WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale has commented on the postponement of the band's May 30 concert at the London Hammersmith Apollo after he came down with a sudden illness.

Said Coverdale: "I am sooo sorry that this has happened. Obviously, I can't help it. Some bloody, unsavoury viral thingy decided to take lodging in my otherwise charming intestines and play havoc with me bits and pieces!!! OOO-ER!!! Anyone familiar with what I do and how I do it (ahem) knows that I need as much physical strength as possible to sing and perform the way I do, and right now I don't have a great deal of Charles Atlas 'butchness' hanging around me...BUGGER!!! I sincerely hope that the show change to Thursday evening for our date doesn't compromise anyone too much, but quite honestly, it can't be helped. Stay in touch with Whitesnake.com or the Apollo for further news... but, HOLD THE FAITH that it will happen this Thursday!!! I'll do the best I can."

All tickets for Tueday night's London concert will be valid for this Thursday, June 1. The London concert will start at 7:30 p.m. with support. The Portsmouth Guildhall concert is still confirmed for Wednesday, May 31.

WHITESNAKE are currently on tour in Europe in support of their DVD "Live... In The Still Of The Night" and greatest-hits album "The Definitive Collection". Coverdale told Launch he would like to scheduled North American dates for later in the year, but business is really booming across the Atlantic. "My European agent is cooking, man," he said. "And of course, the more this DVD is popping out, promoters who were perhaps shy of getting involved with WHITESNAKE are suddenly going, 'You know what? Let me give you shittloads of money!' So, you know, WHITESNAKE seems to be working an awful lot this year."