Music evolves through waves of consciousness, & so do the members of Great White. Plagued by a horrific tragedy in 2003, the drug & alcohol addiction of their lead singer (Jack Russell), & bouts of friction between band members…they’ve grown to value the embodiment of their sound & accept it as a celebration of their lives. “I think it’s just a love of playing.” Michael Lardie tells me, as we discuss the band’s 30+ year career. “We appreciate our opportunities to play, maybe even a little more than we did…& you really connect more with it as a grown-up person, knowing that you still can do it in your 50’s. It’s really remarkable.”
With 75 – 80 shows scheduled this year, the middle-aged rockers have adopted a “Weekend Warrior” kind of practice…choosing destinations they’ve never played before & dates that meld into their personal lives. This year’s line-up included an appearance with The Scorpions, “Sturgis Bike Rally”, Sweden’s “ROCK OUT FESTIVAL” (rescheduled for September), & a show in Lisbon, Portugal after that. Their current album “Rising” (Shrapnel Records) has submersed the quintet into fresh waters, where freedom to explore a more mature deliverance enhances the scope of their lyrics. The long-form arrangement is still intact, along with the blues-rooted riffs, but the raunchy “GLAM ROCK” style is not the key emphasis anymore. It’s been a refreshing change for the band, although some critics argue that they have not been challenging themselves enough. However you choose to look at it, Great White still embeds veritability into their songwriting…& after decades of team-playing the recording process, are able to capture “The Crux” from all their stage experience. “In many ways, it’s the producers who are making the records,” Lardie says, “it’s not the artists. There’s a continuity to having a performance & having each chorus be slightly different. There’s more of a human feel to it.”
Formerly known as Dante Fox, the band initialized in 1978, when Jack Russell approached guitarist Mark Kendall to collaborate. Being 6’4”, with white-blonde hair & an almost albino appearance, Mark was soon dubbed “The Great White” by various colleagues in the industry. This, coupled with Russell’s passion for ocean sport fishing, led to the name GREAT WHITE being chosen…& it gave them a new propulsion in the music stream. “It was a natural progression & a great name.” explains Lardie, “It has a vibe, you know…music with TEETH in it & some kind of edge. And obviously, the whole ‘Great White Shark’ thing…it was easy in terms of a marketing approach, as well.” While many bands charted the course with “sleaze-anthems” & “panty-remover ballads” during the eighties, Great White remained true to their blues-like finesse & connection of American rock with an English spin. Russell’s close vocal proximity to Robert Plant would soon put the L.A. songsters on the map, leading to over SIX MILLION in record sales & tours with some of the largest names in rock/metal history.
They appreciate the fact that they were part of an era where “artist development” was not just a responsibility, but a priority. “Without that…we wouldn’t have had a Springsteen, a John Cougar Mellencamp, a U2 – the list goes on, & on, & on.” Lardie reflects, “These are ICONIC STAPLES of our musical society…that would, perhaps, not even been put on the radar nowadays.” Having individual aspirations gave the members of GW a breadth of creativity, & is something they’ve always supported each other on. Newcomer, Scott Snyder (who joined in 2008), has adopted the model of SIX previous bassists – providing a harmonious spin that has been long anticipated. Whatever the mutation, one thing remains constant…& that is the group’s shared appetite for imaginative songwriting.
It’s been 20 YEARS since Great White has played in Saskatchewan…& on August 5th a small, but enthusiastic, crowd gathered at Casino Regina to see if the music still contained all of it’s BITE. Packed with L.A. attitude, they intrigued spectators with a satisfying setlist & some intrinsic moments. Drummer, Audie Desbrow, exemplified rigid power on his kit…at one point, knocking a cymbal clean off the riser. But the pressure seemed to lie on lead guitarist Mark Kendall to assume the spotlight, as vocalist Jack Russell had undergone a recent back surgery which crippled much of his fronting abilities.
The rock evening showed glimmers of Michael Lardie’s “Don Henley” style voice, & the crowd seemed genuinely supportive of all their attempts. One thing for certain, Kendall works “magic” across the strings of his guitar & continues to be one of the most astute blues-based players out there. “I don’t think that the fans, that gave you a career by buying records over the years…they don’t want to hear an entire new record. We try to make it balanced.” Michael explains, & the group held steady to this rule. Jack continues to write most of the melodies for the music, & although he wasn’t at peak performance during this event, he still has a “sultry appeal” that is unmistakably his own.
In 2003, Great White made headlines when pyrotechnics ignited the stage sound-proofing foam during a show at “The Station Nightclub” in West Warwick, Rhode Island. The 4,500 square foot building was engulfed by flames in under 5½ minutes, leading to the deaths of 100 people…including guitarist, Ty Longley. It was an incident that scarred the band, & left them with a murky future. But just as sharks keep swimming & never rest, so did these five musical creatures. They’re ready to record another “LIVE” album, & the notes from life’s troughs & crests keep surfacing to bring renewed inspiration for them & their fans.
Since the days of The Troubadour in Hollywood, Great White has delivered a tantalizing blend “BLUES PARTY ROCK”. The life of debauchery may be over, but the quest for raw composition feeds them well. “If you really wanna’ be in it to win it,” Lardie says, “then choose the joy outta’ the music. There’s still not a drug that’s any better…than playing in front of a LIVE audience.”
GREAT WHITE is:
Jack Russell (Vocals)
Mark Kendall (Lead Guitar)
Michael Lardie (Keyboards/Guitar)
Scott Snyder (Bass)
Audie Desbrow (Drums)
(Information Gathered from Wikipedia.org)
BPatoine – August, 2010
