Whitesnake fans worldwide now have something to be excited about! To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Whitesnake’s multi-platinum Slide It In album, Frontiers Music Srl, the Italian-based label, will release Live In ‘84 – Back To The Bone, a complete celebration of the group’s awe inspiring lineup during what many feel was the incredible beginning of what Coverdale called his desire to make Whitesnake more “electrifying” on record & on stage.
Set for release in the EU on November 7th and in North America on November 11th, this release will be available in DVD and a Deluxe CD/DVD edition.
Culled from audio and video recordings and unheard demos from the private collection of Whitesnake leader and vocalist, David Coverdale, the release offers an ultra-rare collection of material, performed by the band’s acclaimed ’83-’84 line-ups. Featured on the record & driven by the awesome Cozy Powell on drums (ex- Jeff Beck Group, Rainbow, MSG and later on Gary Moore and Black Sabbath, among others); unique guitarist John Sykes, whom Coverdale credits with inspiring a whole generation of six stringers after his breathtaking work on the Whitesnake 87’ album and Bassist exceptionale Neil Murray.
There is also an extraordinary emotional bonus content featuring legendary keyboardist Jon Lord performing his last show ever with Whitesnake on video and also the bonus CD.
“It’s still hard for me to find the words when remembering that half the incredible band who originally recorded the Slide It In album with me have passed away,” says Coverdale. “It’s incredibly difficult to articulate: Cozy Powell…Mel Galley…Jon Lord…All amazing people and amazing musicians. Their memories live on in our hearts & in the music they made. I miss them beyond words… Wait until you see & hear them playing as only they can and add in the fiery guitar assault of the incredibly gifted John Sykes, plus the relentless melodic bass pounding of Neil Murray.”
Coverdale and co-producer Michael McIntyre launched a worldwide search for the best quality video footage and audio tracks from the 1984 tour. Among the gems found was a set from: Super-Rock, recorded at the first Japanese rock festival at Seibu Stadium in Tokyo and an invaluable video of Jon Lord’s final appearance with Whitesnake recorded live in Sweden. “All of the features on this package have been treated lovingly & respectfully, with no expense spared, utilizing technology to improve sound & picture quality,” says Coverdale, who personally oversaw all elements of this release.
Concludes Coverdale, “These are memories I treasure and delight in sharing with you as we continue our celebration of the 30th Anniversary of WHhitesnake’s Slide It In.”
Track listing:
CD (only available in combo edition):
1. Gambler
2. Guilty Of Love
3. Love Ain’t No Stranger
4. Slow An’ Easy
5. Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues
6. Ready An’ Willing
7. Guitar Solo
8. Crying In The Rain
9. Soldier Of Fortune
10. Love Ain’t No Stranger
11. Ready An’ Willing
12. Slow An’ Easy
Bonus Tracks – Jon Lord’s Final Performance with Whitesnake (Medley)
13. Gambler (featuring Jon Lord)
14. Guilty of Love (featuring Jon Lord)
15. Love Ain’t No Stranger (featuring Jon Lord)
16. Ready an’ Willing (featuring Jon Lord)
DVD:
1. Gambler
2. Guilty of Love
3. Love Ain’t No Stranger
4. Ready an’ Willing
5. Slow an’ Easy
6. Crying in the Rain
7. Guitar Solo
8. Soldier of Fortune
9. Drum Solo
10. Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City
11. Don’t Break My Heart Again
Bonus Tracks – Jon Lord’s Final Performance with Whitesnake (Medley)
12. Gambler (featuring Jon Lord)
13. Guilty of Love (featuring Jon Lord)
14. Love Ain’t No Stranger (featuring Jon Lord)
15. Ready an’ Willing (featuring Jon Lord)
DVD Bonus Gallery – Slide It In Slide Show with Rare Unseen Photos – The music bed contains snippets of private demos from David’s personal archives.
For all things Whitesnake, please visit whitesnake.com and facebook.com/Whitesnake.official
51 Responses
Best lineup of Whitesnake, ever!
Other than anything pertaining to the mighty Priest, I haven’t been this excited about a “new” release. Yay 😀
Dana from ET.com 🙂
Dana, I have to respectfully disagree. The Mickey Moody,Bernie Marsden, Ian Paice, Jon Lord, David Coverdale lineup was the absolute best. I realize that you are a huge John Sykes fan and he was fantastic, but this is probably the 2nd best line up.
I realize it is in the eye of the beholder.
Yes, it is. But just as an FYI, Eddie agrees with me on this lineup 😛 LOL!!!
D 🙂
I have a few bootlegs of this era live and it smokes. Was a fan of Whitesnake from the first album Snakebite. “Slide It In” remains my fave, but when I heard that record with Sykes I new America would be conquered. It was like a great band just got turbo driven!
I think everyone on here knows how I feel about Sykes, and are probably sick of hearing it. However, I agree with you, Slide It In, is also my favorite Whitesnake album. That being said, I think Blue Murder’s debut album is one of best and most underrated rock albums of all time.
D 🙂
Dana, come on now. Trouble is the best Whitesnake album. It is absolutely fantastic. Ready and Willing and Live in the Heart of the City are great too. I think the A side of Slide it In is good, but there is some weaker stuff on that B side.
John Sykes is great, no doubt. I completely agree with you there.
Okay Harry,
I respect that we have differing opinions. But, even more importantly, I love that we agree on Sykes 🙂
Cheers,
D 🙂
In my opinion, the first Blue Murder album is the best album Whitesnake never made. I’ve always hoped when Coverdale heard that album for the first time and heard songs like Valley Of The Kings he just punched himself for screwing up and losing John Sykes.
James K, that is completely ridiculous.
I’m with you on this one.
Ridiculous how? Compare that album to the one Whitesnake did right after the ’87 album. The Blue Murder album is better.
Big shock (lol), but I agree with your comment James,
Unlike the ’87 album, the debut Blue Murder album shows a musical maturation, in my opinion. The songwriting was elevated, and an added surprise, was how adept John proved to be as a lead singer. I cannot say enough great things about that record. It is really a shame that it was so overlooked by the masses. However, it seems to be a very well respected effort among other musicians.
Dana from ET.com 🙂
Believe it or not they were going to bring in Tony “the Cat” Martin to be Blue Murder’s singer, he of Black Sabbath circa “Headless Cross,” but when they heard that Sykes could handle it, and it was his baby, they decided to let him take it.
I know that Ray Gillen was the original singer on the album. The problem was that Sykes sang on all the demos that were sent into the record company.
So, after they recorded the album with Gillen and sent it back to Geffen, John Kalodner asked Sykes “What happened to the singer that we heard on the demos?” Sykes told him that he was singing on them because the record company needed to hear them and he didn’t have a singer yet. However, it was never his intention to be the vocalist in the band. Kalodner then replied that the record company preferred Sykes’ voice. Therefore, he had to go back in, re record all the vocals, and the rest, as they say, is history. That is a real testament to Sykes because we all know that Gillen could sing very well.
I think Eddie might have said that he heard the version with Gillan singing on it. So, if he reads this, maybe he can comment on it?
D 🙂
I got the Tony “the Cat” Martin information from a Carmine Appice interview, maybe he got the names mixed up.
Dana…Blue Murder’s debut is easily one of my top 10 fav albums. One of the very few 80’s albums I still listen too. However I do think the band might have made a bigger impact with Gillen…not so much for the fact that Gillen was a great singer but he would have been the focal point…the standard for that era being your classic Zep style 4 piece lineup. I actually prefer Sykes vocals but the three piece format was a tough sell for the MTV era rock bands.
JB,
That is a very valid point. I love to hear from fellow fans who are just as passionate about Sykes and Blue Murder as I am 🙂
Cheers,
D 🙂
James K, you are speaking out of your “bottom” now.
Harry,
Tsk, tsk. You know what they say about opinions, and while you may think his is coming out of his rear, someone may feel the same about yours. Be nice. 😀
D 🙂
Harry, my opinion is just that and I’m comfortable with that. I’m still getting the Trouble at your suggestion, so thanks and have a great week my friend.
Harry, just changing the subject, but what do you think about Black Country Communion? I think the first two albums are classics. The third album, Afterglow, is also great.
This will be killer. Sykes was a monster at this point!!
I will definitely get this, and cheers to Frontiers music for putting it out. I wonder if permission from John Sykes was needed in any way?
I remember reading that Coverdale was upset that he and Glenn Hughes weren’t asked to be in the Deep Purple reunion in ’84 so he couldn’t have been happy about Jon Lord bolting Whitesnake to take part in it. This was right before Jon Lord left. Whitesnake was doing well at the time, don’t know what David was unhappy about.
Kind of odd that the song Slide it In isn’t on this, after all isn’t this supposed to be about the 30th Anniversary of that albums release?