When David Coverdale and Paul Stanley Went Head-to-Head
Note: This is a fictional story about the real events.
David Coverdale vs Paul Stanley Feud
The year is 1992. It’s the beginning of October, and my friends and I are walking down the streets of Toronto, Canada.
Out of the blue, we stumble upon none other than Taime Down and Brent Muscat from Faster Pussycat, giving a street interview in front of a bunch of crowd. They are going to play a show tonight in Maple Leaf Gardens as a support act for KISS, alongside Trixter.
We move closer to try to hear what they are talking about. They seem really cool and casual, dressed all in black. Taime is wearing a Nine Inch Nails t-shirt and a leather jacket, while Brent is standing there with a big cross on his chest and wild fluorescent green-dyed hair.
We can hear them talking a lot about their newest album called “Whipped!” that was released two months ago. Actually, it’s a great record. I bought it immediately, and I can tell that it is by far their most advanced album. I really like that song about Andrew Wood from Mother Love Bone; I think it’s called “Mr. Lovedog.” Actually, I heard Taime mention that song while talking to the pretty reporter.
They also mention their new drummer, and a kid asks them something about songwriting. But there is also one thing that really caught my attention. Apparently, this was not their first time playing Toronto as a support act for KISS. They were here a year ago, according to the reporter, also playing with KISS.
Taime confirms that they were in Toronto before with KISS, while Brent adds, smiling, “And Whitesnake too!”
“Yeah, that was that one show with KISS and Whitesnake when they were fighting each other,” says Taime. “Whitesnake wouldn’t let KISS use their pyro, and that was pretty stupid, I thought,” he adds. “And now the KISS are getting their ‘Revenge,'” the reporter says with a grin.
Anyway, it was nice to see those guys in the streets, and I can’t wait for the concert tonight.
They go their way, and I am left wondering. Wait a minute. What was Taime talking about? What KISS-Whitesnake concert? What pyro, what revenge? I am intrigued, and I need to investigate more. I never heard about that story.
First, I found out that Taime and Brent were referring to the show that took place on June 15th, 1990, at CNE Grandstand. It was the Hot In The Shade Tour that KISS was on, and Faster Pussycat and Slaughter were the supporting acts.
I was never a big KISS fan, to be honest. But since I first heard Whitesnake somewhere in Europe, they quickly became one of my favorite bands, alongside Faster Pussycat, of course. They were the real reason why I decided to go see them tonight in Toronto while being on my vacation here.
But the thing Taime said was bothering me. What the hell happened there that night two years ago? (So, the reporter was not right when she said it was a year ago.) I needed to ask some friends who were there that night, and I knew exactly who to ask. I rang my friends from Decibel Geek.
According to my friends, this was not some “who sings better” story. This was a real feud—Paul Stanley vs. David Coverdale feud. Quite interesting.
Whitesnake was on their Slip of the Tongue World Tour, and KISS was rocking the Hot in the Shade Tour alongside Faster Pussycat and Slaughter. With both tours coinciding in the same city at the same time, the organizers made the bold decision to merge them into a colossal rock and roll spectacle.
After an extensive half-hour phone conversation with my friend from my hotel room – a conversation that would likely cost me a fortune – he provided a firsthand account of the entire event. He had been there, witnessing it all unfold before his eyes.
Here is what happened, transcribed from our conversation:
Anticipation reached its zenith as Faster Pussycat and Slaughter tore up the stage, setting the tone for an epic night.
However, the atmosphere took an unexpected turn when Kiss, known for their elaborate stage setups, appeared on a surprisingly stripped-down stage. Initial confusion turned to awe as Paul Stanley addressed the crowd, revealing a backstage feud. The intention was to bring bombs and lasers, but a certain member from another band had thwarted their plans. Tensions escalated when David Coverdale of Whitesnake flipped Paul the bird from the side stage, hidden from most of the audience but not from my friend who was sitting in the third-row center.
As Whitesnake took the stage, Coverdale made derogatory remarks about the opening band, referring to them as “whiners.” The crowd reacted negatively, booing and expressing disapproval. Coverdale’s comments led to a significant portion of the audience leaving the stadium before Whitesnake finished their set.
I was really amazed by what I have just learned.
From what I understand, David Coverdale didn’t want KISS to unleash their full pyrotechnics display since Whitesnake held the headlining slot for the event. Later that day, I crossed paths with some metalheads from Toronto who claimed to have witnessed the entire incident. According to them, Paul Stanley and David Coverdale were on the verge of a physical altercation, or possibly engaged in one, with other band members having to intervene and separate them.
I’m uncertain about the accuracy of all the details, as people tend to embellish stories. However, I place some trust in the account provided by my friends from Decibel Geek. Satisfied with uncovering the truth behind Taime and Brent’s street conversation later that day, my friends and I headed to the venue to witness the show.
The incident marked a contentious moment in the history of rock music. However, I need to remind all fans that since the ’90s, David Coverdale and Paul Stanley have buried the hatchet and have remained on normal terms up until today.
Author: JP
