Celebrating 35 Years Of Whitesnake's SLIDE IT IN (Rhino Records)

by Matman

In 1984 Whitesnake not only released my favorite album of theirs, SLIDE IT IN, but one of my desert island discs.  For me to talk about SLIDE IT IN is me talking about near musical perfection... 10 amazing songs, two very distinct versions featuring different line-ups. 

The story is this... Whitesnake were on the verge of breaking up.  Despite being one of Europe's biggest acts, vocalist David Coverdale was struggling to keep things afloat with virtually no success in the US.  Recently signed to Geffen Records for American releases, Whitesnake recorded SLIDE IT IN with the line-up of Coverdale, drummer Cozy Powell, bassist Colin Hodgkinson, keyboardist John Lord and guitarists Mel Galley and Micky Moody.  The album was released in Europe that January, but before it was released in the US a few months later, Geffen wanted it remixed and 'jazzed' up.  As the band were on tour, Galley and Moody were soon gone being replaced by John Sykes, Lord returned to Deep Purple and Hodgkinson was replaced by a returning Neil Murray.  Both Murray and Sykes added their styles to the album and the US version was a bit more flashy and very radio friendly.    

Both versions of SLIDE IT IN are amazing in their own way and for their own special reasons.  They feature the same songs with a different running order (I prefer the UK version) and each have their own personality... and both are awesome. 

To celebrate this fantastic album, Rhino Records have released SLIDE IT IN - 35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION, a deluxe 6 CD/1 DVD collection with everything you would want; both versions of the album remastered, outtakes, live versions, demos and my favorite, a remixed 35 year edition.  Some people have been complaining about the remixed 2019 version and although the songs sound a bit different, it is just another amazing new take on 10 classic songs!!! Books... posters... memories!!!!!!

Another pure bonus in the collection is the Monitor Mix versions.  What you are hearing here is the songs being fleshed out with some different lyrics, sometimes no lyrics and a few different arrangements. This is another amazing bonus that just adds to the magic of this amazing album. 

WOW!!!! If you only began your Whitesnake career with WHITESNAKE 1987, you owe it to yourself to discover for me where it all began.  Then discover the rest of the pre-1987 catalog... amazing music and amazing memories!!!!