Saints & Sinners is the fifth studio album by English hard rock band Whitesnake, released on 15 November 1982 by Liberty Records. The album was the last to be recorded by the Ready an' Willing line-up as the members had strained relations alongside the musical direction and the band's management despite commercial successes in their native. Guy Bidmead produced the album as Martin Birch's (who produced all of the past Whitesnake releases) replacement at first, but Birch returned to finish the album during the recording.
Despite their troubles after the recording, it peaked at number nine on the UK Albums Chart and is currently certified silver, the only silver certification in a string of gold or platinum-certified albums by the BPI. The album included "Here I Go Again", as a single released in October 1982 that charted at number 34, but did not chart any of the singles charts in the United States. Eventually, it would resurface in the 1987 recording that would characterise Whitesnake in the future.
Background
In the early 80s, Whitesnake succeeded with the band's name in continental Europe and Japanese audiences but remained elusive in North America, making it difficult to be known in the States. Their radically successful, Come an' Get It album alongside the supporting tour proved successful in several countries, including their first appearance at the Monsters of Rock festival that same year. The tour lasted for five months before the writing for the upcoming album would start immediately with singer David Coverdale.[7]
Writing and recording
In late 1981, Coverdale retreated to a small villa in southern Portugal to begin writing the band's next album. However, his time there was becoming "tough" and "emotionally charged" during which his marriage with his then-wife Julia became strained. The marriage situation, Coverdale recalled, "fueled my [song]writing" and composition.[8] Notably, songs like Here I Go Again reflects on the breakdown of Coverdale's marriage.
After returning to England, he and the rest of Whitesnake gathered at Nomis Studios in London to begin rehearsals. However, tensions with the group had begun to appear as Coverdale would later explain: "There wasn't that 'spark' that was usually in attendance. It felt more of an effort to be there".[8] Rehearsals began with Coverdale on the vocals, joined by Bernie Marsden and Micky Moody on guitar, Neil Murray on bass, Ian Paice on drums, and Jon Lord on keyboards, which both Paice and Lord previously were members of band Deep Purple alongside Coverdale in the past. To rekindle their relations, the band set their recordings at Clearwell Castle in Gloucestershire, where they had previously recorded their 1979 Lovehunter there.[8]
Most of the album's backing multi-tracks were recorded at Clearwell Castle before the production got moved.
While recording, their morale expectations were low due to exhaustion and excessive success. Moody recalled in an interview in 1997 that the band had eventually become tired, partially from "too many late nights, too much partying". Nevertheless, they were able to finish all multi-track session recordings for the next album. Guy Bidmead, who would later produce with Motörhead, was chosen to replace Martin Birch due to an illness that refrained Birch from working. Eventually, Birch eventually returned to produce when the recording got moved to Britannia Row Studios, eventually at Battery Studios, where Def Leppard was also recording. On the contrary, the recording changes caused the band's relations to deteriorate even further at a rapid pace.[9][8] To make matters worse, the band was experiencing a huge hit with their financials which Moody recalled:
We weren't making nowhere near the kind of money we should have been making. Whitesnake always seemed to be in debt, and I thought "What is this? We're playing in some of the biggest places and we're still being told we're in debt, where is all the money going?". We hadn't got much money out of it and to be told you're 200,000 pounds in debt, when you just had six golden albums. It wasn't just me, cause everybody was getting tired, pissed off and losing their sense of identity. It was over by then, we couldn't get any further. It's difficult for a band to go more than three or four years without getting tired of each other and losing ideas. Nothing lasts forever. Everybody wanted to do something different after a few years, a solo album or write with someone else.[10]
Eventually, Moody was fed up with the financial situation and left the band in December 1981. The remaining band members blamed the group's management company Seabreeze, headed by Deep Purple's former manager John Coletta, for their financial state.[11][12][13] Soon afterward, in January 1982, David Coverdale called a meeting with all Whitesnake members to dismiss Coletta, but Coverdale himself failed to show. Instead, Marsden, Murray, and Paice were informed that Whitesnake had been put on hold and that they had been fired.[13][14] Coletta was dismissed eventually, but the rest of the band's management and the line-up was at stake. Lord only remained with the group during its line-up hiatus.[15] Marsden later remarked that "David [Coverdale] decided he would be king of Whitesnake".[12]
According to Coverdale, his decision to put the band on hold stemmed from his daughter, Jessica, contracting bacterial meningitis, which purportedly gave him the courage to cut ties with Coletta.[8][16] Coverdale ended up buying himself out of his contracts, which reportedly cost him over a million dollars.[12][16] As for the firing of Marsden, Murray and Paice, Coverdale felt they lacked the needed enthusiasm to keep working in Whitesnake.[12][13] Coverdale stated that it was "a business decision, not personal".[8]
There are astonishing emotional memories of those times, but the reality was there wasn’t the financial rewards coming in. And my daughter’s serious illness told me very clearly that this was the only time I should have my head in my hands and be worried about being unable to change the circumstances. It was necessary for me to experience that so I could stand up and be counted, and give me the backbone to make life-affecting decisions. I put Saints & Sinners on hold to be with her.
After waiting for his daughter to recuperate and severing ties with the band's management, record companies and publishers, Coverdale began putting Whitesnake back together. Around that August, Coverdale called Moody and asked him to return to the band. According to Moody, Coverdale wanted him to "finish the Saints & Sinners album" and implement "some backing vocals, etc".[10] New members were brought into the group, namely former Trapeze guitarist Mel Galley, former Rainbow drummer Cozy Powell and Colin Hodgkinson on bass guitar. Within a few months, Coverdale completed the band's new record with Martin Birch in October at Battery Studios, with the majority of the album having already been recorded with Marsden, Murray, Paice, Moody and Lord before the hiatus. Birch mixed the entire record, which was then mastered by Steve Angel.[9][8]
Music and lyrics
Saints & Sinners compromises a bluesier pub-rock approach that is straight-forwardly accessed to past Whitesnsnake's albums. Accessing its lyrical theme, Eduardo Rivadavia from AllMusic describes its composition as "rowdy outbursts of bluesy aggression" in "Rough an' Ready" and "Bloody Luxury".[3]
Geoff Barton, writing for the album, cites the lyrics as "more commercial" and takes on the lyrics as far on Coverdale's directness to the critics and "suitably sexed up" on that approach, such as "Love an' Affection".[8] "Crying in the Rain" features a blues slower-tempo approach aided by Marsden's guitar in the beginning compared to the 1987 re-recording, where it was proposed as "electrifying" and "intense". Coverdale states that the song was particularly misunderstood by himself, which others viewed the song more into Black Sabbath.[17] Furthermore, it was viewed as "bloody-minded brilliance, power and passion".[8] "Here I Go Again" was particularly inspired by Coverdale's divorce from his first wife, which was then helped written out by Marsden. The song pleasantly states as a prolonged life story Coverdale had envisioned during that time.[18]
Release and promotion
Saints & Sinners was released on 15 November 1982 in the UK by Liberty in Europe and through Polydor in Japan.[19] The album did not receive a North American release, due to the fact that Coverdale had cut ties with Mirage/Atlantic Records (which released their back-catalog in the US from 1980) and the rest of the publishing management.[16] The record was finally released through Geffen Records in March 1988 for the American market, alongside past Whitesnake releases from former labels in the US.[8]Saints & Sinners charted in nine countries where it peaked at number nine in their native UK two days after its initial release,[20] and by 6 December, it had been certified silver by the BPI for sales of over 60,000 copies in the UK.[19] In Japan, it only peaked a spot lower, going one spot below their preceding 1981's Come an' Get It, coming in at number 42.[21] The album charted at number seven in Finland, the highest album number to chart.[22]
"Here I Go Again" and "Victim of Love" were released as singles from the album, with the former peaking at number thirty-four on the UK Singles Chart, where it spent 11 weeks.[23] A music video was produced for "Here I Go Again", directed by Maurice Phillips,[24] featuring the band performing on stage that included the supporting album tour line-up, featuring future Whitesnake members Mel Galley, Cozy Powell and Colin Hodgkinson.[25] Internationally, the single was never charted in the United States until the 1987 re-recording for their self-titled album peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart, where it became their most popular song in the band's song discography ever yet, namely as the band's 80s "anthem".[26][25] The re-recording also peaked at number nine in the native UK.[27] Another single, "Victim of Love" was released in Germany but failed to chart.[28]
Reissue
Saints & Sinners was reissued by EMI on 12 March 2007 as a multi-disc box set, featuring remastered and previously unreleased demos and outtakes, including an unfinished track, "Soul Survivor". The album was part of a re-issue along with the earlier Whitesnake releases not released by Rhino Entertainment.
The album was later released as part of "The Box 'O' Snakes" box set in November 2011, again with previous Whitesnake material which Coverdale calls that box set in The Blues Album complication interview in April 2020, "my final farewell to that era of Whitesnake's history".[29] Alongside the past material, Coverdale said that the albums that were "cop[ied] digitally" possess the ability to be restored and remastered but unfortunately cannot be remixed (with the exception from Slide It In and later Whitesnake Geffen material) as a result of the 2008 Universal Studios fire that burned every "24-track masters" that was "lost or misplaced in the storage facility".[29]
Touring
The supporting tour for Saints & Sinners began on 10 December 1982 in Southampton, and later went on to continental Europe and Japan, supporting Ozzy Osbourne.[9][30] The band also went on Ruisrock Festival, then later Monsters of Rock, where then-single "Guilty of Love" promotional video was filmed there in front of 40,000 people in the audience on 20 August 1983,[31] later released as the band's first long-form video Whitesnake Commandos/Live at Donington 1983.[32] The supporting tour ended in October 1983, which Moody and Hodgkinson left the group, filling in John Sykes and returning member Neil Murray.[33]
Whitesnake are an English hard rock band formed in London in 1978. The group was originally put together as the backing band for singer David Coverdale, who had recently left Deep Purple. Though the band quickly developed into their own entity, Coverdale is the only constant member throughout their history.
David Coverdale is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the founder and lead singer of the hard rock band Whitesnake. He was also the lead singer of Deep Purple from 1973 to 1976, after which he released two solo studio albums, White Snake (1977) and Northwinds (1978), before forming Whitesnake in 1978.
Burn is the eighth studio album by English rock band Deep Purple. It was released on 15 February 1974 by Warner Bros. and Purple/EMI internationally. It was the first album to feature then-unknown lead singer David Coverdale. The group's Mark III line-up for their recording debut included Coverdale, Glenn Hughes on bass and vocals, Ritchie Blackmore on guitar, Jon Lord on keyboards, and Ian Paice on drums.
Philip Neil Murray is a Scottish musician, best known as the former bassist of Whitesnake, the Brian May Band, Black Sabbath, and Gary Moore.
Slide It In is the sixth studio album by English rock band Whitesnake. Originally released on 30 January 1984 in Europe, by Liberty/EMI, it was remixed for the American market, later issued on 16 April 1984 in North America by Geffen. In Japan, it was issued a "European" Mix release date on 23 March 1984, and an "American" remix on 21 December 1984 by CBS/Sony. Widely regarded as a moderate success, it helped open the American market to the band's sound and breakthrough throughout the later 1980s. Historically, it was the final Whitesnake recording to use the band's original "snake" logo.
Trouble is the debut studio album from British hard rock band Whitesnake, led by former Deep Purple vocalist David Coverdale released in October 1978. It reached No. 50 on the UK Albums Chart. This followed the four-track Snakebite EP, later available in the US as an import album from continental Europe. The album later received a reissue by EMI/Parlophone in 2006, containing bonus tracks from their previous EP.
Lovehunter is the second studio album by British band Whitesnake, released in 21 September 1979. It was the bands first UK Top 30 album, charting at No. 29 on the UK Albums Chart. "Long Way from Home", the leading track on the album reached No. 55 on the UK charts, while "Walking in the Shadow of the Blues" was one of the most popular and praised Whitesnake's songs in the beginning. The album became controversial because of its cover art.
"Is This Love" is a song by the English hard rock band Whitesnake. It was released in 1987 as the second single from their self-titled album.
Live...in the Heart of the City is a 1980 live album by English rock band Whitesnake. Originally released as a double-vinyl album, and double-play cassette, it utilises recordings made in 1978 and 1980. The album charted at number 5 on the UK Albums Chart with Platinum certification, and number 146 on the Billboard 200. The Classic Rock magazine in 2011 and 2023 placed it among the best live albums ever.
"Here I Go Again" is a song by the British rock band Whitesnake. It was originally released on their 1982 album, Saints & Sinners through Liberty in October 1982. The song was written by David Coverdale and Bernie Marsden, and produced by Martin Birch. The song was written for Coverdale's troubling marriage with his first wife, Julia.
Starkers in Tokyo is a live acoustic album and video recording by English rock band Whitesnake, released only in Japan on 10 September 1997. It is performed in the style of the Unplugged series and simply features David Coverdale on vocals and Adrian Vandenberg on acoustic guitar.
The English-American hard rock band Whitesnake have released thirteen studio albums, nine live albums, twelve compilation albums, three box sets, two extended plays (EPs), 40 singles, nine video albums and 29 music videos. Formed in London in 1978 by vocalist David Coverdale, the band originally featured guitarists Micky Moody and Bernie Marsden, bassist Neil Murray, keyboardist Peter Solley and drummer Dave Dowle. The group's debut EP Snakebite was released in June 1978 and reached number 61 on the UK Singles Chart. After replacing Solley with Jon Lord, the band released their debut full-length album Trouble later in the year, which reached number 50 on the UK Albums Chart. 1979's Lovehunter reached number 29 on the chart. Lead single "Long Way from Home" charted at number 55.
Michael Joseph Moody is an English guitarist, and a former member of the rock bands Juicy Lucy and Whitesnake. He was also a founder-member of Snafu. Together with his former Whitesnake colleague Bernie Marsden he founded the Moody Marsden Band, and later, the Snakes, having previously collaborated with unofficial fifth Status Quo member Bob Young in Young & Moody. Along with Marsden and ex-Whitesnake bassist, Neil Murray, he formed the Company of Snakes and M3 Classic Whitesnake with which they mainly performed early Whitesnake songs. From 2011 to 2015, Moody toured and recorded with Snakecharmer, a band he co-formed.
Bernard John Marsden was an English rock and blues guitarist. He is primarily known for his work with Whitesnake, having written or co-written with David Coverdale many of the group's hit songs, such as "Fool for Your Loving", "Walking in the Shadow of the Blues", "Ready an' Willing", "Lovehunter", "Trouble", and "Here I Go Again".
"Don't Break My Heart Again" is a song by the English rock band Whitesnake from their 1981 studio album Come an' Get It. Written by vocalist David Coverdale, the song was inspired by the breakdown of his first marriage. The guitar solo performed by Bernie Marsden was recorded on the first take. Despite numerous attempts to top it, Marsden eventually conceded and agreed to use the first take. Guitarist Doug Aldrich later named "Don't Break My Heart Again" one of his favourite Whitesnake songs.
"Crying in the Rain" is a song by the English hard rock band Whitesnake. The song was originally released on the group's 1982 album Saints & Sinners, but was re-recorded on the group's 1987 multi-platinum album Whitesnake. The song was inspired by singer David Coverdale's divorce.
"Guilty of Love" is a song by the English rock band Whitesnake from their 1984 album Slide It In. Written by vocalist David Coverdale, he described the track as a "very simple and honest love song". It has frequently been compared to Thin Lizzy for its dual lead guitars.
Whitesnake is the seventh studio album by English rock band Whitesnake, released on 23 March 1987, by Geffen Records in the US and by EMI Records in the UK one week after. It was co-written and recorded for over a year in what would be the first and final collaboration between vocalist David Coverdale and guitarist John Sykes, the final album to feature longtime bassist Neil Murray and the only album with drummer Aynsley Dunbar. The album, besides its commercial success, is remarkable for the band's change to a more modern glam metal look and sound, and the first recording to use the band's new logo which would characterise them in the future.
Live... In the Still of the Night is a live concert DVD by the band Whitesnake. The concert was filmed on 20 October 2004 at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. It was released regularly on 5 May 2006 featuring the recording of the live performance, behind-the-scene documentary and a photobook. The limited "special collector's" edition which was previously released on 7 February 2006 includes a bonus live album CD with ten selected songs from the same show.
↑ Oliver, Derek (March 2011). "Life on Mars". Classic Rock presents: Whitesnake – Forevermore (The Official Album Magazine). London, England: Future plc. pp.72–77.
1 2 Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1sted.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p.166. ISBN978-951-1-21053-5.
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