Twenty five years since Slide It In was released! Never. But somehow it has been a whole quarter century since my second favourite Whitesnake album was released. Of course, I didn't think that at the time, what with lineup favourites like Bernie Marsden, Neil Murray, and Ian Paice having been given the axe. But once I'd bought the "honest 12 inches" as it was advertised at the time, I was hooked. I wasn't to know that it would be the last Blues rooted release from Whitesnake for over twenty years.

Some of the best ever Whitesnake songs are tucked away on this release with "Gambler", "Love Ain't No Srranger" and "Standing In The Shadows" amongst their finest. But then it got really silly as David Coverdale rejigged the lineup even before the album was released. And then the new band re-recorded the guitar and bass parts for the US issue, which came out with a new mix and running order. Which meant the big hair and 1987 was just around the corner.

However, this remains an absolute pearl, and the 25th anniversary has been celebrated properly, despite the US issue being the main portion. It's just wrong! "Slow An' Easy"' should always be at the start of Side 2 (in old money), not pushed up to track three. But as most of the four million people who bought this in America, it probably makes sense, even if the running order here is actually wrong.

Although you'll find eight of the ten original recordings appearing as bonus tracks as well as their cover of Little Willie Johns "Need Your Love So Bad", which was a bonus track on the original cassette issue, as well as the B-side of the "Give Me More Time" single, although for reasons unexplained this is actually a later version. Add in the Starkers In Tokyo acoustic version of "Love Ain't No Stranger" and a DVD with seven videos including promo clips, a Top Of The Pops appearance and some live cuts, and this is just about essential. Now if they'd just managed to squeeze in the whole UK album, then things would have been perfect.

Article Author: Stuart A Hamilton

Mr H is a compulsive reviewer who has foisted his opinions across the internet, as well as in UK publications like Record Collector and Blues Matters, where he is a contributing writer. If you really want to know more go to stuarthamilton.co.uk But …

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