Snakebite (album)

:otheruses3|SnakebiteInfobox Album |
Name = Snakebite
Type = Studio
Artist = Whitesnake
Caption = "Snakebite" (US sleeve)


Released = June 1978
Recorded = April 7-13, 1978 at Central Recorders (London, UK) / April 10-19, 1977 at AIR Studios (London, UK)
Genre = Hard rock, heavy metal, blues-rock
Length = 36:51
Label = Geffen
Producer = 1-4 by Martin Birch, 5-8 by Roger Glover
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|2|5 [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:rlf6zf0heh8k link] |
Last album = "Snakebite EP" (1978)
This album = "Snakebite"
(1978)
Next album = "Trouble"
(1978)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Lower caption = "Snakebite" (Original UK sleeve) deletable image-caption
Type = studio

"Snakebite" is the first album by Whitesnake released in mid-1978. The CD is composed of two separate productions: a 4-track EP and four tracks from lead singer David Coverdale's 1977 solo album "Northwinds". The original UK album sleeve is entitled "David Coverdale's Whitesnake" and features photographs of the live band in concert. [ [http://hem.passagen.se/snowblnd/sof/discography/whitesnake/albums/snakebite.html Whitesnake discography] ]

Background and writing

Shortly after producing and then touring "Northwinds", Coverdale found his new band was already producing and testing new material. Thus they returned to the studio to capture this new found energy.

The resulting mini-album ("Snakebite" EP) features the cover song "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City", originally performed by Bobby Bland. Although it is now considered a classic Whitesnake song, according to Coverdale it wasn't planned that way: "Originally I had no plans to actually record ‘Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City’…if you can you believe it…a song that connects so deeply with so many that I still play it today, 25 years later." [ [http://www.whitesnake.com/new/earlyyears/indexB.html Whitesnake the early years] ]

Some of the songs from this album would be captured later in 1978 and released on the 1980 "Live...In the Heart of the City" live album.

Track listing

# "Come On" (David Coverdale, Bernie Marsden) – 3:31
# "Bloody Mary" (Coverdale) – 3:18
# "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City" (Michael Price, Dan Walsh) – 5:07
# "Steal Away" (Coverdale, Micky Moody, Marsden, Neil Murray, Pete Solley, Dave Dowle) – 4:16
# "Keep On Giving Me Love" (Coverdale, Moody) – 5:13
# "Queen of Hearts" (Coverdale, Moody) – 5:15
# "Only My Soul" (Coverdale) – 4:33
# "Breakdown" (Coverdale, Moody) – 5:12

*Tracks 1-4 are from the original EP, recorded April 7-13, 1978 at Central Recorders, London.
*Tracks 5-8 are from the "Northwinds" album, recorded April 10-19, 1977 at AIR Studios, London.

Personnel

Tracks 1-4

*David Coverdale – vocals
*Micky Moody – guitar
*Bernie Marsden – guitar
*Neil Murray – bass guitar
*Dave Dowle – drums

Tracks 5-8

*David Coverdale - vocals
*Tim Hinkley – piano
*Alan Spenner – bass
*Tony Newman – drums
*Lee Brilleaux – harmonica
*Roger Glover – clavinet, cowbell, Arp 2600
*Graham Preskett – violin

References