Classic Rock Bottom

ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 358 WHITESNAKE - SLIP OF THE TONGUE (1989)

Disclaimer: All info that does not reside in my brain is gathered from wikipedia.com (mostly because Jon can't stand it) unless otherwise noted.

We have made it to the close of the 80's this week.  Slip of the Tongue by Whitesnake is your Album of the Week, released back in 1989.  This was the band's 8th studio album, following the mega-successful self-titled 1987 album, which sold over 8 million copies in the US.  Slip of the Tongue was certified Platinum, which certainly isn't bad, but was a far cry from it's predecessor.  The album made it to number 10 on the US chart on the strength of a couple of Top 40 singles.  

Of course, Fool For Your Loving '89 was re-recorded for this album, and it originally appeared on the album Ready an' Willing.  Adrian Vandenberg was credited on the album, but the guitar work was completed by Steve Vai.  One thing that you may not have known is that some of the backing vocals were performed by Richard Page.  For those of you with a short memory, he was the lead singer and bassist for Mr. Mister.

You can pick the album up from Amazon for a paltry $4.99.  Or, you can pick up the Deluxe Edition for just under 25 bucks.  The deluxe version comes with an extra disc and some bonus tracks and videos and what not.

1. Slip of the Tongue

2. Cheap an' Nasty

3. Fool For Your Loving '89

4. Now Your Gone

5. Kittens Got Claws

6. Wings of the Storm

7. The Deeper The Love

8. Judgement Day

9. Slow Poke Music

10. Sailing Ships

Views: 68

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

I love this album. This was the tour that I saw the band live.

And "Sailing Ships" is one of my favorite songs from Whitesnake. But I pretty much loved all the songs on this album, though Deeper The Love did get played enough that I kind of grew sick of it.

First Permanent Vacation and now this? Gee, thanks.

Fool For Your Loving first appeared on 1980's "Ready an' Willing", that's a far better Whitesnake album IMO

I know there are two distinctly different versions of the band and I own pretty much all of the albums by both of them.

I like both versions of the band so I have no issues with any of the material.

Song #2 doesn't play except for a few seconds, but I doubt I'm missing much anyway.

I did have this when it came out, listened to it MAYBE twice, definitely did not like it on the first listen. Seemed and still seems to be another sad sellout which worked. I really like Steve Vai, but his geetar stylins just doesn't fit here. Way too busy, cause he's a busy kinda guy. 

Definite 80's production and it also sounds like Davey is sucking in a tiny bit o' helium on some of the tracks.

Kittens Got Claws is a silly and stupid song. 

Sorry, this and the previous album just don't so anything for me. Well, at least he got the sales and a chickadee to buff his vehicle, at least for awhile. Then she beat up an MLB pitcher.

Actually, I'm not sorry. Have no idea why I typed that and didn't just delete it. Probably because it's a paragraph away.

 

I mostly remember this CD for having it in my pocket, while attending a The Cult/Aerosmith-concert in 1989.

Maybe my mind plays tricks on me, but I think it was released the same day as that concert in Copenhagen, but nevermind.

I never was the biggest fan of Whithesnake, maybe only for a short while around 1983, where I saw them (with Ozzy Osbourne opening, with a very fresh Jake E.Lee on board) in January, right after the release of Saint & Sinners. 

That album and the following Slide It In-album are my absolute favorites by that band. And then Coverdale wanted to be big in the US, and released the imo crap album "Whitesnake" from 1987. Much too "polished" compared to classic Whitesnake-albums.

But I was interested in, what Steve Wai could add to the sound, and therefore bought this album. But overall I wasn't impressed at all. It's been decades since I last heard this album, and I truely don't feel like ever hearing it again.

I remember, that "Slip Of The Tongue" was a Led Zeppelin ripoff. And making a new version of the otherwise good recorded "fool For You Loving" was plain stupid, but it was for the US-audience, no doubt.

I'm glad I saw the band, when they were a BAND, and not this late 80's "put together to make big money"-crap band.

I'm also glad I saw Vai live, while he still was with David Lee Roth.

It's the album that started the Whitesnake's commercial decline.

I was following Whitesnake from their (or should I say his) very first album and I was more and more impressed with every consequent release including the 1987 project. Quite an amazing climb. At that point I was fully aware that the only way they can go from here is down, but hoping perhaps they can match the quality of the 1987 album for few more outings.

First Sykes left then Vivian too. Coverdale still had Vandenberg so I was hopeful things will turn out OK. Then the news break about Steve Vai joining the band and I started wondering. As much as I like Steve (more than any other Whitesnake guitar player and that says a lot) I wasn't sure he was the right fit. Before the album hit the shelves I read an interview with Coverdale saying Vandenberg couldn't play due to his injury and Steve Vai recorded for each song guitars on something like 37 channels. (Yeah, I pulled that number out of my ass, but believe me the number was ridiculously high.) I couldn't imagine what would that sound like. Is it going to be like an orchestra? Cool idea, but not what Whitesnake was to me. 

Anyway, I bought the CD on it's release date and right away I was happy to forget it. The songs were still in the Whitesnake style, but the production was atrocious. Especially the guitars were just one big smudged, mess.

It was much later when I upgraded my 1987 vinyl to a CD that I changed my mind on Slip Of The Tongue. The CD release I bought was the 2000 Axe Killer reissue called Back To Black Collection, which basically included the 1987 CD w/ Bonus Tracks and Slip Of The Tongue CD w/ Bonus Tracks. Initially I wasn't going to listen to SOTT, but after hearing how amazing 1987 sounded, I give SOTT another shot. And boy, was I blown away. It's like listening to a completely different album. The separation of the instruments are great and this CD is by far THE best sounding CD in my collection.

If you only heard SOTT on those wretched first CD releases (even worst if it was printed by music clubs) you owe it to yourself to hear it on a better version. RJ mentioned there are newer versions of which quality I can't attest, but the one I have is definitely an improvement.

RSS

Question Of The Week

CRB Features (Click photo to visit)

Birthdays

There are no birthdays today

CRB Staff Members

 

In Memory Of

Norma Jean Fox
(11/30/1945-9/7/2010)

Photos

  • Add Photos
  • View All

Videos

  • Add Videos
  • View All

Badge

Loading…

© 2024   Created by RJhog (Admin).   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service