JOE ELLIOTT Was 'Very Sad' To See DAVID COVERDALE's Retirement Announcement, But Says It Was 'Kind Of Expected'

Joe Elliott paid tribute to David Coverdale on the DEF LEPPARD singer's Planet Rock show on Saturday (November 22),just days after the WHITESNAKE leader announced he was retiring from performing.

Commenting on his friend's decision to call it a day, Joe said: "Okay, so hands up if, like me just a few days ago, you had a little bit of a tear in your eye when you saw Lord Coverdale make his retirement announcement.

Joe continued: "Now myself and David go back a long, long way — 1981, to be precise. DEF LEPPARD and WHITESNAKE toured together many, many times but I've known him since we [DEF LEPPARD] were recording [1981's] 'High 'N' Dry' [album] and he was recording the [WHITESNAKE] album 'Saints & Sinners'. He would allow me to pop into his studio and watch him sing and nurse me off the ledge when I was really struggling to do stuff with [DEF LEPPARD's longtime producer] Mutt Lange. He was such a great guy and very generous with his brandy, let's put it that way."

Elliott added: "I was very sad to see [David's retirement] announcement but [it was] kind of expected, really. He'd done it. He's been there and he's done that and he deserves to spend some time with his family and just not worry about it anymore.

"So, I'd like to celebrate my memories of David with this one song, which is where I came in, and it's quite honestly one of the most emotional things that he ever did. So, on behalf of the world, David, if you're listening, happy retirement."

Joe then played WHITESNAKE's classic 1978 cover of "Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City", a 1974 R&B song written by Michael Price and Dan Walsh, and first recorded by Bobby "Blue" Bland for his "Dreamer" album. WHITESNAKE's version was included on the band's 1978 debut EP "Snakebite" and again as a live recording on 1980's "Live...In The Heart Of The City".

On November 13, the 74-year-old David said in a video message before a remake of WHITESNAKE's 2011 song "Fare Thee Well": "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, brothers and sisters of the 'SNAKE, a special announcement for you.

"The last few years has been very evident to me that it's time really for me to hang up my rock and roll platform shoes and my skin-tight jeans. And as you can see, we've taken care of the lion's wig. But it's time for me to call it a day."

Coverdale expressed his gratitude to his loved ones and fans, who have supported him as the frontman for both WHITESNAKE and DEEP PURPLE, but said it was time for him to enjoy his retirement.

"I love you dearly. I thank everyone who's assisted and supported me on this incredible journey. All the musicians, the crew, the fans, the family. It's amazing."

Coverdale raised a glass as he delivered his parting message, "Fare thee well," referencing WHITESNAKE's song of the same name.

On June 28, 2022, WHITESNAKE scrapped three shows on its spring/summer European tour due to Coverdale's infection of the sinus and trachea. Three days later, the rest of the trek was also called off. At the time, David blamed the decision on "continuing health challenges, doctor's orders, and our concern for everyone's health and safety."

In April 2023, Coverdale told "Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern" regarding the possibility of WHITESNAKE resuming its farewell tour in 2024: "It's not really a professional decision. It's literally a health decision.

"[In 2022] it took me seven months to get rid of a sinus infection that went so deep into my body… And then we discovered a secondary one, which is why I had to cancel the U.S. tour," he explained. "So all of that appalling antibiotics I had for three months, all the damage it did to my system, was a waste of time because this other infection was canceling it out. So I had to go on to heavier medications and steroids, and at the same time ignoring a torn rotator cuff.

"When I was onstage with Steve Vai at Hellfest [in France in June 2022], which turned out to be the last WHITESNAKE show — hopefully not the last WHITESNAKE show [ever] — underneath my shirt, my shoulder was taped up like I was going into the arena to face another gladiator," Coverdale revealed. "And you couldn't really tell. And thank God I could still fling the mic stand around. But as soon as I got signed off back in January, the infection had gone, I realized that we had to sort out the shoulder, 'cause that had been of secondary importance — minor compared to this, 'Am I ever gonna be able to sing again?' That's a big deal. It's something you wake up and almost take for granted.

"So, I'm getting a lot of approaches [regarding Las] Vegas residencies. I'm not quite sure about that. I feel I owe Japan. I feel I owe the U.S. I feel I owe South America. 'Cause I've been pretty successful for 50 years, and you can't buy that. It's people who've supported you to be in this position. It was a personal choice. I didn't wanna do a video going, 'Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, brothers and sisters of the 'SNAKE, thank you for 50 years. I'm done.' I wanted to be there.

"I wanted to retire in 2020," David added. "I thought the appropriate age for the singer of WHITESNAKE to step down was 69. But, of course, bloody COVID came [and ruined those plans]."

Also in April 2023, Coverdale told Ultimate Classic Rock that the illness that forced him off the road in 2022 was "the worst sinus infection I've ever had in my life. And as a singer, I know them like fucking relatives of mine," Coverdale said. "This was one of the ugliest illnesses I think I've [ever] had. For seven months, I was taking ever-increasingly strong antibiotics and horrifying prednisone steroids."

WHITESNAKE launched its farewell tour on May 10, 2022 at Dublin, Ireland's 3Arena. The band's 14-song set, which was part of a European tour with special guests EUROPE and co-headliners FOREIGNER, marked WHITESNAKE's inaugural performance with the group's two latest two additions, keyboardist, guitarist and backing vocalist Dino Jelusick and bassist Tanya O'Callaghan.

Coverdale had both his knees replaced with titanium in 2017 after suffering from degenerative arthritis. He later explained that he was in so much pain with arthritis in his knees that it hampered his ability to perform live.

Prior to the pandemic, WHITESNAKE had been touring in support of its latest album, "Flesh & Blood", which was released in May 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl.