The 5-minute Interview: David Coverdale, Musician

'People saw my lyrics as sexist when I thought they were sexy'

(GETTY)

David Coverdale, 56, spent three years as the frontman for Deep Purple before forming Whitesnake in 1977. After seven top-20 singles and 11 albums, the band continues to tour. Their latest album, 'Good to be Bad', is at No 7 in the album charts.

If I weren't talking to you right now I'd be ...

I think I would be sleeping. I don't know what time zone I'm in right now but it's not working for me.

I wish people would take more notice of ...

Politics, because it is something that directly affects people's lives. People really need to pay more attention to what's going on. As boring and insidious as it appears to be at times there are terrible things being done, all over the world, in the people's name and they need to try and stop this.

The most surprising thing that happened to mewas ...

That I'm celebrating 30 years of Whitesnake this year and I'm still only 27.

A phrase I use far too often ...

"Very nice." I'm just a lad from Yorkshire.

A common misperception of me is ...

People think that I don't like women. I had a realisation after I had a string of hits about heartbreak that people were confusing their meaning, thinking they were sexist when I thought they were sexy.

I am not a politician but ...

If I was a politician right now I would change just about everything. I would throw them all out and start over again.

I'm good at ...

Being David Coverdale, citizen of the world. I'm still working very hard on every aspect of it.

I'm very bad at ...

Patience. Amateurs in professional situations make me very impatient.

The ideal night out is ...

At home with my missus and my little boy tucked up in bed asleep, or, on stage in front of 15,000 mad fans. Although, I find the travelling a little debilitating these days.

In moments of weakness I ...

Meditate. I've been doing it for around 15 years or so and it has really changed my life. I recommend it to everybody.

You know me as a musician but in another life I'd have been ...

A minstrel, a troubadour, a jester, a magician, a wizard, a secret agent, all the lovers.

The best age to be is ...

Right where I am now at 56. These are the best times of my life. I'm probably one of the happiest blokes you will ever meet, I have blue birds flying out of every orifice. Last year was amazing too and so far this year has been great.

In a nutshell, my philosophy is this ...

It's all about love.

Ben Naylor