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Middlesbrough, United Kingdom · 1978–1990 * 1994 * 1997 * 2003–2022

Whitesnake

Whitesnake was born as a fleeting project that ended up lasting for decades. Everything started when David Coverdale, after leaving Deep Purple in 1976, recorded two solo albums blending blues, soul, and funk: White Snake and Northwinds. To promote them, he assembled a touring band in London in 1978, recruiting musicians like Micky Moody and Bernie Marsden. What began as a support act for those albums became Whitesnake, a band that, while keeping Coverdale as the central figure, evolved into a more powerful and direct sound. Their first EP, Snakebite, and the albums Trouble and Lovehunter — featuring songs like "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City" and "Walking in the Shadow of the Blues" — already made it clear that their music had one foot in blues rock and another in hard rock, with lyrics playing with double entendres and sensual metaphors.

The turning point came in 1984 with Slide It In, recorded with Geffen Records to break into the US market. Songs like "Love Ain't No Stranger" and "Slow an' Easy" played on the radio and MTV, bringing the band to a wider audience. But the definitive leap happened in 1987 with the album 1987, which sold over eight million copies in the United States alone. Tracks like "Here I Go Again", "Is This Love", and "Still of the Night" became anthems, while the band’s image adopted the glam metal style of Los Angeles. It was a time when Whitesnake went from being a cult band to a global phenomenon, though always with Coverdale as the creative driving force.

Hard rock Classic rock Rock Blues rock 1970s
1 Albums
9 Songs
Start playing

Most played on DoReSol

Essential songs

01

Crying in the Rain

Whitesnake · 1987

5:37 02

Bad Boys

Whitesnake · 1987

4:09 03

Still of the Night

Whitesnake · 1987

6:41 04

Here I Go Again

Whitesnake · 1987

4:36 05

Give Me All Your Love

Whitesnake · 1987

3:30 06

Is This Love

Whitesnake · 1987

4:45 07

Children of the Night

Whitesnake · 1987

4:24 08

Straight for the Heart

Whitesnake · 1987

3:40 09

Don’t Turn Away

Whitesnake · 1987

5:13

1 album|s · 1987

Full discography

Whitesnake 1987 ★ Essential

Whitesnake

9 song|s · Hard rock

Share stage, decade and obsessions

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Details, awards, members and more

More about Whitesnake

Biography

After the success of 1987, Coverdale stepped back in 1989, and the band entered a long hiatus. It only briefly resurfaced in the 90s with releases like Greatest Hits and Restless Heart. In 2003, to mark their 25th anniversary, he formed a new lineup and returned to the stage with albums like Good to Be Bad, Forevermore, and Flesh & Blood, maintaining that blend of hard rock with melodic touches. In 2022, a farewell tour was cut short due to health issues, and in 2025 Coverdale announced his retirement, thus closing the story of Whitesnake. Throughout their career, the band received a Brit Awards nomination in 1988, but their true legacy lies in those songs that, decades later, still play on radios and rock charts.

Details

Born
1 Jan 1978
Country
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Genre
Hard rock

Members

vocals, founder · 2002–present
David Coverdale
electric guitar · 2002–present
Reb Beach
drums · 2013–present
Tommy Aldridge
electric guitar · 2014–present
Joel Hoekstra
keyboards · 2015–present
Michele Luppi
backing vocals · 2021–present
Dino Jelusick
bass · 2021–present
Tanya O’Callaghan
vocals, founder · 1978–1991
David Coverdale
electric guitar · 2002–2014
Doug Aldrich
bass · 2010–2021
Michael Devin
keyboards · 2002–2010
Timothy Drury
keyboards · 1978–1984
Jon Lord
electric guitar · 1978–1984
Micky Moody
bass · 1978–1984
Neil Murray
drums · 2002–2007
Tommy Aldridge
bass · 2005–2010
Uriah Duffy
electric guitar · 1978–1982
Bernie Marsden
electric guitar · 1987–1991
Adrian Vandenberg
bass · 1987–1991
Rudy Sarzo
drums · 1987–1991
Tommy Aldridge
drums · 1979–1982
Ian Paice
drums · 1982–1985
Cozy Powell
electric guitar · 1984–1987
John Sykes
bass · 2002–2005
Marco Mendoza
drums · 2007–2010
Chris Frazier
electric guitar · 1982–1984
Mel Galley
electric guitar · 1989–1991
Steve Vai
drums · 2011–2013
Brian Tichy
drums · 1978–1979
Dave Dowle
electric guitar · 1987–1988
Vivian Campbell
· 1978–1978
Peter Solley
drums · 1987–1987
Aynsley Dunbar
electric guitar · 1994–1994
Adrian Vandenberg
vocals, founder · 1994–1994
David Coverdale
keyboards · 1994–1994
Paul Mirkovich
bass · 1994–1994
Rudy Sarzo
electric guitar · 1994–1994
Warren DeMartini
electric guitar · 1997–1997
Adrian Vandenberg
vocals, founder · 1997–1997
David Coverdale
bass · 1997–1997
Tony Franklin

Record labels

United Artists Records United Artists * EMI * Harvest Records Harvest/Sunburst * Polydor Records Polydor * Mirage Records Mirage/Atlantic Records Atlantic * Liberty Records Liberty * Geffen Records Geffen * Warner Records Warner Bros. * CBS Records International CBS/Sony Music Entertainment Japan Sony * SPV GmbH Steamhammer * Frontiers Music Frontiers * Parlophone * Rhino Entertainment Rhino * Craft Recordings

Links

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