DAVID COVERDALE On JOE LYNN TURNER: 'Next He'll Be Accusing Me Of Wearing A Wig On Stage'

David Coverdale has released a new statement exclusively to BLABBERMOUTH.NET regarding Joe Lynn Turner's (RAINBOW, DEEP PURPLE, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) allegations that the WHITESNAKE frontman lip-synchs to pre-recorded tapes of vocals in concert.

Coverdale said, "I am shocked, very disappointed and surprised by Mr. Turner's misleading and completely untrue observations he felt it necessary to discuss in a recent interview. Whatever his motives, they are disturbing, to say the least.

"I do not 'mime' in concert. I never have and I never will.

"I am David Coverdale. My career spans almost 40 successful years and I have worked with some of the finest musicians in contemporary music and in all that time I have never 'pretended' to sing to tapes when I am performing in front of a paying crowd.

"I have no idea how anyone who has seen me working live in concert, or is remotely connected to the music business, can even suggest such an odious thing.

"I have seen the purported video of me supposedly 'miming' [see footage below], and all I can say is he and anyone else who believes this nonsense should look more closely.

"It is obvious that I am holding the microphone out to the crowd and inviting the audience to participate, as I do during every show, and have done since the beginning of WHITESNAKE while my background singers keep the songs vocal momentum.

"It is hugely important to me that the audience feel completely part of the WHITESNAKE show and participate with me from the beginning to the end.

"They are called the 'Whitesnake Choir' for that reason.

"Please know, as most sensible people do, that I am especially blessed in this band with two very powerful singers in guitarist Reb Beach and keyboardist Timothy Drury, and also two very capable background singers in bassist Uriah Duffy and guitarist Doug Aldrich, and when I am working the crowd, these guys hold the songs for me exceptionally well, as most sensible people can see and hear.

"There are no vocal backing tapes... Everything you see and hear is being performed live by the musicians and vocalists on stage.

"I have no idea why Mr. Turner has launched this foolishness, but I ask that it stop now. It has no merit, serves no purpose and is a total waste of precious time.

"No apology is necessary as I have no desire in any way, shape or form to have any communication with him. He should know better.

"Next he'll be accusing me of wearing a wig on stage."

In a recent interview with Spain's The Metal Circus, Joe Lynn Turner was asked if he has ever used pre-recorded tapes for backing and/or lead vocals. Joe replied, "To be honest with you, I have one machine that helps sing the backgrounds — it's from DigiTech, and it's a great technology — but it's not samples, it's live; you have to sing into the microphone and then this machine will take your voice, whatever you put into this machine is exactly what you get. So if you sing like shit, it's gonna sound like shit. So there's no wizardry, there's no tapes. Because recently I heard on the Internet that David Coverdale was using all kinds of tapes. Well, I was in Finland [in June 2008] with Graham Bonnet and we were on the same festival [Sauna Open Air; see video below] as WHITESNAKE, and I couldn't believe he was using these tapes — for lead singing! Not just backgrounds, but lead! And I was... My mouth was open. I was like, 'What the fuck, David?! You can't do this. You look so stupid, so foolish.' And everyone is complaining about this. No, I'm singing live. This is what you get; that's it. . . I'm not trying to talk shit... This is true. Everybody sees this. . . I couldn't believe it, because he [David] was always one of my favorite singers. To use tapes for a lead vocal... I can understand backgrounds if the [rest of the bandmembers] don't sing. But for lead?! You've gotta be kidding!"

The Metal Circus' entire interview with Joe Lynn Turner is available for streaming at this location.

Fan-filmed video footage of WHITESNAKE performing at Sauna Open Air festival on June 8, 2008 (the concert Joe was referring to in The Metal Circus interview) can be viewed below.