Somewhere along the way, I got old. I'm not sure when it happened, but at some point over the last 5 years I really started digging 70's rock. It started innocent enough at first, you know, kind of discovering the brilliance of Deep Purple and Alice Cooper. Then, before you knew it, my stereo speakers were rockin' some early Blue Oyster Cult and Led Zeppelin. By then it was too late, and I was falling in love with early Aerosmith and some band that I've hated with an unholy passion for all of my life, Whitesnake. Damn, how did this happen. From the moment I was introduced to David Coverdale and Tawny Kitaen in Whitesnake's 1987 video for Here I Go Again, I hated that fucking song...hated that fucking band. In the war on hair metal, I was firmly in the Slayer camp, hating poser pretty boys like Whitesnake.
Yet, here I am 25 years later, seriously looking to add the first 6 or 7 Whitesnake albums to my vinyl collection...you see, I still think the self titled album from '87 is highly polished piece of shit, so my obsession ends there. But in the last five years, my love of Deep Purple properly introduced me to David Coverdale when he took over as the band's singer with their Burn album in 1974. What I found was heavy and passionate 70's rock that I could no longer deny. Eventually, that bluesy rock sound led me to checking out the late 70's albums from Whitesnake. Much to my surprise, I loved them, and now I need them on vinyl. I found their live album from 1980, Live In The Heart Of The City, on eBay for $5.00...still sealed. Did not hesitate to pick it up. I'd resisted and avoided them for so long, but there is something about 70's Hard Rock that I've fallen in love with...or maybe I've just gotten old.
3 comments:
I have the same 'problem'. From ZZ Top to Mountain to Whitesnake. It's all 'acceptable' since I started playing Guitar Hero III some years ago :-)
Mike, I got your back on this one!
My latest rock passion is Rainbow, and that was before the hype with Dio passing. That first lp and "Stargazer" off Rising are amazing.
As far as Whitesnake goes, I think Slide It In was a really good album and the last gasp before the aqua net took over. Jon Lord and Cozy Powell were still around so it was still somewhat respectable to the old Deep Purple audience. Check out "Guilty of Love" sometime.
Doug, Rainbow is amazing, but hey, Dio was involved so it is automatic gold, as far as I'm concerned. Kill The King...is soooo good.
I've got Slide It In, and would agree with you that it is the last good Whitesnake album. Ready and Willing, plus Lovehunter are my two favorites right now.
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