Published on Apr 6, 2001
I’m used to record label hype but I’ve just received the lowest
of the low in this tactic. In this particular case, SPV has gone
too far and I’m about to call them on it.
The liner notes for the latest Company Of Snakes release
Here They Go Again – Live acts as if the world has been
salivating in anticipation for this release. I get that impression
from the press release that states such rubbish as, “If you ask
people concerned professionally with the rock music scene which, in
their opinion, was the most important and influential line-up of
the now defunct British heavy rock formation, Whitesnake, most
people would probably list the original line-up of David Coverdale,
Bernie Marsden, Mickey Moody and Neil Murray. It was in this
constellation which helped Whitesnake attain extraordinary success
from 1978 to 1982, during which time the released such great albums
as
Northwinds,
Snakebite,
Trouble [and 6 others].”
I admit that I grew up with the widespread commercial success of
Whitesnake in a culture that never heard of the band before 1984’s
Slide It In. I admit, fully, my bias in the “new”
Whitesnake. It should, therefore, come as no surprise that I think
the press for this release is flat out stupid. In my opinion, and
if “concerned professionally” means I have gotten money for writing
about music, I’m qualified, Whitesnake had zero success in the
United States until 1984’s
Slide It In release and no widespread success until their
1987 self-titled release. “Extraordinary success from 1978 to
1982”? Hmmph.
So, obviously, since I made the mistake of reading the press
packet for this release prior to listening to the two CDs of this
release, I was in a foul mood. And hearing a band play material
that sounds like Whitesnake just made my foul mood worse. The music
is executed rather tightly. Drummer John Lingwood, who the press
material describes as “A popular artiste constantly in demand,
whoxse curriculum vitae already included such names as Manfred
Mann’s Earthband, Roger Chapman and Elkie Brooks,” nails the two
and four beats with precision. Sorry, I’ve heard of the first of
those three bands, but not the last two. Vocalist Stefan Berggren
sounds, well, like Coverdale in a lot of spots.
Out of the two CDs, I found the old Whitesnake songs to be
handled the best, especially the stellar “Here I Go Again” and “Is
This Love.” Tracks like “Don’t Break My Heart Again” and “Rough And
Ready” are boring.
In all, I can’t really give this release a negative grade, even
though I want to, based on the press material. Instead, I’ll give
it a C.