GUITARIST Reb Beach tried to orchestrate an indefinite version of Whitesnake that would perform – and perhaps record – without him.
it’s a model that has worked for a number of acts including Foreigner and Little River Band and seems to rely on audience buy-in, which in turn relies on whether the band had a strong visual image on not. A strong visual image (and no KISS-style makeup) severely hampers shots at immortality.
The issue came up when Beach was asked by Guitar Player magazine if another of his bands, Winger, might continue without frontman Kip Winger who is switching to classical music.
“Nope,” Beach answered.
“No one would go. Come on. Who would see… I don’t know… Slaughter without Mark Slaughter?
“David actually asked around to see if promoters were interested in a Whitesnake without David Coverdale, and no one wanted to even touch it.
“Yeah, and he would get a percentage of it, which is fine with me. I would do it, but I worry that it wouldn’t be received that well.
“I mean, you can get guys who kind of sound like him, but nobody sounds like David Coverdale.”
More recently, a group of former Whitesnake players performing together on the band’s “Crying In The Rain” earlier this year has been released in recent days in pro-shot form. Watch the NAMM performance below.
On vox is Dino Jelusic, who in all likelihood would have been singer in any new version of the band.