Several things David Coverdale thinks you should know on 'negative physical relationships' and the rock and roll lifestyle

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Whitesnake's David Coverdale was born on September 22, 1951, and when the veteran rocker turned 60 he told Goldmine that he was taking on a healthier lifestyle. The fact is, you don’t need the ‘drugs’ in the motto 'sex, drugs and rock and roll.' 

Coverdale can still rock with the best of ‘em, too, and has never slowed down with age. HIs secret? Here is the advice Coverdale once gave to Goldmine.

On partying and addiction in the rock and roll lifestyle

I pretty much have indulged in all the naughtiness. Without the problem. And, of course, I’ve been involved with people who actually have been in a program.

When I first came back to the states in the early ’80s, the mid-’80s, a lot of the people I was familiar with, partying with, were in programs which I never f**kin’ heard of. I mean, if you have a problem in England or Germany, you go to the pub with your mates and get rat-assed drunk and spill the beans. Then they’d be like ‘don’t be so stupid. Snap out of it.’ Not to belittle the program because I’ve seen how extraordinarily beneficial it is, and I’ve been very supportive. I think it’s an amazing program and long may it be there. Because that support mechanism is extraordinarily necessary. But I’m truly grateful that I love my wine, my single malt, and my whiskies. But when it’s coming up to work time, I haven’t had a drink for six months. You know, when I finish (a tour) I’ll probably indulge in some extraordinarily fine wine, but nothing is going to compromise my work.

I’ll indulge now and again in a beer or this-and-that, but if you don’t have the recovery, then you’re kidding yourself.

On Whitesnake songs

Whitesnake’s no f**kin’ walk in the park. Because some of the songs are deceptively simple. Until you start playing them. And then you go, ‘Oh my God.’ It’s a full physical workout to do that.

Whitesnake has something for everyone. I tried years ago to keep everyone happy, and guess what? It doesn’t f**king work.

On songwriting in general

A lot of the time the music comes first and then I make songs out of that. But some of the music was giving me inspiration for negative physical relationships. And I have such an incredibly positive relationship that I found I was digging back. You know, to get the kind of resentment vibe (laughing). For me, resentment is like taking poison and hoping someone else will die. I just do not recommend it. I can see that I was in a dark time because of that. And I made up my mind that I ain’t wastin’ no more time.