Coverdale planned retirement.. but changed his mind

David Coverdale has revealed The Purple Album was to be his final release – until the experience of recording it left him feeling “revitalised.”

Whitesnake’s 12th studio record was designed as a tribute to his former colleagues in Deep Purple, who are to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame next year.

And it could have been the last project of his career, until he began to see things differently during the mixing process.

Coverdale tells Metropolis Radio: “I was 63 years old and I’m going, ‘Man, how long do I have to do this? This would be a perfect closure for me, to finish as I started.’

“It’s just revitalised me. I thought, ‘This is probably it’ – but I had an incredibly good time on tour. Everybody contributed to this project in the most positive way. Now we’ve been performing these songs, it’s even better than when we were recording them.

“It just makes it more inspiring to look at the future for new stuff with these guys. They are fabulous musicians, great people. I have no desire to hang up my rock’n’roll sneakers just yet.”

Coverdale reports he’s already writing for the next Whitesnake album, and he’s planning to record during 2016. The band headline the Ramblin’ Man Festival in Kent in July, and more live dates are to be announced.

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.