GREAT WHITE Frontman JACK RUSSELL - "

GREAT WHITE Frontman JACK RUSSELL - "I Think There Is A Rediscovery Of This Kind Of Music"

Posted on Monday, April 20, 2009 at 02:47:00 EST

GREAT WHITE frontman Jack Russell is featured in a new interview with MetalAsylum.net. An excerpt is available below:




Q: How has the response been to the reformation of the classic line-up and has it meet your expectations?

Jack: "Amazing, overwhelming really. At the start we thought people were gonna be like 'Who cares?' But it's cool, seeing like three generations of fans in the audience. I think there is a rediscovery of this kind of music and I am glad Great White were a part of it. You gotta remember the first self-titled Great White album came out in 1984. Unfortunately the '90s was full of music that was depressive and trendy but look where 90% of those bands are now, they’re gone. Look, the era that Great White was part of will probably never happen again. It was such an event going to concerts, playing big arenas, thousands of people holding lighters singing the songs. It's tragic I don’t see a genre ever capturing that moment again."

Q: Did you try anything new with the music on (new album) Rising?

Jack: "You know, there is never a plan but there is a natural growth as you make music over a period of time. You don’t want to write the same song over and over again but then again you don’t want to stray away from yourself, you know. Every record takes on a life of its own and every record becomes a snapshot of where the band is emotionally at that time, at that moment, and on this album more so than any I was really honest in the lyrics and a few times was almost crying while I was writing. To me it's important to be able to relate to the lyrics and for people identify with a song and say 'Yeah, that’s a song about me, I can relate to what he is going through.' I want people to feel something."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

GREAT WHITE Singer Jack Russell - " Rock And Roll Will Never, Ever Be As Big And Bombastic As It Was Back In The '80s"



GREAT WHITE singer Jack Russell spoke with Charlie Steffens from KNAC.com recently about a number of topics. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

KNAC.com: It’s been a long time and it seems like it should be water under the bridge, but people are still slinging negative stuff on the rant boards about Great White and the tragedy. What does that do to you, emotionally?

Russell: "You know, I don’t read that stuff, for one. I just don’t. There’s always going to be somebody out there dissing somebody for something. It’s just the way it goes. Not everybody likes Great White before or after the tragedy. I assume most people who haven’t liked us to begin with are just finding a reason to lash out. They’re just the haters, you know? For me, I’ve gotten over it as much as I can. It’s not something I ever forget about. Of course I feel badly, but you have to move on. I can’t live my life in the past, nor do I want to. I can’t keep reliving that day over and over and over again. I miss my friends, dearly. I feel horrible for anybody who got hurt or was involved in that fire or that got hurt through it. There’s nothing we can do about it at this point, except to try to learn from the mistakes that were made. Everybody, the whole public in general, just be more proactive as far as your own safety is concerned. I certainly am when I go out now. I’m thinking 'where’s the exit?' So I’ll know in case something happens."

KNAC.com: I’m sure it’s made a lot of people more conscious, without a doubt.

Russell: "What do you do? You take what God gives you and you do the best you can with it."

KNAC.com: Back in the glory years, you guys weren’t mascara-wearing boys like your contemporaries.

Russell: "No, we never got into the whole thing. I never even wore hairspray—I just couldn’t stand it. Some of our guys did, but I can’t stand that kind of shit, man. That’s funny, though. That was the style you look back and you go 'God, what was everybody thinking when they started doing that? Who was the first guy that did that and why did he do that?'"

KNAC.com: There was so much money in the production and everything else back then. It was sick.

Russell: "Oh yeah, rock and roll will never, ever be as big and bombastic as it was back in those days. I’m sorry to say - I wish it weren’t true, but that’s just the way it is. I mean, I would sit onstage and say 'If you missed the ‘80’s you fuckin’ missed out.' But, I totally believe that to be true. Everything was huge and it was all about hedonism, having a great time. People were celebrating life, and then the ‘90’s got so morose and serious. It was 'Man, this is not what rock and roll’s supposed to be about.' Ask Mick Jagger, dude. 'It’s only rock and roll, but I like it.' Don’t be so serious. It’s just music. Have fun."

KNAC.com: You guys were millionaires. During that lavish period, you certainly had more than your share of women and blow, Ferraris, whatever.

Russell: "Anything worth doing is worth overdoing, you know?"

KNAC.com: It’s really different now, to say the least. You’re not rolling in the same kind of money, obviously.

Russell: "No. Fortunately I’ve done alright. I’ve been able to put some stuff away here and there. I’m not gonna starve. I’d do this for free and have done it - for years. Making music is just a total gift, it’s a total blessing, and to be able to make a living at it, whatever that living might be, I still thank God. I appreciate the blessings I’ve been given, even despite my own undermining of my career in my life at some points. I always found myself as one of those people that have these self-destruct buttons. When things are going well it’s almost like I feel like I don’t deserve it sometimes."

Read the entire interview here.