DAVID COVERDALE Slams Legendary A&R Executive JOHN KALODNER: 'I Don't Have A Good Word To Say About Him Anymore'

David Coverdale has slammed former A&R executive John Kalodner as a “pain in the arse” who has “burnt pretty much every bridge of everyone he’s worked with.”

Kalodner, whose tenure spanned posts at Atlantic, Geffen, Columbia and Sanctuary, was legendary for discovering, signing and working with a wide array of artists, and for his signature style — trademark John Lennon-style wire-rim glasses, shoulder-length locks, ZZ TOP beard and always wearing white.

During his own 30-plus-year career in the music business, Kalodner played a major role in the careers of AC/DC, AEROSMITH, FOREIGNER and BON JOVI, among many others. After becoming the first A&R executive for David Geffen‘s then-new label Geffen Records in 1980, he oversaw the production of WHITESNAKE‘s self-titled 1987 album, which featured the band’s epic pop-metal hits “Here I Go Again” and “Still Of The Night” and sold more than 8 million copies.

In a recent interview with the “Let There Be Talk” podcast, Coverdale was asked by host Dean Delray what Kalodner was like to work with around the time of the release of the “Whitesnake” record. “Pain in the arse,” David responded (hear audio below). “I don’t have a good word to say about him anymore. We served a purpose for each other that time. He’s burnt pretty much every bridge of everyone he’s worked with, including me. I said to him, ‘Don’t call me on my birthday…’ He would call me on my birthday and stuff, and I said, ‘Not anymore. Enough already.’ He did some stupid TV documentary where he was extremely rude. He’s not interesting to me.”

Coverdale added: “There are some people who come into your life for a time, for a period of time, and his time’s up… Not interested.”

According to Billboard, Kalodner retired in 2006 after 35 years in the music business.

After a stint as a music writer for the Philadelphia Bulletin, he joined Atlantic‘s publicity department in 1974, but quickly moved to the A&R department the following year.

Kalodner memorably dressed in a wedding gown for AEROSMITH‘s “Dude (Looks Like A Lady)” video.

Fonte: Blabbermouth.net