Search - Whitesnake :: Ready & Willing (Shm)

Whitesnake on top of their game

Docendo Discimus | Vita scholae | 07/27/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This classic album was recorded seven years before Whitesnake broke through in America, having changed their sound from hard, bluesy rock n' roll to big-haired pop metal, so the version of "Fool For Your Loving" that kicks off "Ready An' Willing" is the original gritty rocker, not the slick, keyboard-laden and slightly evil one from the 1989 MTV video.



Back in 1980 original Whitesnake guitarists Bernie Marsden and Mick Moody played big, bluesy guitar riffs and short, sparse solos, Coverdale didn't yet bleach his hair, and the music was raw and powerful, more Deep Purple than poodle-pop.

"Ready an' Willing" goes from highlight to highlight:

"Fool For Your Loving", the hard-rocking "Sweet Talker", the superbly groovy "Ready An' Willing", the dirty, swaggering blues-rock of "Love Man", and the ballads "Carry Your Load", the Zeppelin-like "Blindman" and the acoustic "Ain't Gonna Cry No More". And one of the band's unknown gems is also here, the funky, piano-driven R&B of "Black And Blue" which can only be found on this album.



It's not great art, sure, but it's really great fun, and there is certainly no need to program anything out here. To me "Ready An' Willing" is Whitesnake's strongest studio album by far, and it's also the last one with the original line-up of Moody, Marsden, Murray, and former Purple members Lord and Paice intact. Never again did the Snake make an album of such consistently entertaining songs."

Definitive Blues Rock

Joseph Bauschek | Greenfield, WI United States | 12/15/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The cast of this CD is the true blue whitesnake. I can't think of a more defining release of the 1000+ rock releases, I have heard that defines the term "Blues Rock". This is top of the line Rock Blues. Great melodies, perfected instrumentation and Coverdale at peak performance. Don't delay if you don't have this recording in your rock collection."

Good honest rock music

Micaloneus | the Cosmos | 11/30/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Ready An' Willing" is a blues rock record performed with the Whitesnake's best lineup. Along with David Coverdale, Ian Paice and Jon Lord from Deep Purple joined up with British guitarist Bernie Marsden and Mickey Moodey to produce the finest blues-rock album of 1980. This is their best album!



Highlights: Fool for your loving, Ready & Willing, Blindman and Carry your load.



If you like the MK III version of Deep Purple, you will probably like this disc as well."