Whitesnake: Live at Donington 1990
This is a fan request that has finally been released by Frontiers Records. In addition to the stand-alone seventeen track DVD, you can get a 2 CD/1 DVD set so you can enjoy the gig in all its glory whereever you are. One caveat is that this is not your multiple camera modern extravaganza, more of a damn good one camera recording of the gig. The sound isn’t all it could be, but hardly anyone keen on this release will even care.
What is most interesting is a David Coverdale narrated “Making of Slip of the Tongue” documentary. The pressure for the band must have huge after the multiplatinum release that was 1987/Whitesnake; never mind the fact that most of the band didn’t actually play on that album, and so it could have been a bit of a limp record. Critics, with the exception of this one, were not overly keen on Slip of the Tongue mostly due to Steve Vai’s over the top guitars. There is also a slideshow on the DVD.
Like any such release, Whitesnake fans will find this essential. Anyone who looks fondly back on that era of the band won’t go wrong with it either, especially if you were at Donnington that year. Just remember this isn’t your “all bells and whistles” DVD extravaganza; sit back and enjoy.
CD reviews
Loaded: Sick re-release
Loaded is Duff McCagan’s musical side gig, or is that full time gig now that Velvet Revolver are no more (or “on hiatus”)? Loaded, especially with the release of their album Dark Days, were touted as a return to the bassist’s “punk roots.” Visions of Guns N’ Roses' god-awful punk-covers album The Spaghetti Incident? were premature. Duff has toured with Loaded on and off since he left GnR. Loaded seemed to get the most traction in the UK.
This new release feels more a “proper” one being entirely original material written for this album rather than re-hashes like on Dark Days. Sick does not strike anyone as punk in the slightest sense, well no more so that Phil Collen’s outfit Manraze. This is merely good pared down heavy rock done with lots of attitude and gravitas. It contrasts greatly with GnR and even Velvet Revolver, showing Duff doing music at its base level.
This re-release includes a DVD featuring a live gig from September 2008 in Glasgow, as six webisodes of the tour and a promo for the song “No More.” Oh yes and the original CD includes two bonus tracks: “Roll Away” and an acoustic version of “Wasted Heart.” These features give you plenty of reasons to add this collection if you missed it the first time in 2009.
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