Great White
Encyclopedia
Great White is an American hard rock
band, formed in Los Angeles
in 1978. The band gained popularity during the 1980s and early 1990s. The band released several albums in the late 1980s and gained airplay on MTV
with music videos for songs like "Once Bitten, Twice Shy
". The band reached their peak popularity with the album ...Twice Shy
in 1989.
The band continued to release new material into the 1990s, although none of their material charted in the United States
. In 2003, the band made headlines when The Station nightclub fire
led to the deaths of 100 people in West Warwick
, Rhode Island, including the band's guitarist Ty Longley
, who had been a member of the band for three years. Great White made a comeback in 2007 with the release of a new album and an accompanying tour.
.
After recording several demos, the band chose as manager Alan Niven, who had worked for the independent distributor Greenworld in Torrance
, California and had dealt with Mötley Crüe
's debut self-release. Niven suggested the name change from Dante Fox after seeing singer Jack Russell
introduce Mark Kendall (guitarist)
during his solo as "Mark Kendall, the Great White", due to his natually white-blonde hair, white Fender Telecaster
guitar, white jumpsuit, and white Capezio
shoes. In 1982, founding members Mark Kendall, Jack Russell, drummer Gary Holland
, and bassist Lorne Black recorded and released a 5-song EP
, Out of the Night, on the independent label Aegean formed by Niven. Niven then convinced the Los Angeles radio station KMET to begin adding songs from the EP to its playlist in heavy rotation. KLOS-FM
soon did the same. The band suddenly went from drawing 100 people to a local club to drawing thousands in L.A. concert halls such as Perkins Palace in Pasadena
, The Palace
in Hollywood and the Country Club in Reseda. As an unsigned act, Great White headlined at Six Flags Magic Mountain
in Valencia playing to 6,250 people. Near the end of 1983, EMI America
signed the band and subsequently released Great White's eponymous debut album in early 1984. The band immediately toured the UK supporting Whitesnake
's Slide It In
tour and the entire US and Canada opening for Judas Priest
's Defenders of the Faith
tour. Shot in the Dark
, their follow-up independent release, marked the arrival of drummer Audie Desbrow
. By the time Capitol Records
signed the band and reissued Shot in the Dark, keyboardist-guitarist Michael Lardie
had come aboard. After the release of Shot in the Dark, Great White hit the road with Dokken
and was on the verge of even bigger success.
The band hit the mainstream in 1987 when they released Once Bitten..., which featured the hits "Rock Me
" and "Save Your Love". Once Bitten... was certified platinum
in April 1988.
The band followed up with ...Twice Shy
in 1989. The album included their biggest hit, "Once Bitten, Twice Shy
", a cover of a UK hit single by Ian Hunter
. They received a Grammy Award
nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance. The album was certified platinum in July 1989 and then double platinum in September of that same year. The model Bobbie Brown
(also known for being in Warrant
's "Cherry Pie
" video) appeared in the video for "Once Bitten, Twice Shy". They finished off the 80s touring in support of ...Twice Shy as headliners and with some best known bands, such as Bon Jovi
.
In 1990, the band featured in the heavy metal video series Hard 'N' Heavy containing music, concert footage and interviews. The video included Slash
and Duff
from Guns N' Roses
appearing with the band at a Children of the Night Benefit concert in L.A., the performance helping to raise money for housing abused homeless children. Both bands shared the same manager, Alan Niven at the time.
" at the American Music Awards
in January 1990. In March, Great White embarked on their first tour of Japan
. They returned to the United States for the Memorial Day
weekend festival dubbed The World Series of Rock, which featured Whitesnake, Skid Row, Bad English
, and Hericane Alice
. Great White recorded two more albums for Capitol Records, Hooked, which was certified gold, and Psycho City
. In support of Hooked, Great White did a tour as headliner tour, had a guest slot with German metal band Scorpions
and travelled to Europe
and Japan
. Psycho City was followed by a US tour with Kiss
.
Capitol issued the compilation
The Best of Great White: 1986–1992 in 1993, when Great White had already departed the label to begin work on their next studio release, Sail Away
. Before the release of the album, Great White spent seven months on the road headlining clubs. According to Lardie, it was "the longest stint we ever did without a break." Great White kept up the pace once Sail Away was released on Zoo Records
in 1994, touring the US several times over the following year and a half. Their next release, Let It Rock
, was released in 1996 through yet another label, Imago Records
.
In 1999, the band released Can't Get There from Here and embarked on a tour with Ratt
, Poison
, and L.A. Guns
. The album featured the single "Rollin' Stoned", which managed to chart at No. 8 on the Billboard
Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
left Great White. Kendall was replaced by guitarist Matthew Johnson. Desbrow, clearly very unhappy with the financial state of the band posted a tirade on his website lambasting Jack Russell and Michael Lardie, while claiming to have been "fired" from Great White. Meanwhile, it was rumored that Sean McNabb was fired for going to management and asking to see the accounting books. Despite only having one original member left, the band announced plans to begin work on a new album in late 2000. Early in the process, some of the new songs were played for John Kalodner
at Columbia Records
. It was mutually agreed that the "magic was gone" and the band decided their heart was not in the recording process. They subsequently left Columbia Records and discontinued work on the new album. On 5 November 2001 Jack Russell announced the end of Great White, stating that he was moving on, and that Great White would play one final farewell show on 31 December 2001 at the Galaxy Theatre in Santa Ana, CA
. Both Kendall and McNabb rejoined the band for the farewell show, recorded for a live CD entitled Thank You...Goodnight!
released by Knight Records. The live album includes two new tracks, "Back to the Rhythm" and "Play On" from their discontinued studio sessions, both of which would ultimately wind up on their reunion album Back to the Rhythm
in 2007.
, pyrotechnics
used by the band's crew created a spray of sparks that ignited the foam soundproofing material in the ceiling around the stage. One hundred people including the band's guitarist Ty Longley
, died in the fire that followed. In 2008 the band agreed to pay $1 million to survivors and victims' relatives of the fire while admitting to no wrongdoing. This amount also covers former tour manager Daniel Biechele along with the band members, record label, and management as it existed at the time of the fire. The settlement was the maximum allowed under the band's insurance plan. Victims had previously received $3.8 million raised by United Way of America.
Though the media referred to the band as "Great White" following the tragedy in Rhode Island, the band was officially performing under the moniker of "Jack Russell's Great White" at the time of the incident. In fact, prior to the fire, the band's official website posted a message stating that Great White had not re-formed. It's unclear when the band began officially going by "Great White" again.
Great White played their first full show following the Rhode Island tragedy on 22 July, starting a benefit tour for the survivors and victims of the fire. The band toured until 2005 to raise funds for the Station Family Fund, which had been set up to help the victims of the tragedy. In late 2005, citing "medical reasons", the band canceled the second half of their summer tour. The "medical reasons" turned out to be Jack Russell's addictions to alcohol and cocaine. He would later detail a particular low point of being caught by his ex-wife smoking crack in a laundry room. This was the end of this version of Great White, as Jack Russell entered rehabilitation and did not perform again until 2007. Russell used the year of 2006 to get sober and get a facelift that was detailed on ExtraTV
. Russell later referred to this incarnation of Great White as "Fake White", saying "It still sounded like Great White, but not – almost like we were doing a cover of ourselves."
During the band's recent tour in the UK, vocalist Jack Russell commented that "I think I'm enjoying it more now than the last time we were over, I think the older you get, at least for me anyway, you appreciate more and more. This is the twilight of our career at best, and any time we get after this is icing on the cake, it's a gift. It's been 25 or 26 years now since the band became Great White, and I've been playing with my guitarist since '78 when I was 17 years old, I'm 47 now, so that's 30 years".
, Accomplice). McNabb is now a member of Dokken
.
Great White released their latest album, Rising
, on 13 March 2009 in Europe via Frontiers Records
and on 21 April in the US.
As of 2010, the late Jani Lane
(Warrant) was filling in for Jack Russell, who is currently recuperating from surgery after suffering a perforated bowel. Terry Ilous (XYZ
) replaced Jack Russel at the Coach House during the summer of 2010 and Paul Shortino
(Rough Cutt
, Quiet Riot
, King Kobra
) filled in for Russell when Great White performed at Stockholm
Rock Out Festival in September.
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band, formed in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1978. The band gained popularity during the 1980s and early 1990s. The band released several albums in the late 1980s and gained airplay on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
with music videos for songs like "Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Once Bitten, Twice Shy
"Once Bitten, Twice Shy" is a 1975 song by Ian Hunter, from his debut solo album Ian Hunter, which reached No. 14 in the UK Singles Chart.It was covered in 1989 by the American hard rock group Great White on their fourth album ...Twice Shy...
". The band reached their peak popularity with the album ...Twice Shy
...Twice Shy
...Twice Shy is the fourth studio album released by the American hard rock band Great White. It was released in 1989 and contained the biggest hits of their career, a cover of Ian Hunter's "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" and "The Angel Song", which reached No. 5 and No. 30 on the Billboard Hot 100,...
in 1989.
The band continued to release new material into the 1990s, although none of their material charted in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 2003, the band made headlines when The Station nightclub fire
The Station nightclub fire
The Station nightclub fire was the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in American history, killing 100 people. The fire began at 11:07 PM EST, on Thursday, February 20, 2003, at The Station, a glam metal and rock n roll themed nightclub located at 211 Cowesett Avenue in West Warwick, Rhode Island.The...
led to the deaths of 100 people in West Warwick
West Warwick, Rhode Island
West Warwick is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 29,191 at the 2010 census.West Warwick was incorporated in 1913, making it the youngest town in the state. Prior to 1913, the town, situated on the western bank of the Pawtuxet River, was the population and...
, Rhode Island, including the band's guitarist Ty Longley
Ty Longley
Ty Longley was an American guitarist and vocalist. He was born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Brookfield High School in Brookfield, Ohio....
, who had been a member of the band for three years. Great White made a comeback in 2007 with the release of a new album and an accompanying tour.
The 1980s
Great White started their career as Dante Fox, playing their first gig in 1981 at The Troubadour in Hollywood, CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
After recording several demos, the band chose as manager Alan Niven, who had worked for the independent distributor Greenworld in Torrance
Torrance, California
Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
, California and had dealt with Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
's debut self-release. Niven suggested the name change from Dante Fox after seeing singer Jack Russell
Jack Russell (musician)
Jack Russell , is an American rock vocalist. He is a founding member of the American hard rock band Great White.-Biography:...
introduce Mark Kendall (guitarist)
Mark Kendall (guitarist)
Mark Kendall is a lead guitarist born in Loma Linda, California. He is best known for being a founding member and lead guitar player of the blues-based hard rock band Great White.-Biography:...
during his solo as "Mark Kendall, the Great White", due to his natually white-blonde hair, white Fender Telecaster
Fender Telecaster
The Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is typically a dual-pickup, solid-body electric guitar made by Fender.Its simple yet effective design and revolutionary sound broke ground and set trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music...
guitar, white jumpsuit, and white Capezio
Capezio
Capezio is the trading name of Capezio Ballet Makers Inc, a specialist manufacturer of dance shoes, apparel and accessories.-History:Ballet Makers, Inc., of Totowa, New Jersey, was founded in 1887 by Salvatore Capezio....
shoes. In 1982, founding members Mark Kendall, Jack Russell, drummer Gary Holland
Gary Holland
Gary Holland, born 14 September 1958, in Syracuse, New York, is an American hard rock and heavy metal drummer and songwriter, who worked in the 1980s with bands originating from California...
, and bassist Lorne Black recorded and released a 5-song EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Out of the Night, on the independent label Aegean formed by Niven. Niven then convinced the Los Angeles radio station KMET to begin adding songs from the EP to its playlist in heavy rotation. KLOS-FM
KLOS
KLOS is an FM rock music radio station based in Los Angeles, California, that debuted in 1969. The station is owned by Cumulus Media. It is home to the nationally broadcast Mark & Brian radio show, and Off The Record host Uncle Joe Benson.-History:...
soon did the same. The band suddenly went from drawing 100 people to a local club to drawing thousands in L.A. concert halls such as Perkins Palace in Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, The Palace
Avalon Hollywood
Avalon is a historic night club and music venue in Hollywood, California, located near the intersection of Hollywood and Vine, at 1735 N. Vine Street...
in Hollywood and the Country Club in Reseda. As an unsigned act, Great White headlined at Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain is a theme park located in Valencia, California north of Los Angeles. It opened on Memorial Day weekend on May 30, 1971 as Magic Mountain, by the Newhall Land and Farming Company. In 1979, Six Flags purchased the park and added the name Six Flags to the park's title. In...
in Valencia playing to 6,250 people. Near the end of 1983, EMI America
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
signed the band and subsequently released Great White's eponymous debut album in early 1984. The band immediately toured the UK supporting Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
's Slide It In
Slide It In
Slide It In is the sixth studio album by British hard rock band Whitesnake, released in 1984.It was the first Whitesnake album to be released by Geffen Records in the United States, but was remixed for the release there. Because of this, two different editions of the album exist, each with its own...
tour and the entire US and Canada opening for Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
's Defenders of the Faith
Defenders of the Faith
Defenders of the Faith is the ninth studio album by British heavy metal band Judas Priest. It was recorded at Ibiza Sound Studios, Ibiza, Spain and mixed from September to November 1983 at DB Recording Studios and Bayshore Recording Studios in Coconut Grove, Miami, Florida. The LP and cassette tape...
tour. Shot in the Dark
Shot in the Dark (Great White album)
Shot in the Dark is the second studio album by the American hard rock band Great White, released in 1986. It was originally released by Greenworld Entertainment and subsequently picked up and re-issued by Capitol Records. The original issue featured a different intro to "She Shakes Me" , as well as...
, their follow-up independent release, marked the arrival of drummer Audie Desbrow
Audie Desbrow
Audie Desbrow is an American musician and drummer, known for his long tenure with the American blues-based hard rock band Great White.-Biography:...
. By the time Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
signed the band and reissued Shot in the Dark, keyboardist-guitarist Michael Lardie
Michael Lardie
Michael Lardie is multi-platinum and Grammy nominated American musician and producer, known for his memberships in Great White and Night Ranger. He was born on September 8, 1958, in Anchorage, Alaska and raised in Sacramento, California.-Training:...
had come aboard. After the release of Shot in the Dark, Great White hit the road with Dokken
Dokken
Dokken is an American heavy metal and hard rock band formed in 1978. They split up in 1989 but reformed four years later. The group accumulated numerous charting singles and has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide...
and was on the verge of even bigger success.
The band hit the mainstream in 1987 when they released Once Bitten..., which featured the hits "Rock Me
Rock Me (Great White song)
"Rock Me" is a single released by the American glam metal band Great White in 1987. It was a breakout hit for the band, and still receives significant airplay on classic rock radio. The original version clocked in at over 7 minutes, with the radio and video versions being trimmed down to between 3...
" and "Save Your Love". Once Bitten... was certified platinum
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
in April 1988.
The band followed up with ...Twice Shy
...Twice Shy
...Twice Shy is the fourth studio album released by the American hard rock band Great White. It was released in 1989 and contained the biggest hits of their career, a cover of Ian Hunter's "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" and "The Angel Song", which reached No. 5 and No. 30 on the Billboard Hot 100,...
in 1989. The album included their biggest hit, "Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Once Bitten, Twice Shy
"Once Bitten, Twice Shy" is a 1975 song by Ian Hunter, from his debut solo album Ian Hunter, which reached No. 14 in the UK Singles Chart.It was covered in 1989 by the American hard rock group Great White on their fourth album ...Twice Shy...
", a cover of a UK hit single by Ian Hunter
Ian Hunter (singer)
Ian Hunter Patterson is an English singer-songwriter. He was the lead singer of the English rock band Mott the Hoople from its inception in 1969 to its dissolution in 1974, and he again fronted them at the time of their 2009 reunion. Hunter was a musician and songwriter before Mott The Hoople, and...
. They received a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance. The album was certified platinum in July 1989 and then double platinum in September of that same year. The model Bobbie Brown
Bobbie Brown
Bobbie Jean Brown, sometimes credited as Bobbie Brown-Lane, is an American actress, model, and former beauty pageant contestant...
(also known for being in Warrant
Warrant (American band)
Warrant is an American heavy metal band from Hollywood, California, that experienced success from 1989-1996 with five albums reaching international sales of over 10 million. The band first came into the national spotlight with their debut album Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich, and one of its...
's "Cherry Pie
Cherry Pie (Warrant song)
"Cherry Pie" is a song by the American glam metal band Warrant. "Cherry Pie" is the titular track from Warrant's album Cherry Pie, and both were released in 1990.-Background:...
" video) appeared in the video for "Once Bitten, Twice Shy". They finished off the 80s touring in support of ...Twice Shy as headliners and with some best known bands, such as Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
.
In 1990, the band featured in the heavy metal video series Hard 'N' Heavy containing music, concert footage and interviews. The video included Slash
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
and Duff
Duff McKagan
Michael Andrew "Duff" McKagan is an American musician and writer. He is best known for his twelve-year tenure as the bassist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
from Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
appearing with the band at a Children of the Night Benefit concert in L.A., the performance helping to raise money for housing abused homeless children. Both bands shared the same manager, Alan Niven at the time.
The 1990s
The band continued into the next decade performing the song "House of Broken LoveHouse of Broken Love
House of Broken Love is a 1989 rock song by the American hard rock band Great White. Written by Mark Kendall, Michael Lardie and Alan Niven, the song was the eighth track on the band's album ...Twice Shy.-Charting:...
" at the American Music Awards
American Music Awards
-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...
in January 1990. In March, Great White embarked on their first tour of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. They returned to the United States for the Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
weekend festival dubbed The World Series of Rock, which featured Whitesnake, Skid Row, Bad English
Bad English
Bad English was an American/British hard rock supergroup formed in 1988, reuniting keyboardist Jonathan Cain with singer John Waite and bassist Ricky Phillips, his former bandmates in The Babys.- History :...
, and Hericane Alice
Hericane Alice
Hericane Alice was a short lived metal band that formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their debut album was the self titled and very limited Hurricane Alice. Due to conflict with metal band Hurricane , they changed the spelling of their name to Hericane Alice for their second album...
. Great White recorded two more albums for Capitol Records, Hooked, which was certified gold, and Psycho City
Psycho City
Psycho City is the sixth studio album by the American hard rock band Great White, released in 1992. It was the last studio album produced for Capitol Records, with the exception of the 1993 compilation The Best of Great White: 1986–1992...
. In support of Hooked, Great White did a tour as headliner tour, had a guest slot with German metal band Scorpions
Scorpions (band)
Scorpions are a heavy metal/hard rock band from Hannover, Germany, formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who is the band's only constant member. They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still...
and travelled to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Psycho City was followed by a US tour with Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
.
Capitol issued the compilation
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
The Best of Great White: 1986–1992 in 1993, when Great White had already departed the label to begin work on their next studio release, Sail Away
Sail Away (Great White album)
Sail Away is the seventh studio album by the American hard rock band Great White, released in 1994. It was a much mellower effort, dominated by acoustic guitars and laid back performances. Clarence Clemons of the E Street Band plays the sax solo on "Gone with the Wind"...
. Before the release of the album, Great White spent seven months on the road headlining clubs. According to Lardie, it was "the longest stint we ever did without a break." Great White kept up the pace once Sail Away was released on Zoo Records
Zoo Records
Zoo Records was a British independent record label formed by Bill Drummond and David Balfe in 1978. Zoo was launched in order to release the work of the perennially struggling Liverpool band, Big in Japan...
in 1994, touring the US several times over the following year and a half. Their next release, Let It Rock
Let It Rock (Great White album)
Let it Rock is the eighth studio album by the American hard rock band Great White, released in 1996. It was recorded after their split with long-time manager and co-writer Alan Niven...
, was released in 1996 through yet another label, Imago Records
Imago Records
Imago Records was an independent record label which was active during the late 1980s – early 1990s. Several influential artists released albums through Imago, including Henry Rollins, Aimee Mann, Paula Cole and Love Spit Love...
.
In 1999, the band released Can't Get There from Here and embarked on a tour with Ratt
Ratt
Ratt is an American heavy metal band that had significant commercial success in the 1980s. The band is best known for songs such as "Round and Round," "Wanted Man," "Lay It Down," "You're in Love", "Slip of the Lip", "Back For More", "Dance", "Body Talk", "I Want a Woman", and "Way Cool Jr." Ratt...
, Poison
Poison (band)
Poison is an American glam metal band that achieved great success in the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. To date, Poison has sold over 30 million records worldwide and have sold 15 million records in the United States alone. The band has also charted ten singles to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100,...
, and L.A. Guns
L.A. Guns
L.A. Guns is the name of a hard rock group formed in Los Angeles, California, of which two rival incarnations currently exist due to numerous line-up changes. The first incarnation of the group was formed, by Tracii Guns, in 1983 but disbanded in 1985 following its merger with fellow Los Angeles...
. The album featured the single "Rollin' Stoned", which managed to chart at No. 8 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
Break-up (2000-2001)
In a memo dated 20 January 2000 Mark Kendall announced he was leaving Great White, shortly thereafter both Audie Desbrow and Sean McNabbSean McNabb
Sean McNabb is an American actor, musician and singer.McNabb was born in South Bend, Indiana. At age 21, he became the bass player of the 80s metal band Quiet Riot, replacing Chuck Wright. As a bassist and vocalist, McNabb has worked with House of Lords, Badd Boyz, Great White and Rough Cutt...
left Great White. Kendall was replaced by guitarist Matthew Johnson. Desbrow, clearly very unhappy with the financial state of the band posted a tirade on his website lambasting Jack Russell and Michael Lardie, while claiming to have been "fired" from Great White. Meanwhile, it was rumored that Sean McNabb was fired for going to management and asking to see the accounting books. Despite only having one original member left, the band announced plans to begin work on a new album in late 2000. Early in the process, some of the new songs were played for John Kalodner
John Kalodner
John David Kalodner is a retired American A&R executive. His achievements included signing Foreigner, AC/DC, Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins to Atlantic Records in the seventies....
at Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. It was mutually agreed that the "magic was gone" and the band decided their heart was not in the recording process. They subsequently left Columbia Records and discontinued work on the new album. On 5 November 2001 Jack Russell announced the end of Great White, stating that he was moving on, and that Great White would play one final farewell show on 31 December 2001 at the Galaxy Theatre in Santa Ana, CA
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
. Both Kendall and McNabb rejoined the band for the farewell show, recorded for a live CD entitled Thank You...Goodnight!
Thank You...Goodnight!
Thank You...Goodnight! is a live album released by the American hard rock band Great White in 2002. The album has the subtitle 'The Farewell Concert', because it contains the final performance of the band before disbandment, as announced by singer Jack Russell in November 2001...
released by Knight Records. The live album includes two new tracks, "Back to the Rhythm" and "Play On" from their discontinued studio sessions, both of which would ultimately wind up on their reunion album Back to the Rhythm
Back to the Rhythm
Back to the Rhythm is Great White's 10th studio album, and first album of original material in about eight years. In 2006, Mark Kendall and Jack Russell wrote 15 songs for this comeback album. The album was recorded in just 24 days during March 2007 in Belmont, CA...
in 2007.
Fake White (2002-2005)
In late 2002, in part due to his failure to attract good audiences while on the road with his solo band, Jack Russell contacted Kendall, who himself was struggling to gain an audience on his own. Kendall agreed to play some dates with Russell's band, allowing Russell to use the name Great White once again. Billed as "Jack Russell's Great White," the tour was to consist primarily of classic songs from the Great White catalog with some of Russell's solo work mixed in. Eventually, more dates were added and the tour extended through the early months of 2003.Station nightclub fire
The band returned to the national spotlight on 20 February 2003. At the beginning of a Great White performance at The Station night club in Rhode IslandRhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics is the science of using materials capable of undergoing self-contained and self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions for the production of heat, light, gas, smoke and/or sound...
used by the band's crew created a spray of sparks that ignited the foam soundproofing material in the ceiling around the stage. One hundred people including the band's guitarist Ty Longley
Ty Longley
Ty Longley was an American guitarist and vocalist. He was born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Brookfield High School in Brookfield, Ohio....
, died in the fire that followed. In 2008 the band agreed to pay $1 million to survivors and victims' relatives of the fire while admitting to no wrongdoing. This amount also covers former tour manager Daniel Biechele along with the band members, record label, and management as it existed at the time of the fire. The settlement was the maximum allowed under the band's insurance plan. Victims had previously received $3.8 million raised by United Way of America.
Though the media referred to the band as "Great White" following the tragedy in Rhode Island, the band was officially performing under the moniker of "Jack Russell's Great White" at the time of the incident. In fact, prior to the fire, the band's official website posted a message stating that Great White had not re-formed. It's unclear when the band began officially going by "Great White" again.
Great White played their first full show following the Rhode Island tragedy on 22 July, starting a benefit tour for the survivors and victims of the fire. The band toured until 2005 to raise funds for the Station Family Fund, which had been set up to help the victims of the tragedy. In late 2005, citing "medical reasons", the band canceled the second half of their summer tour. The "medical reasons" turned out to be Jack Russell's addictions to alcohol and cocaine. He would later detail a particular low point of being caught by his ex-wife smoking crack in a laundry room. This was the end of this version of Great White, as Jack Russell entered rehabilitation and did not perform again until 2007. Russell used the year of 2006 to get sober and get a facelift that was detailed on ExtraTV
Extra (TV series)
Extra is an American entertainment television news program covering events and celebrities which debuted on September 5, 1994 in syndication. It is produced at Victory Studios in Glendale, California by Telepictures Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television Distribution...
. Russell later referred to this incarnation of Great White as "Fake White", saying "It still sounded like Great White, but not – almost like we were doing a cover of ourselves."
Back to the Rhythm (2006-2008)
Talk of a reunion of Great White began in a 2004 interview, where Jack Russell told to Metal Express Radio: "I spoke with Michael [Lardie], we threw that around a bit, and thought that sounds like a cool idea, it'd be fun. I'm pretty positive it's gonna happen... probably next year (...) We talked to some other people, and [former drummer] Audie [Desbrow] would not be a person I would want to play with ever again in my life. There were some bridges burned there that I just can’t forgive, and I’m a very forgiving person. I just can’t let that one go. I have to stand up for myself...". Russell's stance towards Desbrow seemed to have changed course by 2006 when he told Mitch Lafon: "I talked to Michael Lardie the other day and he is into doing it. I just want to get hold of Tony Montana and Audie Desbrow. I think that would be very special for our 25th anniversary tour to have the same guys... we haven't played together in a very long time". Later in 2006, guitarist Mark Kendall officially announced that Great White had re-formed its classic lineup. The re-formed lineup of Russell, Kendall, Lardie, McNabb and Desbrow played their first date together in more than 5 years on 27 January 2007 at the Keyclub in Hollywood performing in the Harpseals.org Benefit Concert for the Seals 2007. The band continued to tour throughout the rest of the year.During the band's recent tour in the UK, vocalist Jack Russell commented that "I think I'm enjoying it more now than the last time we were over, I think the older you get, at least for me anyway, you appreciate more and more. This is the twilight of our career at best, and any time we get after this is icing on the cake, it's a gift. It's been 25 or 26 years now since the band became Great White, and I've been playing with my guitarist since '78 when I was 17 years old, I'm 47 now, so that's 30 years".
Rising (2008-present)
In 2008, bassist Sean McNabb left Great White to concentrate on a career in theater and acting. McNabb was promptly replaced with Scott Snyder (RamosRamos
This is a list of people named Ramos:* Alejandra Ramos, Chilean middle distance runner* Ariel Ramos, Cuban sport wrestler* Bartolomeo Ramos, Renaissance music theorist* Edwin Ramos, gang member* Eliana Ramos, Uruguayan model* Fidel V...
, Accomplice). McNabb is now a member of Dokken
Dokken
Dokken is an American heavy metal and hard rock band formed in 1978. They split up in 1989 but reformed four years later. The group accumulated numerous charting singles and has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide...
.
Great White released their latest album, Rising
Rising (Great White album)
Rising is the eleventh studio album by the American hard rock band Great White, released in 2009. It was recorded in the winter of 2008 with completion in early 2009...
, on 13 March 2009 in Europe via Frontiers Records
Frontiers Records
Frontiers Records is an Italian record label, predominantly producing melodic rock. It was formed in 1996 by Serafino Perugino and is based in Naples, Italy.-History:...
and on 21 April in the US.
As of 2010, the late Jani Lane
Jani Lane
Jani Lane , born John Kennedy Oswald, later changed to John Patrick Oswald, was an American recording artist and the lead vocalist, frontman, lyricist and main songwriter for the hard rock band Warrant....
(Warrant) was filling in for Jack Russell, who is currently recuperating from surgery after suffering a perforated bowel. Terry Ilous (XYZ
XYZ (band)
XYZ were a short-lived rock supergroup. The name XYZ is taken from eX-Yes-&-Zeppelin as the group consisted of ex-Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, along with ex-Yes members Chris Squire and Alan White . Squire was the main writer for the group...
) replaced Jack Russel at the Coach House during the summer of 2010 and Paul Shortino
Paul Shortino
Paul Shortino is a singer who has sung for several bands, including Rough Cutt/The Cutt, Quiet Riot, Bad Boyz, and Shortino. He's recorded with JK Northrup as Shortino/Northrup. He's also recorded as a solo artist. He also did the theme song for Dr...
(Rough Cutt
Rough Cutt
Rough Cutt was an American heavy metal band from San Diego, California in the 1980s. They were based in Los Angeles after signing a recording contract with Warner Brothers...
, Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot is an American Heavy Metal band. They are best known for their hit singles "Metal Health" and "Cum On Feel the Noize". They were founded in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni, under the original name Mach 1, before changing the name to Little Women and finally Quiet...
, King Kobra
King Kobra
King Kobra is a glam metal group founded by drummer Carmine Appice after his tenure with Ozzy Osbourne in 1984. The band during the time of their first two albums included four relatively unknown musicians: vocalist Mark Free, guitarist David Michael-Philips, guitarist Mick Sweda, and bassist...
) filled in for Russell when Great White performed at Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
Rock Out Festival in September.
Line-ups
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Dave Spitz Dave "The Beast" Spitz is a musician best known for having played bass guitar for the heavy metal group Black Sabbath from 1985 to 1987, appearing on the albums Seventh Star and being credited for The Eternal Idol... - bass guitar |
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