Coverdale: It was to finish off something that's been unbelieveably gracious to me, and given my family and myself security for, forever really! But that has nothing to do with why I do it. I sing and write music because I love to sing, it's my grand passion! And now I'm at the height of my power as a person, as a physical person, as a vocalist.

I can guarantee a thousand percent when I make my farewell tour - farewell tour to Whitesnake - that I can sing those songs and I can be my Tarzan [hits himself on the chest, Tarzan style], you know with the big Still Of The Night's and those songs, and guarantee that I will hit the notes and my body will respond to the music, whereas in five years time I cannot guarantee that because my songs are so physically and emotionally draining to perform. This is not the Rolling Stones, they make fantastic music, but I cannot sing [sings in a low soft "whiney" voice] "I've been mistreated...". I have to be the animal. The song does not work [that way], you know! So the next step for David Coverdale will be to sing and not focus so much on big drums and big guitars and... But if the song calls for this that's what it'll be.

[Still of the Night]

Reporter: From an album that has sold ten million copies - Whitesnake 1987 - and the song was Still of the Night. A bombastic thing that David Coverdale loves to perform as a screaming Tarzan. Or something like that...
Today it's the bluesier side of Whitesnake on the new album Restless Heart. Soulfull singing and lots of softies. And all of them are called something that has to do with love. Of course. They will probably generate a whole lot of money too but that's not why he's doing this. And despite all the love and pain and everything, Coverdale claims seriously that he feels very at home in the 90's.

Coverdale: It's completely and utterly important for every generation to have their own music, utterly important. I had it, you've had it. The groups that survive are the people that focus on songs, not image. Songs are what connects with people... And even the music business at times forgets that the basis, the whole foundation of the music business, is songs. Now I'm thrilled to see women as lead singers. My favorite bands at the moment are Garbage, Luscious Jackson, Portishead, No Doubt. You know, I just got the girl, Beth Orton, from Portishead - beautiful solo record! Very different, or whatever, but I love the off-centredness [is he inventing words again? - Svante] of Portishead. I get a kind of blues out of her, out of her voice. But to me to have women lead singers now is so cool, yeah, but not only that, they write great songs, that's the essence!
I think rock'n'roll is in very good hands with Reef and Kula Shaker, you know, I think it's in very good hands.

Reporter: Is that one thing that would inspire you to be more creative and open up yourself to do new things?

Coverdale: Well, the new things... I must say that at this moment in time I think there's an indication of a potential direction of David Coverdale with the songs Don't Fade Away, Too Many Tears, you know...

End of interview and they play Too Many Tears which the announcer calls Too Many Fears when it's over...

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