Author: Jernej Vene
Artist: Coverdale, David
Label: Geffen Records
Released: 1993
Singer David Coverdale and guitarist Jimmy Page have joined forces in a rock star duo. I don’t think either of them needs much of an introduction, given that both have had hugely successful music careers. Still, a bit of history won’t hurt. In the mid-seventies David Coverdale stepped in for Ian Gillan in Deep Purple, and after the band fell apart he’s led the hugely successful Whitesnake, with a few breaks, from the late seventies to this day. Jimmy Page is even more famous than Coverdale, being the guitarist and composer of Led Zeppelin, a band some credit as the originators of heavy metal. After drummer John Bonham died, the band broke up in 1980, and Page went on to write music for a few films and record the solo album Outrider. The two of them spent almost two years working on this record, so expectations in the music world were pretty high. The music is an interesting blend of Zeppelin-style riffing and Coverdale’s unmistakable vocal trademarks. Jimmy Page still uses that famous guitar sound, just like in the seventies, and he hasn’t changed his playing technique either. And why would he, when he’s already made it so thoroughly famous all over the world. On the new record Page also makes busy use of the acoustic guitar, which he plays in a completely distinctive way. Maybe both of them were aiming for this kind of sound, since even the drums remind us of Zeppelin. Compared to other rock productions, the songs on Coverdale – Page run longer, and that alone makes you feel that the two authors have their fondest memories of the seventies, when both were at the peak of their fame. The record is played very well, and the main stamp on the whole thing is of course Page’s guitar and Coverdale’s voice. The first single was called Pride And Joy, and other standouts are Feeling Hot, where both prove they know exactly how to deliver this kind of song, and maybe the ballad Take A Look At Yourself. There’s nothing to fault musically, since it somehow brings Zeppelin back to life, while the sound itself is very modern. Over the last two decades Jimmy Page also worked on some Led Zeppelin remasters for the Remasters collection, How the west was won, Mothership and the famous DVD from 2003. So if you worship Zeppelin and Coverdale’s voice isn’t foreign to you, you don’t need to think long, since you’ll add Coverdale Page to your record collection without a second thought. Youngsters who don’t know Deep Purple, and what’s even worse, Led Zeppelin, will have to mash the two bands together in their heads, and grab a copy too. A very solid piece of work.
Lineup
David Coverdale – vocals, acoustic guitar
Jimmy Page – guitar, bass guitar, harmonica, dulcimer, backing vocals
Lester Mendel – keyboards, percussion
John Harris – harmonica
Tommy Funderburk – backing vocals
John Sambataro – backing vocals
Jorge Casas – bass guitar
Ricky Phillips – bass guitar
Denny Carmassi – drums, percussion
Production
Jimmy Page, David Coverdale & Mike Fraser
Track list
1. Shake My Tree (4:50)
2. Waiting on You (5:15)
3. Take Me for a Little While (6:17)
4. Pride and Joy (3:32)
5. Over Now (5:22)
6. Feeling Hot (4:10)
7. Easy Does It (5:51)
8. Take a Look at Yourself (5:02)
9. Don’t Leave Me This Way (7:52)
10. Absolution Blues (6:00)
11. Whisper a Prayer for the Dying (6:54)
Album length: 61:05
