In a recent interview on “dopeYEAH Talk,” guitarist Vivian Campbell talked about Dio, Whitesnake, Riverdogs, Shadow King and Def Leppard. You can watch the entire interview via the embedded YouTube clip below (a clip from a full in bloom interview with Adrian Vandenberg has been provided as well).
This is a full in bloom interview with Giuffria/Dio guitarist Craig Goldy.
YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW VIA THE EMBEDDED YOUTUBE CLIP BELOW. You can also access the video directly on YouTube.
YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW VIA THE EMBEDDED YOUTUBE CLIP BELOW.
Tygers of Pan Tang:
Coming very, very soon – the new digital single and video ‘Edge of the World’. Here’s a little taster 🎸
Rudy Sarzo:
This Is 72! Happy Birthday to Me 🎸🎂👴🏼🎂🎸
Happy Birthday, Rudy! 🎉🎈🤘🏻@rudysarzo pic.twitter.com/YZacpzchsy
— Lauren (@nickels_lauren) November 18, 2022
Revolution Saints:
New faces. New music.
Revolution Saints are back with a bang.
Mark your calendars for November 28, 2022, for the first taste of what’s to come from the next album.
Matt Wake: Had an epic interview with Steve Vai. We talked guitars, Steve’s solo career, David Lee Roth, Whitesnake, Steve’s playing in Ralph Macchio’s Crossroads, possibility of Steve writing a book, his shelved ’91 straight-ahead rock album, and much more.
You can read the entire interview @ Al.com. An excerpt from the conversation can be found below.
INTERVIEW EXCERPT:
You made another cool festival guest appearance this year at Hellfest. You came out during Whitesnake’s set and played the guitar solo on “Still of the Night.” It was great to see and hear you playing with them again. What was it like being a part of that band’s “Slip of the Tongue” (1989) album and tour, and making music with Whitesnake singer David Coverdale?
Steve Vai:
I had just left the Dave Roth band, and “Passion and Warfare” was released, and I wasn’t really comfortable with the idea of going out as a solo artist and doing instrumental guitar music with just one record.
There was an option to either do Whitesnake or do that. And I opted to do the Whitesnake gig, because I’m very comfortable with a lead singer, especially someone like David Coverdale, who’s just always outstanding.
And when the opportunity came, it was great. They had great producers, the guys in the band were really, really good guys and their record was basically completed. It was all written.
Adrian (Vandenberg, Whitesnake guitarist) had written the music with David. But Adrian was suffering from a hand injury, actually we discovered later it was in his neck from a car accident from when he was younger, and so he couldn’t really contribute the way his potential would allow.
So, I came in and I listened to all of the parts he did. I kind of restructured some things and recorded all my guitars and it was great.
The tour … It was a big tour. I mean, Whitesnake was huge. We were doing these festivals in Europe, and we had like Kiss and Aerosmith opening for us. [Laughs]
But it was nice. I didn’t necessarily feel that it would be the kind of music I’d been doing for the rest of my career, because if you listen to “Passion and Warfare” it’s obvious there’s something else going on in that guy’s head.
I need to ask you at least one David Lee Roth question. But I’m not going to ask about “Eat ‘Em And Smile” (the great 1986 Roth solo debut album Vai completely shreds on), since everyone asks you about that album. We’re coming up on the 35-year anniversary of another Roth album you played on, “Skyscraper.” What’s a vivid memory from making “Just Like Paradise,” the big single and music video from “Skyscraper”?
With Dave Roth, you know there’s gonna be some color involved and a lot of flamboyancies. He was always good at building these ‘80s type videos. We were gonna make a video for “Just Like Paradise” and I thought, What can I do? I know! I’m gonna have a giant red heart shaped guitar with three necks made. It was originally built as a prop for the video. So that’s one fun memory from that song.
Speaking of props, my understanding is the red Jackson guitar you play onscreen in the movie “Crossroads” was a prop and not played in your recording for the soundtrack. What guitar did you play on the “Crossroads” soundtrack?
Yeah, that’s the Green Meanie. It’s a Charvel, sort of like a super Strat (a type of hot-rodded guitar inspired by Eddie Van Halen’s famous red, black and white “Frankenstein” guitar).
It was the transitional guitar for me to the Jem (Vai’s signature Ibanez guitar). Because I was coming from playing a Strat, but I needed something with some more beef and something that was more rock & roll, more metal, because I had joined Alcatraz (an ‘80s Los Angeles metal band that previously featured shredder Yngwie Malmsteen on guitar).
So, I went to see Grover Jackson (founder of Jackson Guitars). I only learned this recently, but he loaned me that guitar and I absconded with it. Meaning, I refused to give it back and it was his personal guitar. He gave me other guitars, you know, like Jackson guitars. So I used that for quite a while. Sorry, Grover.
But that’s the guitar I used for “Crossroads” and a lot of “Eat ‘Em and Smile” and it’s on the Alcatraz record (1985′s “Disturbing the Peace”). And it’s on “Passion and Warfare” a little bit, I think.
You can read the entire interview @ this location.
Bernie Marsden:
Huge thanks to the @bmi for this award, in recognition of over 8 million plays on US radio for Here I Go Again. 😎👍🏼🎸 It is much appreciated. Thanks to my girls Charlotte and Olivia for picking up the award for me. ❤️
“Here I Go Again” is a song by British rock band Whitesnake. Originally released on their 1982 album, Saints & Sinners, the power ballad was re-recorded for their 1987 self-titled album. The song was re-recorded again the same year in a new “radio-mix” version, which was released as a single and hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on 10 October 1987, and number nine on the UK Singles Chart on 28 November 1987. The 1987 version also hit number one on the Canadian Singles Chart on 24 October 1987.
In 2003, Q magazine ranked it 962nd on their list of 1001 “Best Songs Ever”. In 2006, the 1987 version was ranked number 17 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of the ’80s. In 2012 Reader’s Poll of Rolling Stone it ranked as 9th among Top 10 “The Best Hair Metal Songs of All Time”. In 2017, The Daily Telegraph included it among Top 21 best power ballads.
The song was written by the lead singer, David Coverdale, and former Whitesnake guitarist, Bernie Marsden. The most notable difference between the original and re-recorded versions are a slight change in the bluesy lyrics and pace. The re-recording of the song in 1987 was advised by record labels bosses Al Coury and David Geffen as a negotiation deal with Coverdale to re-record “Crying in the Rain” for the band’s self-titled album Whitesnake released in 1987.
Tony Franklin:
Lots of signatures in the Arcada Theatre dressing rooms St Charles IL. Hey Carmine, no Blue Murder? 🤷♂️😂
I play here tonight with Lou Gramm.
View this post on Instagram
View from the stage pre-soundcheck at the beautiful Arcada Theater. pic.twitter.com/0LbKvalgwx
— Tony Franklin (@FretlessMonster) August 18, 2022
There we go. Fixed it. Added Blue Murder as well as my own signature. 😂🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/aECXVBJCvu
— Tony Franklin (@FretlessMonster) August 18, 2022
Guitar World: Def Leppard’s Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen on writing rock for a stadium audience and learning from ‘80s spandex cringe. You can read the entire interview @ this location.
INTERVIEW EXCERPT:
Let’s start with the T. Rex influence on Diamond Star Halos. As a guitarist, what did Marc Bolan mean to you guys growing up?
Vivian Campbell:
“He started the ball rolling for me. It wasn’t Marc Bolan the guitar player per se; rather, it was the whole thing – his sound and image. He really was the grandfather of the glam rock movement; he had the hair and the androgyny, and of course, he made music that was such infectious ear candy.
“I was about nine years old when I first saw him on Top of the Pops. It was such a lightbulb moment where I went, ‘That’s what I want to do. I want to wear my sister’s clothes. I want to blow my hair and play guitar and make a living doing it.’”
You wanted to be that guy on the cover of Electric Warrior.
“Yeah, exactly! He looked so great with his long hair and that Les Paul. That started me on the path. He just had the whole package, but the music was there. Out of that grew the different people who actually did influence me as a guitarist, like Rory Gallagher and Gary Moore. But I have to say, it was Marc Bolan who set me on my way to discovering them.”
Phil, how about you?
Phil Collen:
“Oh, I thought Marc Bolan was amazing, but for me, it might have been more David Bowie, who was from the same time period. I saw Bowie on Top of the Pops with Mick Ronson playing his Les Paul. The way he held that thing, I was like, ‘My God, this guy is so fucking cool.’
“I was 14 and I was trying to identify myself. I’d already gotten into Deep Purple, Zeppelin and Hendrix, but then came Bowie, Bolan, Roxy Music, the Faces, but especially Bowie. That was the music that spoke to me.”
Now, you guys have a lot of guitars, but if you could boil things down, what were your main instruments for this album?
“For me personally, it was a natural Jackson PC1. I’ve had it since 2007, and it’s the one. I use it on a lot of the solos and things because it just sounds right. I do like my red Jackson PC Supreme – it’s got the fattest neck they’ve ever made.
“It sounds great, but for some reason I didn’t use it all over the album, and I should have. But I kept coming back to the PC1. There were also a couple of Telecasters. I used Squier Telecaster on the solo on This Guitar, and there’s a Squier Starcaster for the lick at the beginning.”
Viv, how about you?
“Mostly Les Pauls. I used my Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul and my original Dio “Holy Diver” Les Paul. I also used a ’66 Telecaster. It’s been refretted with jumbo frets so I can actually bend on it. And I used my original Tom Anderson Strat for when I needed some shimmer or a little front pickup action. Those were the four that I used.”
You can read the entire interview @ this location.
Scorpions:
Attention Rock Believers!
We wanted to let you know that Whitesnake will no longer be joining us on our U.S. and Canadian Rock Believer tour. Nothing is more important than our fans and it was important to us that we keep the shows as scheduled. We wish Whitesnake all the best and look very much forward to seeing you and rocking with you all on tour along with Thundermother.
For all dates & info visit The-Scorpions.com.
David Coverdale:
“It is with profound disappointment and a heavy heart that I must announce that Whitesnake will no longer be able to join The Scorpions on their US and Canadian tour due to my continued treatment for a persistent upper respiratory infection that affects my ability to perform. This includes the cancellation of our own headlining shows as well.
While Whitesnake will no longer be on the tour, the Scorpions will be continuing on. We Wish Our Good Friends, The Scorpions Every Success!!!
We Wish You Well”
ROCK BELIEVER North America TOUR 2022:
Aug 21 – Toronto, ON (Budweiser Stage)
Aug 24 – Quebec City, QC (Centre Videotron)
Aug 27 – Montreal, QC (Bell Center)
Aug 30 – Detroit, MI (Pine Knob Music Theatre)
Sep 01 – Rosemont, IL (Allstate Arena)
Sep 05 – Atlantic City, NJ (Borgata Casino)
Sep 07 – Belmont Park, NY (UBS Arena)
Sep 09 – Mashantucket, CT (Foxwoods Casino)
Sep 12 – Hollywood, FL (Hard Rock Live)
Sep 14 – Tampa, FL (Amalie Arena)
Sep 17 – Houston, TX (Toyota Center)
Sep 19 – El Paso, TX (Don Haskins Center)
Sep 21 – Tulsa, OK (BOK Arena)
Sep 24 – San Antonio, TX (Freeman Coliseum)
Sep 27 – Dallas, TX (American Airlines Center)
Sep 29 – Denver, CO (Ball Arena)
Oct 01 – San Diego, CA (Viejas Arena)
Oct 04 – Los Angeles, CA (The Forum)
Oct 07 – Fresno, CA (Save Mart Center)
Oct 09 – Portland, OR (Moda Center)
Oct 13 – Spokane, WA (Spokane Arena)
Oct 15 – Tacoma, WA (Tacoma Dome)
Oct 18 – Oakland, CA (Oakland Coliseum)
Oct 21 – Las Vegas, NV (Mandalay Bay)
Rudy Sarzo:
Fun Fact: I got hit by a car while riding my 10-speed June 1, 1987. A couple of weeks later I went on tour with Whitesnake in support of Motley’s Girls X 3 wearing a cast on stage.
David Coverdale:
GOOOOOOOD Morning, Afternoon & Good Evening…Wherever You Are…I Hope I Find You & Yours In Fine Health & Good Spirits…no, not those spirits…those are for later…:)…Feeling Much, Much Better…Thankfully, Tho Jet Lag Is Still Taking Its Toll…Have The Best Of Days/Weekend!!
Oh, Tahoe…💖💖💖💖💖 pic.twitter.com/lVFVLnCmV1
— David Coverdale (@davidcoverdale) July 9, 2022
Classic Rock Magazine: Def Leppard talks about the making of their new album, Diamond Star Halos, playing state fairs in the 2000s, getting new management, and the band’s terrifying plane incident in the mid-’90s.
A Vivian Campbell excerpt has been provided below. You can read the entire interview with the rest of the band @ this location.
INTERVIEW EXCERPT:
Vivian Campbell:
“There isn’t another band on the planet like this. And what it comes down to is a collective sensibility. My two big experiences prior to Def Leppard were with Dio and Whitesnake, and neither situation worked out well for me. Ronnie James Dio named the band Dio, which tells you all you need to know. And Whitesnake: has there ever been a band in the entire history of rock music that’s had as many musicians pass through the turnstiles?
“If David Coverdale had only charged membership, he’d be a gazillionaire! In Def Leppard it’s different. Joe (Elliott) isn’t your typical ego-driven singer. There’s more humility to it. We’re all in service of the music. And we all look after each other to a certain extent.”
“I don’t mean to paint a false rosy picture. There’s been times when I’ve had an arm out in each direction stopping members of Def Leppard from fucking killing each other! Shit does happen, you know? But we all see the big picture. Whatever the problem, we work it out. And you can’t be an asshole in this band. There’s no latitude for that at all.”
“When you first hear that word, the bottom falls out of your world but once you get beyond that, you just deal with it. It’s all good now. I’m feeling great. But I don’t think that whole thing really changed me that profoundly. I think it cemented what I already believed. I wouldn’t say I’m fatalistic, but I’ve always been acutely aware that we’re on the clock. So I guess it amplified my world view.”
You can read the entire interview @ this location.
David Coverdale:
It is with the deepest sadness that I must announce that due to continuing health challenges, doctor’s orders, and our concern for everyone’s health and safety, Whitesnake is unable to continue its European Farewell Tour.
I extend my sincere apologies to all of Whitesnake’s amazing fans who have been looking forward to the remaining scheduled shows of this tour, all of our Amazing, Fabulous Snakes & tour personnel who have been working so hard to put on these shows, and all of the promoters and other professionals who have helped set up the tour…
I Appreciate & Love You All!!!
MORE INFO:
Whitesnake’s David Coverdale Diagnosed w/ Infection
Whitesnake Cancels Rock Empire Festival Gig
David Coverdale – UPDATE (7/1):
It is with the deepest sadness that I must announce that due to continuing health challenges, doctor’s orders, and our concern for everyone’s health and safety, Whitesnake is unable to continue its European Farewell Tour.
I extend my sincere apologies to all of Whitesnake’s amazing fans who have been looking forward to the remaining scheduled shows of this tour, all of our Amazing, Fabulous Snakes & tour personnel who have been working so hard to put on these shows, and all of the promoters and other professionals who have helped set up the tour…
I Appreciate & Love You All!!!
David Coverdale – UPDATE (6/28):
As stated earlier, I am still under doctor’s orders of bed rest, and to not sing for 5 days as i recover from this sinus infection. That time frame includes the show in Zagreb this Saturday, July 2nd so we are unfortunately going to have to cancel the Zagreb show as well.
This is obviously very sad for us, especially our band members that were getting to perform before hometown crowds; Michele Luppi, our Italian Stallion was looking forward to playing in Milan in front of his friends and family, and of course Dino Jelusic, the Pride of Croatia was going to be able to give his all, to his hometown of Zagreb.
We regret that this is necessary in our attempt to get healthy and be able to finish the rest of our tour.
David Coverdale – EARLIER STATEMENT (6/27):
We have been rocking our way across the globe on the first part of our Farewell Tour giving all we’ve got to you, the fans. The rigors of the road are the same for all of us and we have been trying to keep everyone healthy and safe. Unfortunately, we have been hit recently with a couple of situations that we have been dealing with, the best we can.
First our beloved band leader Reb Beach went down temporarily, and he missed a couple of shows while he mended (and is much better now, by the way).
Then the rock of our band, the legendary Tommy Aldridge went down, and we unfortunately were not able to play the Rock Imperium Festival in Cartagena this past Saturday (very regrettable and all apologies to our Spanish fans and friends).
Tommy was bad enough at the time to have missed the first show ever in his career – The GOOD news is that he is feeling better and is anxious to get back out there to perform for all of you.
Unfortunately, I have now been hit hard as well. I started feeling a bit under the weather two days ago, and was just diagnosed with an infection of the sinus & trachea. The doctor recommends 5 days of no singing and bed rest.
Sadly, that means that we are not going to be able to do the upcoming shows in Milan, Vienna and a decision on Zagreb is about to be made.
I’m very sorry to all the fans who had planned to come see our Farewell Tour in each of those cities – it’s my intention to get better as soon as possible and be able to pick up with the remaining shows of the European Farewell Tour. You are all in our hearts!!
READ OUR PREVIOUS POST REGARDING DRUMMER TOMMY ALDRIDGE’S HEALTH @ THIS LOCATION.
