Whitesnake's David Coverdale says band may not return to touring until 2022

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Courtesy of WhitesnakeWhitesnake had to put its 2020 touring plans on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic and some health issues that frontman David Coverdale was experiencing.  With the pandemic still raging around the world, Coverdale admits that things remain up in the air regarding when the band can safely hit the road again.

“I would love to think I could get out late ’21, but I think more realistically, it’s gonna be ’22,” he tells ABC Audio. “I would never go anywhere which would endanger my band or crew or members of the audience. You know, it’s just not gonna happen.”

Coverdale, who has been recovering from a bilateral hernia operation he underwent last fall, says he was disappointed that Whitesnake wasn’t able to launch its tour in 2020, because he had envisioned it as a farewell trek that would’ve coincided with his 69th birthday.

“I thought this would be the perfect opportunity for me to retire,” he declares, with a laugh. “‘The lead singer of Whitesnake retires at 69,’ with questionable T-shirts…would have been utterly perfect. Now, I have to stay in f***ing shape for the 70- or 71-year-old farewell tour.”

Meanwhile, as previously reported, Whitesnake will be releasing a new compilation called The Blues Album, on February 19. The 14-track collection, which is the third and final installment of Whitesnake’s “Red, White and The Blues” trilogy of themed retrospective albums, features remixed and remastered versions of blues-rock-influenced Whitesnake songs released from 1984 through 2011.

Updated music videos for two songs from the compilation, “Slow an’ Easy” and “Steal Your Heart Away,” both featuring the remixed audio, have been posted at Whitesnake’s official YouTube channel. You can pre-order The Blues Album now.

By Matt Friedlander
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