David Coverdale (Whitesnake)
August 2008
When and where were you born?
I was born in Saltburn-by-the-Sea in Yorkshire in the United Kingdom on September 22nd in 1951.
Can you tell me about your childhood?
I was attracted to music very early. My mother had two younger siblings, a sister and a brother, who were teenagers and they would buy all of the great rock'n'roll stuff like Elvis Presley, Little Richard. That was a big inspiration for me even as a very young man. My mother was a great singer and my father was a sketch artist so I absorbed both of the gifts I feel. They did not actively pursue anything other than private fun for their talent and both of them worked in a local factory. And it's very surprising but I was not exposed to music at my home because they've never had a radio or a record player. I only heard radio and records when I stayed with my grandmother with my teenage aunts and uncles.
And did your parents like rock music?
Well, rock music then was Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley. A big big influence to me was Jailhouse Rock from Elvis Presley. And Little Richard and the way he was screaming was a big influence.
What was your dream as a kid?
I wanted to be an artist. When I was seven years old I heard there was a school you could go to where you could learn to draw and that was my total passion and then I actually went to art college and I trained to be a graphic design artist and an art teacher. And on the way I just had singing with school choirs when I was 11. We formed a kind of very silly school group but my strength was singing. I was told often that I had a good singing voice. I was also, when I was very young, I would love to write poems to express myself and once I learned to play an instrument those poems became songs. So the first time when I was in an electric group was when I was 14 years old.
What was the first song that you ever learned to play?
For Your Love by the Yardbirds. In fact, out of respect for that and for Jimmy Page, when I worked with Jimmy I utilised some of those chords in the song Whisper A Prayer For The Dying on the Coverdale/Page record.
Do you remember the first vinyl you ever bought?
It would have been for the group I was singing with. It would have been Child Is Father To The Man by Blood, Sweat and Tears. But that wasn't me buying it. I was given money by the group to buy a record that I thought would be good for the group to play. And the group I was working with at that time were much older than me and there was a trumpet and sax player in the group.
And the first one you bought for yourself?
My family never had a record player at home until I bought one when I was 17. So, up until then, I only heard albums and singles when I was at my maternal grandmother's house. She had two teenage children who were really into music. Probably my first LP was Hendrix's Are You Experienced.
What was the last CD you bought?
English Lute Duets by Paul 'o' Dette and Jakob Lindberg.
Do you consider yourself a regular music purchaser?
Yes, I'm very much of a consumer. I love all kinds of music. It's impossible for me to say that I only listen to rock or I only listen to blues. I listen to such a cross section it's unreal: Brazilian music, Tibet music, Chinese music, modern rock music, my son is introducing me to hip-hop music. Just lots and lots of different kinds of music. And I listen to music to suit my mood. When I travel I take a laptop, which has over 25,000 pieces of music. I need my music like I need oxygen.
Do you also listen to your own stuff?
Very rarely. Although when I'm working on new songs I'm listening to my stuff but only new stuff.
What would be your three all time favourite albums?
That's easy. Jimi Hendrix's Axis: Bold As Love... I think it would be Jimi Hendrix's Are You Experienced. My Generation by The Who. Muddy Waters... anything by Muddy Waters.
And what is your favourite Whitesnake album?
The new one.
And from the old ones?
I don't know. I think two really good albums are Ready An' Willing and Come An' Get It because I think the songs are very good. I like songs rather than albums.
So what are those songs that you like the most?
I think the best known Whitesnake song is Here I Go Again and it's got all of the elements. It has a whisper to scream vocal, it has a very honest lyric and it has a great melody. It's a very good Whitesnake song, a very complete Whitesnake song I feel. But Still Of The Night is a great rock song too.
Which Whitesnake album are you the least satisfied with?
In terms of how it finished it was Saints And Sinners but of course there were some very good songs on that but I don't think that we played the songs as good as we could have.
What was the first time you were on stage?
My mother and father had a pub, a drinking house (laughs) and when I was 11 I sung Don't Think Twice It's All Right by Bob Dylan and Colors by Donovan for this audience. It was like in a lunch time and I think they were just like giving me a break. (Laughs)
What was the first concert you attended?
I would see lots of local groups. The most incredible show that I saw when I was 15, which was Jimi Hendix Experience. That was extremely inspiring for me.
Do you also remember your first professional gig?
My first true professional gig was very likely with Deep Purple in Copenhagen in 1973. The first gig with Whitesnake was from 1977 or 1978, I'm not sure. I think it was at an University.
I'm pretty sure you had a lot of good memories from all the tours you did but was there any gig where all went wrong?
No, I've been very fortunate. I judge shows on the emotional response between the audience and the musicians. I don't look at shows that they'd have to be perfect. It's rock'n'roll for god's sake. It's an imperfect art.
What's the strangest thing that happened to you on the road?
Every day something 'strange' happens. It's one of the reasons that touring is so interesting.
What do you prefer: playing in front of large or smaller audiences?
There's no preference. This was why I liked big places. (Laughs)
What was the largest and smallest crowd you ever played in front of?
The largest with people in front of me was over 400,000 in Brazil. The venue make TV shows that can run into the mega millions. The smallest crowd... when I was a local musician maybe sometimes six. (Laughs)
What's the first thing you do after getting offstage?
Usually my assistant helps me out of my clothes because I'm pretty exhausted and my clothes are tight and soaking wet. Then I relax and then I eat because I haven't eaten for since the afternoon. I can't eat six hours before the show so then afterwards I'm very very hungry and then I drive out to the hotel into the next city. I don't make parties anymore. It's not interesting anymore. I'm very happy to be married. The only reason I would party before was to meet women.
If you were to put together a Dream Team of musicians who would you pick?
I already have my Dream Team. I'm working with them now.
Do you have time for hobbies besides doing music?
Yes, I like reading and watching movies. Anything that can take my mind and heart away from music so I can recharge.
Do you have a favourite drink and food?
Too many to mention. Though I have been enjoying my single malt whiskeys a lot lately.
What's your take on religion? Do you consider yourself a religious person?
No. I consider myself a spiritual person though I am a Christian, as I believe in The Christ.
How many languages do you speak?
The language of the heart. I find it's more than enough.
What do you think about Hungary?
It's a beautiful country that is very generous to me. I was very disappointed that we had to cancel our concert there two years ago though there was nothing I could do about such a storm. I was very happy we could come back this year to make up for the cancellation. I have only good and positive memories about that show.
Do you care about what the media say about your work?
No, it's no concern to me. Of course it is disappointing if somebody is rude but it's usually never to my face. My job is to work to an audience, I don't work to for media. If the media is enjoying my work great, if they don't that's just fine. They usually don't buy tickets to shows.
How do you deal with interviews after all the years being in this business?
It's just a conversation. I hope that it's gonna go well, that's it's gonna be amusing, that it's gonna be informative. I don't really think about them once I've made them. I only make them when there's something to talk about. And it's funny. I'm talking to Hungary and next I'm talking to America and next I'm talking to Japan. It's like a global day.
What's the most common question you're asked in interviews?
In Europe: "What was it like with Deep Purple?" In America: "What was it like being married to Tawny Kitaen?"
What would be your day job if you weren't a musician?
I studied to be a graphic design artist and an art teacher so probably I would work in that field.
What's the meaning of life for you?
Balance is most important. It's when we're out of balance we get into trouble. Having love, joy and fun in my life. Oh, and I like abundance too. You must find your own meaning of life.