New version has been remixed and remastered
David Coverdale continues the celebration of the Golden anniversary of Whitesnake’s The Purple Album with the release of “Lay Down, Stay Down (2023 Remix)” and a video. The new version is one of the many remixed, remastered fan favorites featured across the forthcoming release of The Purple Album: Special Gold Edition, coming October 13th as a 2 CD/Blu-ray set and a 2 LP set on resplendent gold vinyl via Rhino Records.
“‘Lay Down, Stay Down’ was one of the first songs I wrote with Ritchie Blackmore at his house in Camberley, Surrey…I took the music demo home to Redcar, on the North East coast, where I maintained an apartment overlooking the North Sea…Glenn Hughes drove up from Cannock in the Midlands to hang out, and we messed around with the lyrics…It’s a lyric about dealing with bullies…an aspect of the human condition I despise…I can’t tell you the original ‘working’ title I had, as it’s quite disgusting…It’s about fighting back & not taking any shit from anybody…” Coverdale shares.
He continues, “One of my favorite Ritchie guitar riffs from the BURN album… and my guys totally drive it, as it should be driven…absolute balls to the wall…Super scorching solo from the incendiary Joel Hoekstra and the band firing on all six cylinders…
“Super new video put together, especially for this new GOLD celebration…
“N.B…Not Responsible For Speeding Tickets!!!”
Coverdale recorded The Purple Album with guitarist Reb Beach, bassist Michael Devin, guitarist Joel Hoekstra (on his first Whitesnake album), and drummer Tommy Aldridge, reappearing on a Whitesnake studio album for the first time since 1989’s Slip Of The Tongue. The band cherry-picked gems from 1974’s Burn and Stormbringer, and 1975’s Come Taste The Band, delivering inspired takes on fan favorites like “Lay Down Stay Down,” “Lady Double Dealer,” and “You Keep On Moving.”
The 2 CD/Blu-ray version goes beyond the original with the addition of live recordings and concert videos from The Purple Tour (“The Gypsy,” “Mistreated”), official music videos (“Sail Away,” “You Fool No One”), and an assortment of previously unreleased material, including six alternate mixes of album tracks. The Blu-ray also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the album’s making and a song-by-song commentary by Coverdale.
An exciting addition to the upcoming collection is the four-song demo Coverdale submitted to Deep Purple, hoping to become the band’s next singer. Recorded in 1972 with his former band, The Fabulosa Brothers, the reel-to-reel tape was extensively restored after Coverdale stumbled upon it among his late mother’s belongings. In the album’s liner notes, Coverdale says: “I had no idea my Mam had the tape…For me, to open my Mam’s trunk of personal items, 30 years after her passing, was a gift from Heaven.” The collection also features several demos Coverdale recorded while working on songs for Deep Purple’s 1974 album Stormbringer.
