Whitesnake: Made In Japan

Coverdale proves the old school rules.

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The title of this album is a little provocative, but then David Coverdale has never been backwards at coming forwards, and perhaps he felt it was time to remind the world that there has been more to his career than its pivotal spell in the sun.

A year after Deep Purple issued Made In Japan, David Coverdale, shop assistant from Redcar, was their singer, and from then until now, that superlative rock’n’roll voice has endured. He has dressed it with a man-for-all-markets public persona – fruity double entendres for his Carry On-loving homeland, Mills & Boon Lord of the Manor for the Americans – but there’s a deep sense of craftsmanship when you hear him sing.

An old-school live album like this one, drum solo and all, is a fine showcase. In his latter period, what Coverdale doesn’t do is as important as what he does. With the light and shade in his voice, a set that builds to the hits and a fiery band playing extremely well, you’ll find yourself doffing your cap to the old rogue once more. He’s still got it.

Jon Hotten

Jon Hotten is an English author and journalist. He is best known for the books Muscle: A Writer's Trip Through a Sport with No Boundaries and The Years of the Locust. In June 2015 he published a novel, My Life And The Beautiful Music (Cape), based on his time in LA in the late 80s reporting on the heavy metal scene. He was a contributor to Kerrang! magazine from 1987–92 and currently contributes to Classic Rock. Hotten is the author of the popular cricket blog, The Old Batsman, and since February 2013 is a frequent contributor to The Cordon cricket blog at Cricinfo. His most recent book, Bat, Ball & Field, was published in 2022.