Jack Russell | Great White | February 2003 |

 

This was a cool interview.. I was going to the show and also got set up to interview Jack..

It was one of the quickest interviews I've done yet..

The show was great, and Jack sounded better then ever.. Also got the new

solo c.d. and the review will be up soon. till then Here is Jack Russell..

The essence of Great White!

 

J- Ok first off we are going to go back to the Great White stuff...

Jack- hahaha... oh geez...

 

J- How long were you together before you guys got signed?..

Jack- Lets see I started playing with Mark in about 1978.. November of 1978,my guitar player, Mark Kendall...we got signed in 84' but our first album came out in 82'.. that was our own label.. but the original signing to a major label was in 84'..

 

J- How important was the whole hair band.. look back in the hair band days..?

Jack- To me ya know.. you had long hair cause you liked long hair.. ya know.. I never considered Great White a hair band, we just kinda got lumped into that.. guilt by association... ya know..if some one wants to call us a hairband.. I don't give a shit.. as long as they come to the shows..

 

J- What was your favorite package tour back in the 80's..

Jack - umm.. probably Great white/ White snake.. or the thing we did w/Tesla.. the double header tour.. that was fun..

 

J- What's the biggest crowd you have ever played for and where?

Jack -60,000 in Germany.. for Monsters of Rock.

 

J- What's your favorite Great White release?

Jack - "Can't Get There from Here".. the last album we did..

 

J- Least favorite..or just wasn't happy with how it came out..?

Jack - Least favorite would be... either "Hooked" or "Sail Away". I just wasn't happy with the production..on either one..

 

J- Really?

Jack - Ya the songs were ok.. but I didn't think the production was ballsy enough..it needed a little more punch..

 

J- What's the craziest thing a fan has ever done to meet you?

Jack -ran around the bus naked eating pizza..

 

J- haha.. were they told to? .. 

Jack -ya.. we ran out of ideas.. like what can we do now.. lets try something different besides a blow job..

 

J- Who writes most the songs?..

Jack- Myself.. and Mark, and my old keyboard player Michael..

 

J- Why did Mark leave a couple years ago?

Jack- He just got tired of it ya know.. same reason I did.. same people on the bus complaining all the time, this is why I didn't reform Great White.. I just asked Mark to join my solo band.. I mean I love the guys to death.. ya know but when you've been on the road for 20yrs. some people are just out here for all the wrong reasons.. pay check, pay check.. pay check.. I mean I'm out here to have fun.. getting paid is just icing on the cake.. ya know.. I don't need to do this for a living, I can go home and retire if I want.. I do it cause its fun.. but when you have 4 guys on the bus going... this sucks.. when are we getting paid.. its like damn dude.. go home then..

 

J- So do you still talk to any of the ex members?

Jack- No not really. they are not really happy they are not out here.. but I have my reasons..

 

J- Now onto the solo c.d... have you always wanted to do a solo c.d.?

Jack- Well this is actually my second one.. I did one in 96' that was only released in Japan.. this one I wanted to do something allot different, cause I just felt I wanted to do something different musically.. its always been in the back of my mind.. ever since I started music.. I wanted to do my own thing.. and not have to conform to anybody else's ideas of what the music should sound like.. to completely express myself as myself.. Great White for me is fun.. I can do both.. I thought at first I could only do one or the other, but I've realized there is time to do both.. so I'm doing Great White now, and ill take my solo band on the road.. visa versa.. whatever I feel like doing.. right now I'm captain of the ship.. so I can do whatever..

 

J- Are you doing only great white tonight? or solo stuff too?

Jack- I'm doing one solo song in the set right now.. and all the rest is great white..

 

J- Did you write all the stuff for the solo album?

Jack- Myself, Billy Sherwood.. and Bob Kulick..

 

J- How would you explain the music to someone who hasn't heard it yet?.. compared to Great White?

Jack- Ya know its like apples and oranges.. in a way..i think the Great White fans will like it.. I think some people will say its the best album I have ever made.. some will say its too wimpy.. it depends on what you like in music.. for me this was a love album, its about hope, about love and relationships.. its things I'm into.. and where I'm at right now.. its a little more matured lyrically.. its a  little more mature musically..  I'm not trying to write any teen anthems.. lets put it that way.. I'm 42 years old.... I'm not gonna go out there and write.. about girls..a nd school... it just doesn't make sense.. I think you need to be where your at, I don't try to be contrive when I write

 

J- Where can people get the cds?

Jack - Stores, Wal-Mart's..

 

J- So it isn't a import or anything..

Jack -No.. also check the website www.planetjr.com  which will keep you updated on Great White stuff and my solo stuff as well..

 

J- And is there a chance of a Great White reunion?

Jack- As far as the old band?.. I'm having so much fun right now.. I don't wanna wreak it, this band is so fuckin red hot.. these guys are so excited to be out here, nothing against the other guys.. I love them.. but.. I mean to be on stage with different people.. and ya know the only original guys in this band are me and Mark..

 J- Ya you were always changing bass players..

Jack- Bass players.. drummers, we've gone through all kinds of people.. so getting him back, validated the band.. I can call it great white.and not feel like.....

 

J- Ya how do you feel about all these 80's bands getting back together w/different members?

Jack- Hey whatever... a different singer.. thats different. too me that's like who do you replace Stephen Tyler with? and like before.. with Van Halen.. I mean I love Sammy Hagar to death.. but van Halen to me was always David Lee Roth...he couldn't sing as well as Sammy but that was Van Halen.. but everyone has different opinions.. and that just happens to be mine. I don't know.. as long as the key members are there, then the sound stays the same.. if you close your eyes your not going to be able to tell if its Audie on drums.. or Joe Blow.. but when you hear the guitar or voice, your gonna know if its Jack Russell or Mark Kendall playing..

 

J- What are your plans for the year 2003?

Jack- touring.. touring.. touring... touring.. Europe. do a package tour during the summer, do some Jack Russell shows in the fall.. hopefully take off for the winter, enjoy Christmas again at home..

 

J- So how do you feel about music downloading.. and music sharing on the internet.?

Jack- Well its saddens me that people don't understand why the bands break up.. because there not selling records, when people are stealing there music.. I mean if you love the band so much.. go buy the c.d.. help them out.. if you want them to stay together, that's how we pay our bills.. somebody says.. well ill just burn this off the Mp3's, instead of buying it , then that band breaks up cause they have no money.. and they freak out and say they cant believe the band broke up.. theres got to be some way to stop it.. I understand why people do it.. I don't do it personally I would never do it.. but if you like the band so much.. spend the 15 bucks.. big deal.. get the c.d.. w/the artwork..

 

J- How do you think the internet has changed promoting bands..?

Jack- I think its been good.. but its been bad too.. to me the internet is the electronic Enquirer.. problem is people read something and they believe it.. no matter what it is.. you can write anything about anyone in the world. and someone is going to read it.. pretty soon its going to be the gospel truth.. like Metal Sludge and all that kind of stuff.. its like what???? I read there one time.. that I have HIV.. I'm a homosexual... I'm like what is this! I was going to take them to court.. and ya know.. the truth is the truth.. if I was a fag, I'd be the first one to admit it.. id say ya.. I suck dick like its coming out of my ears.. but when people start slandering you for no particular reason... its like get a fuckin life...

 

J- What kind of new bands are you into..

Jack- Haha.. I have none that I like right now.. there is no singers...

 

J- What would be in your cd player right now..

Jack- Right now.. actually at home would be the Beatles.. I still like Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots...cause they had good singers,  these new guys all sound the same.. the guy from Creed sounds like Pearl Jam, yet Pearl Jam sounds like he needs a voice teacher..

 

J- Ya music has changed allot.. there isn't even guitar solos anymore..

Jack- No there isn't.. its just a bunch of whinny...moaning.. the guys sound like they have a mouth full of fuckin marbles its like come on man.. why write lyrics if you can't understand what they are saying..

 

J- Haha.. right.. well that's about it.. what would you like to say to your fans reading this?

Jack- ya know.. thanks for all the years of support..a nd coming out to the shows.. please continue.. thats the whole reason I do this.. if it wasn't for the fans.. id be home retired..

 

J- Well thank you!

Jack- thank you so much!