Whitesnake ready to rock Wolverhampton Civic

It promises to be one hot night when rockers Whitesnake appear at Wolverhampton Civic Hall next week, and that's not just on stage and in the audience.

For lead singer David Coverdale is set for a special reunion . . . with the backstage sauna at the Civic.

A few years ago Coverdale revealed in an interview with the Express & Star that the VIP dressing room sauna was always a big favourite when his band played the Civic in days gone by.

This time round Whitesnake are touring to promote their new album Forevermore, a collection of 13 new tracks which finds rock's great Lothario in fine lusty form on songs including Steal Your Heart Away, Love And Treat Me Right and Easier Said Than Done.

Formed in 1977 after Coverdale had left the Deep Purple line-up which included Cannock's Glenn Hughes, Whitesnake have gone on to release 11 albums and scored major hits with songs including Here I Go Again, Fool For Your Loving and Is This Love.

The band made its mark in the late 70s with a blues rock sound centred on the guitar partnership of Micky Moody and Bernie Marsden.

In the late 80s Whitesnake underwent a dramatic change in style, making huge inroads into the American market with a more heavy rock/metal style aimed squarely at the newly emerging MTV generation. Over the years a number of other guitarists were drafted in by Coverdale.

These have included a roll call of some of heavy rock's greatest guitar heroes, including Steve Vai, John Sykes, Vivian Campbell, Adrian Vandenberg and another Cannock connection in the late Mel Galley.

It was Galley – a one time a member of Trapeze with Glenn Hughes – who co-wrote the Whitesnake hit Love Ain't No Stranger, still a fan favourite to this day. The current line-up comprises Coverdale, guitarists Doug Aldrich and Reb Beach, bassist Michael Devin, drummer Brian Tichy and keyboardist Brian Ruedy.

In a recent interview Coverdale talked about his extraordinary musical partnership with Aldrich: "Not only do we have great friendship, but that's transitioned into a songwriting partnership. The big bonus for me is that, unlike many of the American musicians I'm blessed with, Doug is familiar with the very early albums of Whitesnake.

"So he knew all these elements that I started off with — the hard rock, rhythm and blues, soul - and loved that stuff."

* Whitesnake play Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Thursday, June 16, 2011. The concert is sold out.

By Ian Harvey