WHITESNAKE – Working Versions 1983-1987

While WHITESNAKE‘s classic album 1987 just appeared in its 2017 remastered form, the release of the 5-disc Super Deluxe Edition has been moved back a few weeks due to unforeseen manufacturing delays.
So to soothe your appetite, here’s “Working Versions” – requested by one of you – a bootleg with some rarities from the White Serpens.

This is not the titled ‘1987 Working Versions’ disc released by a Japanese bootleg label, but a better one: it includes not only tracks from the 1987 sessions but also from the Slide It In era, plus the rare, hard to find vinyl 7″ single Guilty Of Love remixed by the legendary Eddie Kramer.
This material appeared on CD (bootleg) and it’s almost impossible to find now.

First, you have the 7” single ‘Guilty Of Love / Gambler’ originally released August 1983 with both songs produced & mixed by Eddie Kramer, the man chosen to record the album Slide It In.
But then Coveredale & Co. decided to replace Kramer, and re-record Slide It In with Martin Birch and Keith Olsen producing, which was made the final UK/US versions.

So this single includes the only Eddie Kramer mixes ever officially released.
Oddly, this bootleg CD feature first the B-side ‘Gambler’, and as track 2 ‘Guilty Of Love’ (A side). Both are quite different from the Birch / Olsen versions, and I especially love Gambler’s more ‘dry’ output. Obviously taken from vinyl, the sound quality could be better but it’s enough to enjoy these rare versions.

Next we find working versions from the “Slide It In” album: ‘Spit It Out’, ‘All Or Nothing’ and ‘Hungry For Love’, pre-production takes quite raw but darn good, lively versions.
Additionally, there’s ‘Slow An’ Easy (Backing Track)’, only instrumental where you can appreciate Cozy Powell’s awesome drumming very upfront in the mix. Sound quality is fine on all these.

And for the end are featured the ‘1987 working versions’. We hear a long, extended ‘Still Of The Night’ with Coverdale in a wild performance, a heavier ‘Bad Boys’, and one of my favorite Whitesnake songs, ‘Looking For Love’, done in a more ‘vintage’ sounding version.
You can even hear Coverdale’s breath in ‘Crying In The Rain’, while ‘Is This Love’ features even more relaxed, sensual vocals than the finally published. I think this version is also known as ‘Is This Love (Evolutions Version)’.

I find the overall sound quality here much better than on the aforementioned ‘1987 Working Versions’ Japanese bootleg (Bondage Music BON251).
Anyway, this is material oriented to fans, and while it isn’t an A+ grade sound CD, it represents a must have stuff for collectors.

You’ve seen it first here, at 0dayrox

01 – Gambler (1983 Single B-side Eddie Kramer mix)
02 – Guilty Of Love (1983 Single A-side Eddie Kramer mix)
03 – Slide It In (working version)
04 – Spit It Out (working version)
05 – All Or Nothing (working version)
06 – Hungry For Love (working version)
07 – Slow An’ Easy (backing track)
08 – Still Of The Night (working version)
09 – Bad Boys (working version)
10 – Looking For Love (working version)
11 – Crying In The Rain (working version)
12 – Is This Love (working version / Evolutions Version?)
13 – Bad Boys (Rehearsal)

Not on sale / unavailable
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