For those of you who fancy classic rock, there’s a show coming to Portland’s Maine State Pier that should be of interest: Whitesnake is bringing its greatest hits tour to Maine, and the opening act is the focus of today’s column. Take the proven abilities of the guitarists in two legendary groups — Brad Whitford of Aerosmith and Derek St. Holmes, Ted Nugent’s vocalist and guitarist. Mix in three other top-notch musicians — Chopper Anderson on bass, Buck Johnson on keyboards and Tesla’s drummer, Troy Lucketta. And you have the powerhouse quintet known as Whitford/St. Holmes. In a conference call between Huber Heights, Ohio, and Sweden, Maine, Whitford was more than happy to chat about the band he and St. Holmes started back in 1981 and the fact that they have just released their second album, “Reunion,” 35 years later.

Q: I must say that, having listened to your new album several times this morning, that nine-song album is like a touchstone to the classic rock that I grew up consuming.

Concert info

Whitford/St. Holmes to open for Whitesnake

Time: 6 p.m.

Date: Sunday, June 26

Venue: Maine State Pier

Tickets: $22.75-$69.75

Phone: 358-9327

Websites: whitfordstholmes.com,

waterfrontconcerts.com/

Whitford: I’m getting that. It really seems to be resonating with a lot of people. It’s like it fills a vacuum that people didn’t even realize was there. We get so used to listening to classic rock radio, and maybe it seems like they did everything they could in that genre, but that’s not the case.

Q: Not by a long shot. And let’s face it. You have the best of both worlds in that you can go out and tour with Aerosmith playing some of the most popular classic rock there is, and then you can take the essence of what you’ve done and learned and apply it to a whole new direction.

Whitford: Right, yeah. We’re very, very pleased with the results, too. This is the kind of music that inspired me in ’67-’68 to play, and I think there’s a lot more I can do with it. It’s not a tired formula. You can still make things happen with that genre.

Q: Yes, and “Reunion” proves it. And that’s such an apt title, too. What was it like getting back together after more than 30 years?

Whitford: Well, we’ve maintained a friendship over the years so it just seemed like a very natural fit for us. The music is something that’s central in the way we communicate and the way we interact. For Derek and myself it’s always been there so we’re happy to be very compatible as players and songwriters. And finding someone you can really communicate with in the songwriting is very rare.

Q: Now, when did the new CD come out officially?

Whitford: It was available on iTunes on June 3rd.

Q: How’s the response been to it in that short period of time?

Whitford: We’ve been just getting great response. People have been picking out different favorite songs, which I find really interesting. Nobody’s kind of gravitated towards one as the best song, which is great.

Q: Have you started the tour with Whitesnake yet?

Whitford: Yes, we’re up and running. We’re in Ohio today and have been for the last two nights. We’re having a great time on this tour.

Q: How much time do you get as the opening act?

Whitford: We play for 30 minutes, which is very quick, but we’ve been getting great response from the crowd. They really seem to get it. We do our show and then go out to the merch table and sign CDs and stuff for people. We’ve been selling just an enormous amount of CDs, too. It’s exciting.

Q: Do you play any of the songs from the first album or is it a mixture of old and new material?

Whitford: For the Whitesnake show we just do new material. We do a lot of the stuff from the “Reunion” album. But we also have shows on nights when Whitesnake’s off and we do our own shows. That’s when we play a variety from the first and second albums.

Q: Has the self-titled debut album been reissued?

Whitford: When you buy a “Reunion” record, the first album is in there as a bonus. We had it remastered and it sounds better than it ever did.

Q: Well, technology has changed so much since 1981, that’s for sure.

Whitford: Oh my God, yeah! There’s a huge difference in the quality that’s available now.

Q: Is there anything you’d like to pass on to the readers of this article?

Whitford: Just that we’re looking forward to this show. New England is my stomping ground. I grew up and played there for years. So it’s always great to come back and see lots of family and friends. I’m really looking forward to that.

Lucky Clark has spent more than 45 years writing about good music and the people who make it. He can be reached at luckyc@myfairpoint.net if you have any questions, comments or suggestions.

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