I thought all my Christmases had come at once when I was told I’d be reviewing Whitesnake’s Sydney concert, as well interviewing the legend that is Whitesnake – the affable Mr David Coverdale.

Well, perhaps not so affable. I can’t help thinking back to an interview when he appeared very aloof and at best arrogant. Bearing this in mind, I was prepared for confrontation and a potential tear. After a few pleasantries with Coverdale’s agent, though, I was greeted with an enthusiastic, “Marija, hello darling, how are you?” Good Lord, it’s David Coverdale, and he knows my name.

Confidence intact, I tell him I’m calling from Sydney, and ask where he is. “Well, I shall be hanging in your vines in a couple of weeks,” says Coverdale in his distinguishable Yorkshire accent that has not been Americanised despite living there for well over 25 years. For the record Coverdale calls Lake Tahoe, Nevada home. He’s very excited to be revisiting Australia, mentioning that 1994 was his last appearance.

There is no denying Coverdale’s enthusiasm for visiting our shores, but it’s been a long time between drinks. “If geographically nearer, it would be easier,” he reasons. “And economically it doesn’t make sense”. The last time around was hard enough, with little support from the record label and having “bullied our way to get there”. Rest assured: it is Coverdale’s intention “for the snake to come over and seduce you guys!”

Being the consummate professional, I suggested that he should keep his snake in his pants for the sake of the interview. ”Oh, steady on old girl,” the quick witted charmer quips. “I was talking about my musical on song.” He lets out a hearty laugh. “Leave my snake out of this. That will be the title of my autobiography – How White Was My Snake?” Arrogant, aloof? Hell no.

Whitesnake’s tenth studio album Good To Be Bad is a “much more Whitesnake album from top to bottom, beginning to end, covering a multitude of sins,” Coverdale enthuses. “The responses are extraordinary…people are describing it as a heady cocktail that embraces all the times and chapters of Whitesnake.” This was not Coverdale’s intention, rather a “fortunate bonus of celebrating Whitesnake’s 30th year anniversary.”

Whitesnake have gone through many line-up changes, but Coverdale is the Mr Whitesnake. He owns the brand that affords him three offices, selling branding to perfumes, films, commercials and the like. Coverdale can afford to retire, but considers performing onstage the fun part in the whole business. Work occupies six months of the year, with the remainder concentrated on family.

Early on in Whitesnake’s career, the band was purported by unimaginative critics as copying Led Zeppelin. This has some basis when Coverdale fronted Deep Purple (even then the musical output was worlds apart) but is old news to Coverdale. “It’s not really interesting; I’ve sold 100 million records. That’s pretty good if I have been copying anybody. Whitesnake has done well, thank you very much.”

Simply mention Led Zeppelin’s guitarist Jimmy Page and Coverdale lights up. He talks of his admiration for all of the Led Zeppelin members, notably Jimmy Page’s musicianship and the great time they had working together on Coverdale/Page. Coverdale’s solo album Into The Light saw him shy away from the ethos of Whitesnake during a time when he felt “restricted by the corporate mentality”. In hindsight the album could have very easily been a Whitesnake release, yet minimised the “bombastic and aggressive” resonation. Coverdale enjoys this album, yet rarely listens to his work once recorded.

Whitesnake reached worldwide super-stardom courtesy of 1987’s self titled album that spawned memorable video clips featuring Tawny Kitaen (former wife of Coverdale), provocatively intermingling with Coverdale on Is This Love and Here I Go Again among others. Coverdale affirms, “I still benefit from the success of that time. Radio loved Whitesnake, MTV loved Whitesnake, people bought records like crazy, and concert tours were huge…”’

The current album does not have a video clip, but Coverdale and co. will be shooting it on this trip. Their rehearsals and the journey will be used for the first single Lay Down Your Love. Asked what we can expect from Whitesnake’s concert, Coverdale is elusive. “I never give away what we do…but I promise to keep my snake in my pants.”

Catch Whitesnake at the following venues on their Australian tour.

Mar 26 – The Tivoli, Brisbane
Mar 28 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Mar 30 – The Palace (formerly The Metro), Melbourne
Mar 31 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide

And here’s a flashback to the time that scissors forgot – Whitesnake’s hairy 1987 hit Here I Go Again.