Alright, y’all!!! You have no idea how excited I was to find out that Great
White would be headlining at Tybee’s Pirate Fest. Guess who got a phone
interview with Mark Kendall, Rock God Guitarist, and Original Band Member
of Great White? Yes you’re right! It was me! Thank God he doesn’t do Face
Time. He doesn’t need to see all that, but I literally have been freaking out
for days researching the dirt and history on this band that I grew up with. It
was my junior year in high school when Erica Anderson and I ran buck wild
in my ‘72 Volkswagen Square Back blasting Once Bitten Twice Shy on one
side of the cassette and Wasted Rock Ranger on the other. If you don’t know
what I’m talking about, you Millennials are in for a treat!
Not only has Great White been rocking out for over 30 plus years, they
have earned multiple awards, including a Grammy nomination, have gone
double platinum, and can boast 13 albums! A number of members of have
come and gone, but no worries there. We are in for a treat when Mitch
Malloy, Lead Singer, Mark Kendall, Guitar, Audie Desbrow, Drums, Michael
Lardie, Guitar and Keyboard, and Scott Snyder, Bass, show up on Tybee to
rock us out!
Let’s get to it…
Q: How you got the name Great White is awesome!! Were you really leaning
out of a car door when some random guy just called it out (this is from my
research, which wasn’t quoted and we gotta know exactly what happened
here)?
“A guy from England who worked for Virgin Records had just signed
Enigma, then Berlin and Motley Crue. The guy, Alan Niven, was looking
for a rock band to put on that label. He asked Don Dokken which band
was happening in Los Angeles. Don recommend the band ‘Dante Fox.’
Niven came down to see them twice and was not impressed. Dokken
said you’re missing something and they both went to a show. It began.
Niven introduced himself backstage and invited the band for an
interview. Later that night, as Niven was standing on Sunset Boulevard
in front of The Whiskey waiting for his car, Kendall drove by and
screamed out the window to the fans something that he doesn’t even
remember what it was, and the guy next to Niven said, “There goes
Great White!” Niven, not liking the current name, loved it! However, the
name did not speak to the band. The name did not dictate to the music
the band played. Add in some bad ass shark graphics and everything
else is history.”
Q: So many members have come and gone. It had to have taken a toll every
time someone left and was replaced. What were you thinking in terms of the
future of Great White at that time?
“I don’t even know why the bass players just never stayed with us
longer. My motivation has always been making music. The main core
36 TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | OCT 2019
of the band has always been there, so I was not really worried about
it. Never had any fear of like a band member leaving. Still have the
confidence.”
Q: Who is the main writer of your current songs? Or is it a group
collaboration?
“Pretty much a group collaboration and we are still old school.
When it’s time to make a record, we all get together in a room
and say ‘what do ya got?’ Over the years though, it was me
and Michael writing most of the songs.”
Q: Any influences from original members or past members when
you are writing or in the recording studio?
“Tony Montana (previous band member) came up with a part
of Mista Bone. A cool moment. We were rehearsing to do the
… Twice Shy record and Tony had this riff that turned out
to be Mista Bone. Put a whole song around that riff. Not by
design. Just a random moment. Great stripper song.”
Q: Where do you see Great White going in the future?
“Just keep making music. That’s the best thing. That’s what
gives us our energy and motivates us to keep going forward.
As long as we are healthy, I see it going on for a few more
years at least. Fans are really loyal and have lots of stories.
I’m a fan myself and I have a lot of songs that put me in a
place in my life and I know exactly where I was and what I
was doing at that time.” (Gotcha on that!)
Q: When can we anticipate a new album?
“Starting to write. Not forcing it a lot. Lots of shows keeping
us busy. The band really works well together and we are
envisioning next year.”
Q: Do you keep in touch with any of the former members, such as
Jack Russell (the original lead singer)?
“No. I never wish any ill will on him or anything like that.
Haven’t spoken on the phone or anything. I’m really proud of
our work and time together.”
Q: You have definitely had your ups and downs with Russell. What
were you thinking when he attached his name before Great White
and created his own band?
“We wanted him to have a way to make a living. As long as his
name is prominent, he could go on. We didn’t want him to be
stuck not be able to make a living. Keep things cool.”
Q: Looking back over the years, any regrets on decisions that you
made that may have changed the course of YOUR history?
“If I had to change something, it would be I would have gotten
sober and stayed that way earlier. Sober in 1991, then I would
go two years and try to drink like a normal person and just
could not get a handle on it. Sober in 2008. I was really jealous
of people that were normal that could just have a beer on the
weekends. O.K. I’m going to try it again. I would do good for
a few days.”
Q: How much has your party mentality changed over the years?
“Not at all. I still hang out with people that drink kind of
responsibly. I don’t really go to bars a lot unless there is a
band I want to see. I still have a teenager brain where I see
people my age and I’m not even close to being that old in
my brain. I don’t feel my age. I think that when people work
real stressful jobs and it’s a hard work force, there is a lot of
stress. When people say I’m going to work, but I’m in a band,
its work, but I call it fun. The easiest thing about being in the
By Alaina Loughridge