Great White started their career as Dante Fox, playing their first gig in 1981 at The Troubadour in Hollywood, California. 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 naturally 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 ('Great White') 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.
The band continued into the next decade performing the song "House of Broken Love" 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.
In a memo dated 20 January 2000 Mark Kendall announced he was leaving Great White, shortly thereafter both Audie Desbrow and Sean McNabb 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.
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.
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 Island, 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. 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."
Talk of a reunion of Great White began in a 2004 interview. 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. In 2008, bassist Sean McNabb left Great White to concentrate on a career in theater and acting. McNabb was promptly replaced with Scott Snyder (Ramos, Accomplice). McNabb went on to join Dokken.
Great White released their album, 'Rising', on 13 March 2009 in Europe via Frontiers Records and on 21 April in the US.
In 2010, Jani Lane of Warrant filled in for Jack Russell, while Russell recuperated from surgery after suffering a perforated bowel. Terry Ilous (XYZ) replaced Jack Russell 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. In December 2011, Russell formed a new incarnation of Great White with a brand-new lineup under the name of "Jack Russell's Great White".
On 18 March 2012 Great White announced their first new album with Ilous, 'Elation' , to be released in May that year, along with a live album ('30 Years: Live From The Sunset Strip') and a concert DVD of the band's 30th-anniversary show at the Key Club in Hollywood on 22 March.
Lorne Black, Great White's original bassist, who performed and recorded with the group up through the Once Bitten album, died on September 27, 2013. He was 50 years old.
On June 2, 2017, Great White released their most recent studio effort, 'Full Circle', on Bluez Tone Records, with Wagener as the producer. The song "Big Time" was released as the first single and video. On July 9, 2018, Great White announced that they had parted ways with Terry Illous as their singer and he was replaced by Mitch Malloy.
On May 31, 2022, Great White announced vocalist Andrew Freeman of Last In Line replaced Malloy as the band's lead singer and frontman.
Miles Away
Great White Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As towns lie in slumber, we fade into the night.
The cities, so familiar, are like a long-lost friend;
With open arms they shelter me, and bring me home to them.
And we're miles away, always miles away.
Rollin' on down the highway, livin' for the day;
Seems I'm always miles away.
We say a prayer for Elvis, then on the road again.
The mind begins to wander, as memories unfold
The music on the radio reminds us of our homes.
Sometimes it seems the road will never end,
Sometimes it seems my only friend yeah, yeah, yeah.
What will tomorrow tell, I just can't say today,
Because I'm always miles away, miles away.
The boy I left at home took his first steps today
I'll watch him on the video before I leave to play.
'Cause we're miles away, always miles away.
Rollin' on down the highway, livin' for the day
Seems I'm always miles and miles away,
Always miles away.
Oh yeah, all of my life is rollin', livin' just to play,
Seems I'm always miles away, yeah,
Seems I'm always miles away,
Seems I'm always miles away, miles away.
The song Miles Away by Great White takes listeners on a journey of a touring musician’s life. The lyrics depict the familiar scenes and feelings one experiences while on the road. The first stanza talks about the wheels of the vehicle, which keep on rolling, while towns lie in slumber. The cities and their familiarity are like a long-lost friend, which welcomes the singer with open arms and makes them feel at home. Despite feeling at home, the singer is always miles away, never truly belonging to one place. The chorus reaffirms this feeling, as the singer is always rolling down the highway, living for the day and never reaching the locations they long for.
The second stanza takes the listener to Memphis, the birthplace of Rock 'n Roll, where they pay tribute to Elvis Presley. Memories of their homes flood their mind as they travel. The bridge of the song touches on the loneliness and isolation that the touring musician experiences as they miss out on significant moments in their family's lives. They watch their son's first steps on video before heading out to play the next show. The song then ends with the same feeling of always being miles away, no matter how much they miss home.
Overall, Miles Away by Great White is a poignant song that connects with anyone who has felt isolated or alienated from their homes due to distance or travel. It also highlights the sacrifices that people in the entertainment industry make to follow their passion and pursue their careers.
Line by Line Meaning
Wheels keep on rollin', mindless of our flight;
We continue to travel without a care, ignored by the wheels of our vehicle.
As towns lie in slumber, we fade into the night.
We leave the sleeping towns behind, vanishing into the darkness of the night.
The cities, so familiar, are like a long-lost friend;
The cities we visit often feel like old companions we haven't seen in a while.
With open arms they shelter me, and bring me home to them.
The cities feel warm and welcoming, like home to me.
And we're miles away, always miles away.
Despite being familiar with different places, we are always far from home.
Rollin' on down the highway, livin' for the day;
We keep on moving forward, living life in the moment without hesitation.
Seems I'm always miles away.
It feels like we are always far from where we want to be.
Just outside of Memphis, where Rock 'n Roll began,
As we venture near Memphis, the birthplace of Rock 'n Roll,
We say a prayer for Elvis, then on the road again.
we take the time to pay tribute to Elvis Presley, then hit the road once more.
The mind begins to wander, as memories unfold
Our thoughts drift as we reminisce about past experiences.
The music on the radio reminds us of our homes.
The songs that play on the radio bring back memories of the places we call home.
Sometimes it seems the road will never end,
At times it feels like our journey will never reach its conclusion.
Sometimes it seems my only friend yeah, yeah, yeah.
When we are far away from home, it can feel like the road is our only companion.
What will tomorrow tell, I just can't say today,
Even though we can't predict the future, we remain optimistic about what tomorrow will bring.
Because I'm always miles away, miles away.
Despite our positive outlook, we are still far from where we truly want to be.
The boy I left at home took his first steps today
While away, we miss important moments in the lives of loved ones, like our child taking their first steps.
I'll watch him on the video before I leave to play.
We have to rely on technology like video recordings to retain a connection with our home life while we are on the road.
'Cause we're miles away, always miles away.
No matter what we do, we feel like we're always separated from the ones we love.
Rollin' on down the highway, livin' for the day
Despite our separation from those we love, we enjoy the journey we are on and try to live in the moment.
Seems I'm always miles and miles away,
The feeling of being disconnected from loved ones is a constant theme in our lives.
Always miles away.
No matter how much we try to stay connected, it feels like we're always far from where we truly want to be.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COLLIN GENE JR. COOK, GORDON JOSEPH O'BRIEN, SAM RUSSELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Wacky Swedy
What an underrated band !!
Doug Winegar
Love Great White. True fans will always recognize Jack's distinctive voice!!! It's a shame that the original band broke apart.
Bonnie Whitehead
one of my favorites! #nevergetsold.. rocker chick 4 ever!! ✌✌
ZK Attack
ONE OF BEST BALLADS OF ALL TIME
Visar Bilali
It’s my album of 96’ along with that of Def Leppard but reminds me of the poetry I wrote in class, college, debauchery years- I was head to my feet in that kinda life.....and the form of communication with the girl I loved was to ‘avoid’ the drama by writing poems as she was there!
You can’t get anymore fucked up in the brain that that!
Miles away, baby !
Brighid
I love this song
gie alpenliebe
Waktu sd dengerin nih lagu di slow rock seasons imelda fm..
Chris Neufeld
5:23 Hidden track. “Goodnight, Ned.”
Rick9920
The traveling life isn't for everyone
Brighid
Aint he though