“I am as much Keith Richards as Eddie Van Halen, because when I’m on stage, I let everything go!!!”
Adrian (Adje) Vandenberg (born 31-01-1954) is, of course, best known for his musical career with Teaser, Vandenberg, Vandenberg’s MoonKings, Manic Eden, and the iconic hard rock band Whitesnake. Now, he’s embarked on a special, one-time tour looking back on his time with the legendary British hard rock band.
It’s been 35 years since Whitesnake hit the road in support of Slip of the Tongue, and to mark the occasion, Adrian is revisiting those years. Before his show in Tilburg, I had the chance to sit down with him to discuss his time in Whitesnake, as well as some fun rock music anecdotes.
By Martien Koolen
When and how did the idea for the “My Whitesnake Years Tour” come about?
A: “It was actually Ralph’s idea, you just met him. He said, ‘Did you know it’s been exactly 35 years since you (Whitesnake) played Donington?’ I hadn’t thought about it at all, but 35 years is a great milestone. So I told Ralph: That would be a cool theme to build a show around! And so far, every show we’ve played has been sold out, so the audience has been absolutely loving it, these songs are made to be sung along to!”
Did you already have a setlist in mind?
A: “Yeah, I knew which songs had to be on it, tracks we played with Whitesnake that really resonate with the audience and with us as a band. It’s been incredible playing these songs again because I haven’t played most of them in 35 years!”
Which songs do you enjoy playing live the most?
A: “I’ve always gotten a kick out of Slide It In—we played that with the MoonKings too. And of course, Sailing Ships, I’ll explain to the audience tonight that I dedicated that one to my mother. It might sound a bit sentimental, but still. Honestly, I love playing all these songs again, it gives me such a rush. The audience feels the same way; when they hear these songs, they’re instantly transported back in time. That’s what music does, it’s the soundtrack of our lives. There are songs from the early ‘70s that I used to hate hearing on the radio, and now when I hear them, I think, ‘Hey, that was actually a great track!’ It’s funny how your perception changes, and you even still remember all the lyrics!”
Did you have to cut any songs, or were there tracks you felt weren’t good enough?
A: “Good question… honestly, I didn’t even think about that! I suppose there might be songs I just didn’t want to play or had completely forgotten about. One of my favorite songs I wrote for Whitesnake is Don’t Fade Away from the Restless Heart album, I still think it’s one of the best songs I ever wrote for the band.”
That’s such an underrated album, right?
A: “Absolutely! The problem was that it was never released in the U.S., and in Europe, it faced a lot of struggles because David (Coverdale) had ended Whitesnake’s contract with Geffen. It was really difficult to get the album out in time. What I didn’t know back then was that David actually wanted Restless Heart to be a solo album to establish himself as a solo artist, but the record label wouldn’t allow it.”
All the songs on Restless Heart were written by you and David, right?
A: “Yeah, that’s right, including Don’t Fade Away, which I still think is a timeless, beautiful song. It’s very introspective, and David’s voice really shines in it.”
Speaking of Slip of the Tongue, you co-wrote almost all the tracks with David, but due to an injury, Steve Vai played the guitar parts. Looking back, do you think the album would have sounded different if you had played on it?
A: “Oh, absolutely. It would have sounded like my most recent albums, more, how should I put it… in English, they call it ‘meat and potatoes’, a more direct, stripped-down approach.”
So, more “in your face”?
A: *”Exactly! I love bands like Van Halen and AC/DC—I’m an ‘80s guy, and I love when you can feel the guitar chords hitting you in the face. If you start layering too much, keyboards, extra guitars, more effects—it takes away a lot of the raw energy for me. One of my all-time favorite bands, and the reason I got into music, is Free with Paul Rodgers. He’s still an incredible singer, by the way! What I love about Free is that their music had space, when those chords hit, they really hit! But if everything is overproduced and stacked with layers, it loses that edge.
Steve Vai is, of course, a phenomenal guitarist, but his style is very intricate and busy. When I first heard what he had done with the Slip of the Tongue songs, it felt really strange. He had complete creative freedom, and he really went all out, haha! It took me a while to get used to it, and at first, I was frustrated that I couldn’t play my own parts. But eventually, I made peace with it and thought, well, it’s still pretty amazing that someone like Steve Vai played my songs! And when we perform them live, we play them the way I originally intended—raw, no frills, straight in your face! That’s what rock music is all about.”*
All your Whitesnake co-writes are credited as “Coverdale/Vandenberg,” never “Vandenberg/Coverdale”, was that an ego thing on Coverdale’s part?
A: “(Laughs) Oh, absolutely! Just look at ‘Coverdale/Page’—I mean, come on, it’s Jimmy freaking Page! Hahaha!”
What’s your fondest memory of your time in Whitesnake?
A: “That tour was absolutely insane. Honestly, I consider myself incredibly lucky with everything I’ve experienced in my career, from Teaser to Vandenberg and beyond. Making music and playing live is the greatest thing in the world, and I still love it just as much today, whether it’s in front of 50 people or 50,000, it doesn’t matter. The thrill is the same.”
There was once talk of a blues album with Coverdale—will that ever happen?
A: “I hope so! We’re still in touch, but I haven’t asked him about it yet. I love David’s rich, bluesy voice, and if he’s still up for it, I’d be all in. People say, ‘Oh, Coverdale can’t sing like he used to,’ but I always defend him. He sang his voice to shreds for the fans! He’s not Jesus Christ, he always gave everything he had. Even back in 1997/98, you could hear the strain on his voice, but his soul was always there.”
What’s your ambition moving forward?
A: *”To keep going until they drag me off the stage! Performing is the best thing in the world. Every night is like stepping into a parallel universe.
I’m as much Keith Richards as I am Eddie Van Halen—because when I’m on stage, I let everything go. If I mess up, who cares? It’s only rock ‘n’ roll! The audience doesn’t come for perfection, they come for the experience!”*
Any new Vandenberg songs in the works?
A: “Yeah, I’m already recording ideas for a new album, but first, this tour. Song ideas come at the strangest moments… in the shower, on my bike… I just let it happen!”
Adrian, thanks for your time!
A: “No, thank you! Talking about music with someone who’s just as passionate about it is always a pleasure!” 🎸🔥
