THE BAND: David Coverdale and an assortment of players from the late 1970's through the late 90's. Most notably playing on one or more Whitesnake albums: John Sykes (guitar), Steve Vai (guitar), Adrian Vandenberg (guitar), Micky Moody (guitar), Rudy Sarzo (bass), Neil Murray (bass), Jon Lord (keyboards/organ), Tommy Aldridge (drums), Aynsley Dunbar (drums), Ian Paice (drums), Cozy Powell (drums).

THE DISC: (2006) 33 songs on 2 discs clocking in at approximately 155 minutes (Disc-1 at 77 minutes, Disc-2 at 78). Included with the disc is an 18-page booklet containing band photos through the years, a 4-page intro to the band, song titles/credits, what songs came from which albums, and Billboard chart success. This compilation follows the band from 1978-93 (with the exception of the unreleased track). Label - Geffen.

ALBUM REPRESENTATION: Trouble (2 songs), Snakebite (1), Love Hunter (3), Ready An' Willing (3), Live in The Heart Of The City (2), Come An' Get It (2), Saints & Sinners (1), Slide It In (5), Whitesnake (5), Slip Of The Tongue (5), Coverdale/Page (2), Soundtrack/Days Of Thunder (1), Unreleased (1).

COMMENTS: If Geffen's 18-track "Definitive Collection" from the same year isn't enough, this "Gold" collection will most surely do the trick. THE GOOD: The staples are all here - "Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City", "Fool For Your Loving" (2x), "Victim Of Love", "Slide It In", "Slow An' Easy", "Love Ain't No Stranger", "Here I Go Again", "Still Of The Night", "Give Me All Your Love", "Crying In The Rain", "Is This Love", "The Deeper The Love", "Judgment Day", etc. The deep album cuts are plentiful - "Trouble", "Ain't Gonna Cry No More", "Blindman", "Sailing Ships", and extremely happy to see the 10-minute live "Mistreated" and "Might Just Take Your Life" (old Deep Purple tracks) from "Live In The Heart Of The City". Liner notes are extensive. The songs are in chronological order so you can hear the band change over the decades - with the exception of the last track on disc-2, "We Wish You Well" (taken from the early "Love Hunter"). The disc space is utilized to its fullest, and the remastered sound is crisp. THE NOT SO GOOD: Disc-1 rocks. Disc-2 has as many power ballads as it does rockers... but this was the direction of the band and its music. Don't get me wrong - this is a great set of discs - but my Whitesnake preference lies in the harder/faster songs. Only 1 song each from underrated albums "Snakebite" and "Saints & Sinners". Geffen hit the nail on the head with "Gold" as far as the track selection goes. However, there are a few less critical songs that could/should be here - "Bad Boys", "Slip Of The Tongue", "Hungry For Love" - and perhaps a few deeper tracks including "Child Of Babylon", "Whisper A Prayer For The Dying" (Coverdale/Page), and maybe a song or two from Coverdale's solo albums ("Restless Heart" and/or "Into The Light"). There are 5 remix/alternative mix selections here (many listeners may prefer the original studio versions... like me). The unreleased track is a throwaway... closer to a Michael Bolton song than Whitesnake. The negative remarks here are extremely minor in the scheme of things. OVERALL: A fantastic intro to David Coverdale and Whitesnake - if you're looking for an in-depth compilation, this "Gold" is the place to start (5 stars).

Great CD loaded with Whitesnake Super Hits - for the hardcore WhiteSnake fan and 80's rocker this CD set is a must - Excellent !!!

With the double-disc GOLD, Whitesnake get the double-disc anthology that they truly deserve. This collection starts in 1978, and goes right into the 90s, ending with 1979's "We Wish You Well." The early material (up to and including 1984), when they were a heavy metal version of Southern rock, is very much preferable to the late-80s stuff, when they were basically a higher-brow version of L.A. glam metal bands such as Ratt and Motley Crue. Despite the surprising number of alternate mixes here, lead singer David Coverdale's belief that the young Australian tourist jailed in Indonesia since 2005 for drug-smuggling was wrongfully convicted makes GOLD an essential purchase for both your ears AND your conscience.