David Coverdale Surfaces For Christmas Show

11 Dec 2000 09:30:00 EST

Ex-Whitesnake frontman to play Los Angeles radio station's holiday concert
By Sorelle Saidman

David Coverdale
Photo: MTV News

Former Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale will perform for the first time in three years Friday at a Los Angeles radio station's holiday concert.

KLOS-FM's Mark & Brian Christmas Show at the Wiltern Theatre will also be the singer's first North American show in 10 years.

"I'm doing it because they asked me and they weren't some big hair reunion tour," Coverdale joked.

The 49-year-old singer fronted Deep Purple from 1973 to 1976 before moving on to a 20-year career with Whitesnake. He also teamed up with Led Zeppelin guitar legend Jimmy Page as Coverdale-Page, releasing a self-titled album in 1993.

In October, Coverdale released a solo album, Into the Light, via his own Dragonshead label in North America and through EMI in Europe. The album's first single, "Slave," is at #26 on the Radio & Records Rock airplay chart.

At the holiday concert, Coverdale will be backed by members of the band Dragonchoir, including guitarists Marc Bonilla and Mike Wallace, keyboardist Ed Roth, as well as bassist Bob Birch (Elton John), drummer Troy Luccektta (Tesla) and session giant Steve Porcaro, also on keyboards.

It will be far from a full-blown Coverdale show, however. According to his publicist, the singer will only perform two Whitesnake songs and a "rocked-up" version of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Coverdale said he hopes to generate enough interest in Into the Light to launch a tour in the spring, backed by the musicians he recorded with — drummer Denny Carmassi (Whitesnake), guitarist Earl Slick (David Bowie), guitarist Doug Bossi and bassist Marco Mendoza. They recorded the album in a rented house in Lake Tahoe, where the Englishman now lives.

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David Coverdale

Van Halen, Coverdale Rumor Debunked

28 Dec 1999 02:00:00 EST

David Coverdale

Widespread Internet reports that former Deep Purple, Whitesnake and Coverdale/Page frontman David Coverdale is in negotiations to become Van Halen's third singer are totally false acording to a Coverdale staffer.

Longtime Coverdale tour manager Michael McIntyre tells MTV News that contrary to reports the singer has had no contact with the Van Halen camp.

The rumor first surfaced in August with a detailed (and ultimately false) report supposedly originating from a source at Warner Bros. that said Coverdale and Van Halen brothers Alex and Eddie had recorded over twenty songs together, including three new ones. The story gained some semblance of credibility when it was announced in early November that Cherone had left Van Halen (see "Gary Cherone Leaves Van Halen").

The Van Halen/Coverdale ruse recently returned to the frontburner courtesy of an "interview" fleshing out the Van Halen sessions rumor that was e-mailed to a number of newsgroups and posted on a Coverdale fan site. However, the radio station credited with the interview, 97.7 Htz in Southern Ontario, says the conversation never happened. According to McIntyre, Coverdale hasn't talked to any media sources this year as the vocalist has only been concentrating on recording a solo project.

A spokesperson for EMI in the U.K. confirms that Coverdale will be releasing his own album on that label early next year (U.S. release details have not been confirmed). The project has been recorded and is about to be mixed and mastered. Coverdale's new band includes guitarist Doug Bossi, bassist Marco Mendoza and longtime drummer Denny Carmassi.

According to McIntyre, Coverdale would likely be receptive to exploring a Van Halen pairing, which would be reminiscent of Coverdale's stint with guitar legend Jimmy Page. The pair recorded an album together in 1993.

Van Halen, meanwhile, is reportedly lying low while Eddie Van Halen recovers from hip replacement surgery. The guitarist went under the knife on November 16.

-- Sorelle Saidman

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