The Purple Album (Whitesnake album)

A collection of re-recorded songs from Coverdale's time in Deep Purple, the idea sprang from talks he and Jon Lord had about a possible Mark III reunion a few years earlier. After Lord's death in 2012, Coverdale discussed the idea with Ritchie Blackmore, but they were unable to come to an agreement on the nature of the undertaking. Coverdale then decided to move forward with the project under the Whitesnake banner. Originally, the idea was acclaimed by Coverdale's wife, Cindy, "who suggested I (David) consider it as a Whitesnake project" in late 2013.{{cite web |last1=Dick |first1=Jonathan |title=VICE Magazine |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/david-coverdale-interview-2015/ |website=Interview: Whitesnake (and ex-Deep Purple) Frontman David Coverdale Is a Charming Badass |access-date=17 November 2023 |language=English |date=26 July 2015}} He described the resulting record as a tribute to his time in Deep Purple.{{Cite web| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T2inUoTLrs | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/5T2inUoTLrs| archive-date=2021-10-30| title= Whitesnake – The Purple Album EPK (Official / New Album / 2015) | via=YouTube |publisher=Frontiers Music srl | date=18 March 2015 | access-date=12 February 2021 }}{{cbignore}}

It is also the first album since the band's 1989 studio album, Slip of the Tongue, to feature drummer Tommy Aldridge.

File:WhitesnakeliveNewHavenConnecticut.JPG in New Haven, Connecticut, July 2015.]]

Whitesnake kicked off the North American leg of The Purple Tour in May 2015. Joining the band was new keyboardist Michele Luppi.{{Cite web| url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/whitesnake-hire-keyboardist-michele-luppi | title= Whitesnake hire keyboardist Michele Luppi | website=Louder |publisher=Classic Rock |first=Stef |last=Lach | date=17 April 2015 | access-date=12 February 2021 }} At a show in California, they were joined onstage by Coverdale's former Deep Purple bandmate, Glenn Hughes.{{Cite web| url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/glenn-hughes-joins-david-coverdales-whitesnake-on-stage-to-perform-deep-purple-classic-video/ | title= Glenn Hughes Joins David Coverdale's Whitesnake On Stage To Perform Deep Purple Classic (Video) | website=Blabbermouth.net | date=10 June 2015 | access-date=12 February 2021 }} They also held Japanese tour dates on October and November.{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2052902/full/|title=ホワイトスネイク、2年ぶり来日公演決定|trans-title=Whitesnake to perform in Japan for the first time in two years|date=15 May 2015|work=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=15 November 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000120862|title=【ライブレポート】ホワイトスネイク、日本列島を熱狂の深紫色に染め上げる|trans-title=Live Report: Whitesnake dyes the Japan archipelago a frenzied deep purple|date=20 October 2015|website=Barks.jp|language=ja|access-date=15 November 2023}}{{cite web|author=Tomoyuki Yamazaki|url=https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000121289|title=【ライブレポート】ホワイトスネイク、千秋楽に相応しい盛り上がり|trans-title=Live Report: Whitesnake and Chiakiraku|date=4 November 2015|website=Barks.jp|language=ja|access-date=15 November 2023}}

The album reached number 18 on the UK Albums Chart and peaked at 2nd position on the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart,{{cite web | url= https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/20150524/7502/ | title = Official Albums Chart Top 100: 24 May 2015 – 30 May 2015 | publisher = Official Charts | access-date =14 February 2021 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/whitesnake-the-purple-album/|title=The Purple Album - Whitesnake|website=Official Charts Company|access-date=15 November 2023}} while in the US it peaked at number 87 on Billboard 200 with first week sales of around 6,900 units.{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2015-06-06 |title=Billboard 200 – The Week of June 6, 2015 |publisher=Billboard |access-date=8 February 2021 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/whitesnakes-the-purple-album-first-week-sales-revealed/|title=Whitesnake's 'The Purple Album: First Week Sales Revealed|work=Blabbermouth.net|date=27 May 2015 |accessdate=9 June 2015}} On the Billboard's Independent Albums chart it reached number nine,{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/independent-albums/2015-06-06 |title=Independent Albums – The Week of June 6, 2015 |publisher=Billboard |access-date=8 February 2021 }} and number eight on Japanese Oricon Albums Chart.{{cite web|url=https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000115389|title=ホワイトスネイク『ザ・パープルアルバム』、大ヒット|trans-title=Whitesnake's "The Purple Album" is a big hit|date=8 May 2015|website=Barks.jp|language=ja|access-date=15 November 2023}}

{{Album ratings

|rev1 = The Herald-Standard

|rev1score = (favourable){{cite news |url=http://www.heraldstandard.com/entertainment/music/clints_music_review/music-review-whitesnake---the-purple-album/article_e9f888f7-94ba-560a-9350-ed8cec687678.html |title=Music review: Whitesnake - 'The Purple Album' |last=Rhodes |first=Clint |newspaper=The Herald-Standard |date=5 June 2015 |accessdate=10 June 2015 }}

|rev2 = KNAC

|rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=15607 |title=Whitesnake - The Purple Album |last=Vickers |first=Duane |work=KNAC.com |publisher=KNAC |accessdate=10 June 2015 }}

|rev3 = The New York Times

|rev3score = (favourable){{Cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/05/22/arts/ap-us-music-review-Whitesnake.html |title=Review: Whitesnake Delves Deep Into Purple Past on New Album |date=22 May 2015 |access-date=14 February 2021 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612162651/http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/05/22/arts/ap-us-music-review-Whitesnake.html |archive-date=12 June 2015 |website=New York Times }}

|rev4 = New Noise Magazine

|rev4score = (favourable){{cite magazine |last=Shrum |first=Tony |url=https://newnoisemagazine.com/reviews/album-review-whitesnake-the-purple-album/ |title=Album Review: Whitesnake -The Purple Album |magazine=New Noise Magazine |date=17 June 2015 |accessdate=15 November 2023}}

|rev5 = Metal Hammer (Germany)

|rev5score = 6/7{{cite magazine |last=Mineur |first=Matthias |url=https://www.metal-hammer.de/reviews/whitesnake-the-purple-album/ |date=4 June 2015 |title= Whitesnake - The Purple Album |magazine=Metal Hammer |publisher=Axel Springer SE |location=Berlin, Germany}}

| rev6 = Classic Rock

| rev6score = {{Rating|1|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/whitesnake-the-purple-album|title=Whitesnake: The Purple Album|work=Classic Rock|via=Loudersound|last=Everley|first=Dave|date=17 April 2015|accessdate=9 December 2020}}

| rev7 = laut.de

| rev7score = {{Rating|1|5}}{{cite web|last=Kubanke|first=Ulf|url=https://www.laut.de/Whitesnake/Alben/The-Purple-Album-96521|title=The Purple Album von Whitesnake|work=laut.de|date=15 May 2015|accessdate=15 November 2023|language=de}}

| noprose = yes

}}

The album was met with mostly favourable reviews, but altogether polarized critics. Among the favourable reviews, Associated Press as reported by The New York Times concluded that "it's good to hear someone dust off these tracks and breathe some life into them", Rick Ecker of New Noise Magazine said about the songs that "you get the feeling of love and reverence that Coverdale has for them and the time he spent with Deep Purple. The performance of the band is fantastic with the power and sweetness of the songs present, of course it sounds more modern, but it doesn't take away from the beauty of these songs". Duane Vickers in 4/5 review for KNAC concluded that "out of the past, comes something new, done big and done right. We see so many cover albums coming out and we usually come away thinking that they should've just left that alone. The fact that a band influenced an artist doesn't always translate to that artist being able to do the song justice by covering it. No worries with Mr. Coverdale, these were his songs and Whitesnake rocks them proud". Matthias Mineur in a 6/7 review for Germany's Metal Hammer also praised that Coverdale gave songs new arrangements.

However, other reviews weren't in-between yet very unfavourable. Dave Everley for Classic Rock gave it a 1/5 review arguing that it is "not hard to love the 13 songs here – it's impossible", although "let's be clear here. Whitesnake are one of the great British bands of the past 40 years, and Coverdale is one of the finest blue-eyed soul singers, full-stop" but "this wrong-headed travesty of an album won't just have Jon Lord spinning in his grave, it'll have Ritchie Blackmore making like a Catherine Wheel too". Ulf Kubanke of laut.de also gave it a 1/5 score and considered it is "very posy, but without any charisma", such a "sad picture" that "so far, John Fogerty has held the record for the most consistent self-mutilation of his own work with his equally anemic Wrote a Song for Everyone. Whitesnake top this golden raspberry with surprisingly suicidal ease".

Responding to the negative criticism, Coverdale proclaimed: "I've no space in my life for haters or negaters. [...] I owe those people nothing. Such opinions mean nothing to me."{{Cite web| url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/q-a-david-coverdale | title= Remember that time we really upset David Coverdale? | website=Louder |publisher=Classic Rock |first=Dave |last=Ling | date=15 May 2015 | access-date=12 February 2021 }}

{{track listing

| extra_column = Original album

| title1 = Burn

| writer1 = Ritchie Blackmore, David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes, Jon Lord, Ian Paice

| extra1 = Burn (1974)

| length1 = 6:56

| title2 = You Fool No One

| note2 = interpolating "Itchy Fingers"

| writer2 = Blackmore, Coverdale, Hughes, Lord, Paice

| extra2 = Burn

| length2 = 6:23

| title3 = Love Child

| writer3 = Tommy Bolin, Coverdale

| extra3 = Come Taste the Band (1975)

| length3 = 4:13

| title4 = Sail Away

| note4 = featuring "Elegy for Jon"

| writer4 = Blackmore, Coverdale

| extra4 = Burn

| length4 = 4:53

| title5 = The Gypsy

| writer5 = Blackmore, Coverdale, Hughes, Lord, Paice

| extra5 = Stormbringer (1974)

| length5 = 5:29

| title6 = Lady Double Dealer

| writer6 = Blackmore, Coverdale

| extra6 = Stormbringer

| length6 = 3:59

| title7 = Mistreated

| writer7 = Blackmore, Coverdale

| extra7 = Burn

| length7 = 7:39

| title8 = Holy Man

| writer8 = Coverdale, Hughes, Lord

| extra8 = Stormbringer

| length8 = 4:42

| title9 = Might Just Take Your Life

| writer9 = Blackmore, Coverdale, Hughes, Lord, Paice

| extra9 = Burn

| length9 = 4:14

| title10 = You Keep On Moving

| writer10 = Coverdale, Hughes

| extra10 = Come Taste the Band

| length10 = 5:06

| title11 = Soldier of Fortune

| writer11 = Blackmore, Coverdale

| extra11 = Stormbringer

| length11 = 3:18

| title12 = Lay Down Stay Down

| writer12 = Blackmore, Coverdale, Hughes, Lord, Paice

| extra12 = Burn

| length12 = 3:52

| title13 = Stormbringer

| writer13 = Blackmore, Coverdale

| extra13 = Stormbringer

| length13 = 5:17

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Deluxe edition bonus tracks

| extra_column = Original album

| title14 = Lady Luck

| writer14 = Jeff Cook, Coverdale

| extra14 = Come Taste the Band

| length14 = 3:02

| title15 = Comin' Home

| writer15 = Bolin, Coverdale, Paice

| extra15 = Come Taste the Band

| length15 = 4:15

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Japanese edition bonus track

| extra_column = Original album

| title16 = Soldier of Fortune

| note16 = alternate mix

| writer16 = Blackmore, Coverdale

| extra16 = Stormbringer

| length16 = 3:18

}}

{{track listing

| headline = The Purple Album: Special Gold Edition (2023 Remix)

| title1 = Burn

| length1 = 6:50

| title2 = Lay Down, Stay Down

| length2 = 3:56

| title3 = Love Child

| length3 = 4:13

| title4 = Holy Man

| length4 = 4:48

| title5 = The Gypsy

| length5 = 5:29

| title6 = Lady Double Dealer

| length6 = 3:56

| title7 = Might Just Take Your Life

| length7 = 4:36

| title8 = Mistreated

| length8 = 7:37

| title9 = Stormbringer

| length9 = 5:19

| title10 = Sail Away

| length10 = 4:51

| title11 = You Keep On Moving

| length11 = 5:11

| title12 = Lady Luck

| length12 = 3:03

| title13 = Coming Home

| length13 = 4:19

| title14 = You Fool No One

| length14 = 6:41

| title15 = Soldier of Fortune

| length15 = 3:21

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Disc 2: 2017 The Purple Tour Five Live (2023 Remix) [Tracks 1-5]{{ref label|album number|†|}}

| title1 = Burn (Live)

| length1 = 8:13

| title2 = The Gypsy (Live)

| length2 = 5:21

| title3 = Mistreated (Live)

| length3 = 7:55

| title4 = You Fool No One (Live)

| length4 = 9:39

| title5 = Soldier of Fortune

| length5 = 3:53

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Disc 2: Alternate Mixes (2023 Remix) [Tracks 6-11]*

| title6 = Holy Man (Unzipped)

| length6 = 3:44

| title7 = Stormbringer (Punch in the Nuts Mix)

| length7 = 5:19

| title8 = Love Child (Alternate Mix)

| length8 = 4:13

| title9 = Soldier of Fortune (feat. Joel Hoekstra & The Hook City Strings)

| length9 = 3:19

| title10 = Soldier of Fortune (feat. The Hook City Strings)

| length10 = 3:18

| title11 = Soldier of Fortune (feat. The Hook City Strings) [Instrumental]

| length11 = 3:18

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Disc 2: David Coverdale's Demo Tapes [Tracks 12-16]*

| title12 = Everybody's Talkin'

| length12 = 2:45

| title13 = Get Ready

| length13 = 2:34

| title14 = Lonely Town, Lonely Street

| length14 = 3:14

| title15 = Dancing in the Street

| length15 = 4:32

| title16 = 1974 DC Demo Ideas for the Stormbringer Album

| length16 = 5:57

}}

• - previously unreleased tracks

{{note|album number}}† Recorded at Genting Arena, Birmingham, England on 12 December 2015

All credits are adapted from Tidal, Apple Music, and its liner notes.{{cite AV media notes |title= The Purple Album |title-link=The Purple Album (Whitesnake album) |date=2015 |type=booklet |publisher=Frontiers |id=8 024391 068373}}{{cite AV media notes |title= The Purple Album: Special Gold Edition |title-link=The Purple Album (Whitesnake album) |date=2023 |type=booklet |publisher=Rhino, Warner Music Group |id=6 03497 83032 9}}

In 2015 the vinyl LP charted on the UK Official Vinyl Albums Chart at the 16th position.{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/vinyl-albums-chart/20150705/9/|title=Official Vinyl Albums Chart on 5/7/2015|website=Official Charts Company|access-date=15 November 2023}}

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{{album chart|Norway|32|artist=Whitesnake|album=The Purple Album|accessdate=June 20, 2024|rowheader=true}}

|-

{{album chart|Scotland|16|date=20150530|accessdate=June 20, 2024|rowheader=true}}

|-

{{album chart|Sweden|17|artist=Whitesnake|album=The Purple Album|accessdate=June 20, 2024|rowheader=true}}

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{{album chart|Switzerland|11|artist=Whitesnake|album=The Purple Album|accessdate=June 20, 2024|rowheader=true}}

|-

{{album chart|UK2|18|date=20150530|accessdate=June 20, 2024|rowheader=true}}

|-

{{album chart|UKRock|2|date=20150530|rowheader=true|access-date=June 20, 2024|refname=dummy1}}

|-

{{album chart|UKIndependent|12|date=20150524|rowheader=true|access-date=June 20, 2024}}

|-

{{album chart|Billboard200|87|artist=Whitesnake|accessdate=June 20, 2024|rowheader=true}}

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{{album chart|BillboardIndependent|9|artist=Whitesnake|accessdate=June 20, 2024|rowheader=true}}

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{{album chart|BillboardHardRock|6|artist=Whitesnake|accessdate=June 20, 2024|rowheader=true}}

|-

{{album chart|BillboardTastemaker|16|artist=Whitesnake|accessdate=June 20, 2024|rowheader=true}}

|-

{{album chart|BillboardRock|25|artist=Whitesnake|accessdate=June 20, 2024|rowheader=true}}

|}

{{Reflist}}

{{Whitesnake}}

{{Deep Purple}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Purple Album, The}}

Category:2015 albums

Category:Whitesnake albums

Category:Deep Purple tribute albums

Category:Frontiers Records albums

Category:Rhino Entertainment albums