WHITESNAKE's DAVID COVERDALE Was Very Happy To See DEF LEPPARD Finally Inducted Into ROCK HALL

WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale has told the Cleveland Scene that he was thrilled to see his pals in DEF LEPPARD finally inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame this year. "I've known them since they started," he said. "They're North Yorkshire and I'm South Yorkshire. If you don't support your fellow Yorkshire guys, there's a special place in hell for you. [Singer] Joe [Elliott] and I are in touch with each other every fucking day. If his mother could see the dirty filthy memes he sends me, it would make her toes curl, but I've been sworn to secrecy. We're dear friends. Last year, I was touring with FOREIGNER and Joe and the guys were out with JOURNEY. We were all having great crowds. Nothing pleases me more than to see people I generally care about doing well."

WHITESNAKE and DEF LEPPARD toured the U.K. together in the fall of 2015. At the time, Elliott told Uber Rock about his band's relations with WHITESNAKE: "I'd be lying if I said there was no rivalry. But, really, we both want each other to do well. It doesn't matter if you're going on first, last or in the middle, if the audience has the attention span to watch all three bands, then potentially everyone wins. There's no rivalry in that, but obviously all bands want to be as popular as possible, so you're always vying for top spot. But rest assured, Lord Coverdale and I get on famously."

WHITESNAKE is currently touring in support of its upcoming album, "Flesh & Blood", which will be released on May 10 via Frontiers Music Srl. The disc follows the 2011 critically acclaimed studio album "Forevermore" and 2015's "The Purple Album", a reimagining of DEEP PURPLE classics from Coverdale's time in that band.

Coverdale was among the DEEP PURPLE members who were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2016.