll bugger off and let my engineer bounce them, you know, what he thinks is a good take. I’m way too critical. So I get out of there, he puts what we call a past together and then I go down and go “Oh wow, yeah, that’s ok. Fine. Next.” (laughs) And I never know where it comes from. However, with Still of the Night, it was the first song that I sang 6 months after having sinus surgery. I’d been told there was a 50/50 chance I would never be able to sing in that style again, if indeed be able to project my voice. And in the studio I was very, very nervous and a great guy, great producer called Keith Olsen said, “Just have a run-through, warm up. I won’t record it” and of course, he did record it. I sang the song twice and that was it.
Bob Coburn: That’s remarkable. Still of the Night is a signature song. We have forthcoming Judgment Day, a previously-unreleased version of that, more calls for you with David Coverdale. 1-800-344-ROCK. Rockline is sponsored by Fox. Next Wednesday on Fox, as a child Rebecca was abducted and escaped. Now her memories help her solve the FBI’s most terrifying cases.
David Coverdale: (Gasps) Oh my god!
Bob Coburn: The Inside premieres next Wednesday on Fox. A little Still of the Night reprise.
(Play a little bit of Still of the Night. Fade to commercials).(Play a little bit of Here I Go Again after the commercial break)Bob Coburn: Studio version of Here I Go Again. We heard the live version earlier in the show tonight. The DVD is out September 16, I believe you said, David?
David Coverdale: Yes.
Bob Coburn: September 16th.
David Coverdale: No, no, September 20th. The package, I think? We got this special package – Mmm nice package – it’s called a 3-pack Whitesnake chronicle and that’s got the 3 albums in. Hopefully it will be a special accommodating price too. That’s September the 20th. October the 4th is that Gold Series 2-disc set of chronological Whitesnake stuff with unreleased music on and actually, an interesting song that some of my boys have been redecorating for me so that’s definitely an unreleased song featuring some of the current members of Whitesnake. And the DVD will be August the 16th.
Bob Coburn: August the 16th. OK. Get the record straight on all this. It’s a shame you have nothing going on whatsoever. (David laughs) We have Tracy on the line from Hollywood, Florida. Tracy, here’s David Coverdale for you.
Tracy: Yes, hello David. How are you?
David Coverdale: Oh wow! I don’t know why but Tracy I imagined a lighter voice.
Bob Coburn: So did I.
Tracy: Yeah and I appreciate that. I’ve heard that my whole life.
David Coverdale: How are you doing, Tracy?
Tracy: I’m doing fine, sir.
David Coverdale: My name’s Marion.
Tracy: No big deal. Hey, I’m just curious… with the mark III members of Deep Purple now running around all over the place, I was wondering if you ever thought about collaborating…
David Coverdale: (Laughs) Have they escaped? Are you telling me they’ve escaped?
Tracy: No, most of them are no longer in Deep Purple. You got Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord, Glenn Hughes… they’re no longer in the Purps and now you’re out there also. There’s 4 out of the 5 available to do something. I was wondering if you guys would ever want to collaborate and do something again some time.
David Coverdale: Ooh, you never know. I bumped into John Lord a couple of years ago, Tracy, and… because all of this fuss went around the Internet saying that Jon Lord’s dream was to have all members, former members and current members of Deep Purple come together for one night. And I thought, “terribly ambitious”. I would do it if it was for charity and only if Ritchie Blackmore was involved. Ritchie Blackmore and Jon Lord, they are the essence of what Deep Purple is. It’s strange for me to see that they’re no longer involved.
Bob Coburn: I think Jon is more than willing. Good luck with Ritchie though, from what I understand… I’m just stating a fact.
David Coverdale: Hey baby, I’m not losing any sleep over it. I’m very happy, as you know. I have quite the full agenda, thank you!
Bob Coburn: (Laughs) Tracy, thanks for being on with us tonight.
David Coverdale: Yes, indeed!
Bob Coburn: We’ll talk to Paula. Paula is in China, Maine. Hi Paula.
Paula: Hi, how are you?
David Coverdale: Hello, Paula.
Paula: Hi, I was just wondering what your favourite live song is to play? What your favourite song to play live is.
David Coverdale: Excuse me?
Bob Coburn: What’s your favourite song to play live?
David Coverdale: Oh, a bunch of them, actually. I have different favourites. To see the response we get on Here I Go Again is extraordinary wherever we play it in the world. Still of the Night is huge. You know, we’re very blessed with a very appreciative audience who seems to enjoy pretty much whatever we play. And that’s not only my musicians that I work with… Reb Beach, Doug Aldrich, Tommy Aldridge, Timothy Drury and now, of course, the new guy I’m very excited to work with… but they’re constantly inspiring me to go for notes that only dogs can hear.
Bob Coburn: (Laughs) Let’s play one of those previously-unreleased songs that we have been touting all night long. This is Judgment Day on Rockline.
(Play the previously-unreleased version of Judgment Day).Bob Coburn: Judgment Day. Sounds good! And you had for a while but chose not to release it.
David Coverdale: Well, no. I just wasn’t really speaking to Geffen. (Bob laughs). In fact, I met all these new and fine people at Geffen a couple of months ago while I was mixing the DVD. I went down to their new offices in Santa Monica and introduced myself to them and them to me and we got on very, very well, and over a fine lunch we discussed the ideas of what we should do with Whitesnake stuff now that I’m back to work. But quite honestly, there was no reason for me to talk to anybody there for so many years. I was quite comfortable in my semi-retirement.
Bob Coburn: Well, we’re glad you’re not semi-retired any longer.
David Coverdale: And these are good people now. I’m working with a guy there called Mike Ragogna who knows what he’s doing, which is always a treat. You know, most record companies now look at artists as irritants. (Bob laughs). You know, the whole… it’s like role reversal.
Bob Coburn: (Laughs) Funny how things change. One day you’re the…
David Coverdale: Change, yeah. “What are you interested for? You only created it!” God!
Bob Coburn: One day you’re the candy, the next day you’re the wrapper. Funny how it turns around. Shannon would love to speak with you. He’s in Knoxville, Tennessee. Hi Shannon.
Shannon: Hey, David. I was wondering if you could tell me what you thought of the hard rock scene today, and please be candid.
David Coverdale: Oh no, I think it’s very encouraging. There’s an audience for… the only people I know are my friends, you know, Priest are going out there. Motley Crue are doing great. These are all mates of mine. And I’m going out of course. I’m delighted that we’re all having a bit of fun out there, and I think it’s a great time for some positive, uplifting music, you know, we’re in two wars now. The economy’s, you know, imbalanced or whatever. You know, it’s time for some people to have a good time and have some fun back into shows, and that’s one of the things we’re going to be doing, spreading some fun and joy and light and some good positive energy, God willing.
Bob Coburn: And there are some great, young bands out there now and we’ve seen the tide turn in the past couple of years with our Monday night guests on Rockline.
David Coverdale: I really like The Vines a lot and I like Von Bondies. Those are two bands I really enjoy listening to.
Bob Coburn: I recommend Seether. Karma and Effect by Seether, a band based in South Africa. Just outstanding stuff. We have to take a time out.
David Coverdale: South African band?
Bob Coburn: Two of the gentlemen are from South Africa. They now live in southern California. They’re just excellent. That’s a great new CD.
David Coverdale: What on earth has Dave Matthews started?
Bob Coburn: (Laughs) It’s contagious! We’re back with David Coverdale in just a minute on Rockline.
(Play a little bit of Stormbringer. Fade to commercials).
(Play a little bit of Fool For Your Loving after the commercial break).Bob Coburn: Fool For Your Loving. We heard the new version of that, the previously-unreleased version at the beginning of the show so we thought we’d play the original studio version for you at the conclusion of the program tonight. I want to thank everyone for listening, for calling to our affiliate stations and everyone at ROCK 104.5 in Reno, Nevada for helping us out with the broadcast tonight, especially Jake Patterson, Chad Owens and Max Volume… to Renee Pfeffer from On Tour PR, Rick Kenney from Sanctuary Artists Management and to our esteemed guest David Coverdale this evening. Good luck with the tour and dates are being added at whitesnake.com as we speak, I understand.
David Coverdale: As we speak. It’s the tour that never ends, dear boy.
Bob Coburn: Yes, indeed. Good luck with it and thanks for being on us. It’s always fun when you’re around David. I’ve enjoyed this immensely.
David Coverdale: Absolutely mutual. My love to you and your gang.
Bob Coburn: Thanks to DC. I’m BC and I’ll be seeing you.