WHITESNAKE Frontman DAVID COVERDALE: Me And My Travels

WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale was recently interviewed by Carl Wilkinson of the U.K.'s The Observer for the publication's "Travel" section. Read on:

"When I was in DEEP PURPLE we'd travel on the Starship, a private Boeing 727. Only a few of us used them: ZEPPELIN, ELVIS and STEVIE WONDER. It was totally customized inside. There was a 30-foot bar in the centre of the plane stacked high with lobster or whatever you wanted. There were bedrooms, showers and it was utterly unlike the interior of any normal aircraft. Some of my friends are billionaires and even they don't travel like that."

"When [WHITESNAKE's mega-hit] 'Here I Go Again' came out I toured for 18 months, but usually with two months performing and then a month doing other promotional work. Now I inject balance into my travels and I won't work for more than six months in a year."

"Wrecking hotel rooms was never really me. I'm from Yorkshire; I was never allowed to make a mess and I'm also a Virgo, which doesn't help."

"My favorite hotel is the Sunset Marquis in West Hollywood. It's a very discreet celebrity hotel. I'll be next door to Gene Hackman, who is next door to the kid from GREEN DAY. You're tripping over Brad Pitt checking in. I've been staying there for so long I know the chef, and the staff are like family to me."

"The most romantic place that I have stayed at is Las Ventanas in Los Cabos, Mexico. If you want dinner on the beach, they will set up a table for you at night and all you can hear is the surf. They comb a carpet design into the sand where your table is and it's all lit by lamps."

"I never travel without my iPod. My iPod has 11,000 pieces of music on it, but my current favourite is Renaissance music. I seem to be getting back in touch with a previous life."

"My idea of paradise is being at home — it's a bit of a holiday resort. I live in a stately cabin overlooking Lake Tahoe with the world's best family."

"The luxury I can't live without is my PA. She's a Pilates instructor, a trainer, a reiki master, an unbelievable masseuse and a great companion. We've worked together for 10 years."

"The best service is in the Far East. It's all about service. You walk into your hotel bathroom and the toilet seat even lifts for you automatically."

"I love Asian food. The Wa Sushi and Bistro restaurant on La Cienega Boulevard in West Hollywood provides stunning Japanese cuisine. It's the only place I don't order. I just sit and they send over food."