David Coverdale, one of the defining voices of hard rock and a man who wore platform shoes with the same authority he commanded stadiums, has officially announced his retirement.
The Whitesnake and Deep Purple legend shared the news via a video posted to Instagram, marking the end of a career that’s spanned more than fifty years, countless reinventions, and enough hair to fuel a thousand power ballad fantasies.
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, brothers and sisters of the Snake, a special announcement for you,” Coverdale begins in the video, addressing fans directly. Having stepped away from the stage since Whitesnake were forced to pull the plug on The Farewell Tour MMXXII at Hellfest in 2022, he’s spent recent years managing reissues and archival projects. But now, he’s ready to close the book.
Announcement video
“After 50 years plus of an incredible journey with you, with Deep Purple, with Whitesnake, Jimmy Page – the last few years it has been very evident to me that it’s time really for me to hang up my rock’n’roll platform shoes and my skintight jeans,” he says, before adding with trademark humour: “And as you can see, we’ve taken care of the lion’s wig. But it’s time for me to call it a day.”
Coverdale’s message is heartfelt, thanking everyone who fuelled the ride, “I love you dearly. I thank everyone who’s assisted and supported me on this incredible journey: all the musicians, the crew, the fans, the family. It’s amazing. But it really is time for me to just enjoy my retirement, and I hope you can appreciate that. Once again, I love you with all my heart.”
Although he’s been off the road, Coverdale has been far from inactive. He’s overseen reissues of Restless Heart, Greatest Hits, Good To Be Bad, The Purple Album, Forevermore, and the Access All Areas: Live series, along with his solo album Into the Light. What remains uncertain is the fate of the long discussed Coverdale Page reissue, a project that he previously teased had “a shit load of content.”
Retirement or not, Coverdale’s shadow across rock history isn’t going anywhere. And for fans, the door to the Snakepit will never fully close.
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