WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale is featured in a new career-spanning interview with Metal Express Radio. An excerpt is available below:

MER: You're a Northeastern lad being born in Saltburn, UK -- not too far in fact from Paul Rodgers. What were you doing just before you joined DEEP PURPLE.

DC: "I was born in Saltburn but living in Redcar at the time I got the job in Deep Purple. I didn`t even have a phone in my flat at the time. As you know the Northern coast can be a cold place during the winter with those Siberian blasts from the sea. I had a smugglers bag full of 10p pieces and I was calling the Purple office while all the glass was broken in the phone box trying to sort stuff out when I`d been asked to join. I worked in Redcar in a shop during the day but I played in local bands around the area at night. To join a world famous band like Purple when I was just a lad from Saltburn was incredible."

MER: How did you adjust to life in DEEP PURPLE?

DC: "It was amazing. Purple were so, so huge around the world especially up in the North of England. I think my first show with them up there was at the Odeon in Newcastle. Over in The States we were playing to 20,000-30,000 a night and at the baseball stadiums 70,000 to 80,000 people. It was incredible. It was a big culture shock for me but I adapted to it and it became part of my life. I learned so much from Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore and that`s meant with no disrespect to the other amazing players I worked with, but it was Ritchie and Jon that prepared me for that transition into Deep Purple. I was in the very capable hands of Ritchie Blackmore and the very caring hands of Jon Lord and they were such amazing mentors for me entering into the world of Rock `n` Roll. They both helped me so much. I got so many musical ideas from Ritchie and how to be with people, from Jon."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

EMI has released a new eight-CD Whitesnake box set clued Little Box 'O' Snakes - The Sunburst Years 1978-1982, a scaled down edition of Box ‘O’ Snakes which was released November 2011.

Little Box 'O' Snakes features:

- remastered editions of the five Studio albums
- two live albums that Whitesnake released from 1978-1982
- CD of the snakebite EP (previously only available on vinyl)

Comes in the following packaging: flip-top box, 8 x card wallets (on heavyweight board), 8 x CDs, 16 page CD booklet

Little Box 'O' Snakes - The Sunburst Years 1978-1982 tracklisting:

Disc 1

'Bloody Mary' (2011 - Remaster)

'Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City' (2011 - Remaster)

'Steal Away' (2011 - Remaster)

'Come On' (2011 - Remaster)

Disc 2

'Take Me With You' (2011 - Remaster)

'Love to Keep You Warm' (2011 - Remaster)

'Lie Down (A Modern Love Song)' (2011 - Remaster)

'Day Tripper' (2011 - Remaster)

'Nighthawk (Vampire Blues)' (2011 - Remaster)

'The Time Is Right for Love' (2011 - Remaster)

'Trouble' (2011 - Remaster)

'Belgian Tom's Hat Trick' (2011 - Remaster)

'Free Flight' (2011 - Remaster)

'Don't Mess With Me' (2011 - Remaster)

Disc 3

'Come On (Live)' (2011 - Remaster)

'Might Just Take Your Life (Live)' (2011 - Remaster)

'Lie Down (Live)' (2011 - Remaster)

'Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City (Live)' (2011 - Remaster)

'Trouble (Live)' (2011 - Remaster)

'Mistreated (Live)' (2011 - Remaster)

Disc 4

'Long Way from Home' (2011 - Remaster)

'Walking in the Shadow of the Blues' (2011 - Remaster)

'Help Me Thro' the Day' (2011 - Remaster)

'Medicine Man' (2011 - Remaster)

'You 'n' Me' (2011 - Remaster)

'Mean Business' (2011 - Remaster)

'Love Hunter' (2011 - Remaster)

'Outlaw' (2011 - Remaster)

'Rock 'n' Roll Women' (2011 - Remaster)

'We Wish You Well' (2011 - Remaster)

Disc 5

'Fool for Your Loving (1980 Recording)' (2011 - Remaster)

'Sweet Talker' (2011 - Remaster)

'Ready An' Willing' (2011 - Remaster)

'Carry Your Load' (2011 - Remaster)

'Blindman' (2011 - Remaster)

'Ain't Gonna Cry No More' (2011 - Remaster)

'Love Man' (2011 - Remaster)

'Black and Blue' (2011 - Remaster)

'She's a Woman' (2011 - Remaster)

Disc 6

'Come On (Live)' (2011 - Remaster)

'Sweet Talker (Live)' (2011 - Remaster)

'Walking in the Shadow of the Blues (Live)' (2011 - Remaster)

'Love Hunter (Live)' (2011 - Remaster)

'Fool for Your Loving (Live)' (2011 - Remaster)

'Ain't Gonna Cry No More (Live)' (2011 - Remaster)

'Ready An' Willing (Live)' (2011 - Remaster)

'Take Me With You (Live)' (2011 - Remaster)

Disc 7

'Come An' Get It' (2011 - Remaster)

'Hot Stuff' (2011 - Remaster)

'Don't Break My Heart Again' (2011 - Remaster)

'Lonely Days Lonely Nights' (2011 - Remaster)

'Wine, Women An' Song' (2011 - Remaster)

'Child of Babylon' (2011 - Remaster)

'Would I Lie to You' (2011 - Remaster)

'Girl' (2011 - Remaster)

'Hit An' Run' (2011 - Remaster)

'Till the Day I Die' (2011 - Remaster)

Disc 8

'Young Blood' (2011 - Remaster)

'Rough An' Ready' (2011 - Remaster)

'Bloody Luxury' (2011 - Remaster)

'Victim of Love' (2011 - Remaster)

'Crying in the Rain' (2011 - Remaster)

'Here I Go Again' (2011 - Remaster)

'Love An' Affection' (2011 - Remaster)

'Rock An' Roll Angels' (2011 - Remaster)

'Dancing Girls' (2011 - Remaster)

'Saints An' Sinners' (2011 - Remaster)