Interview with Guitarist Mark Kendall of Great White

December 21, 2020

Interview with Guitarist Mark Kendall of Great White

PHOTO BY NEIL ZLOZOWER

By Mick Michaels

COSMICK VIEW: Hello, Mark! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.

CV: The term "Hair Metal" has become a catch all phrase for most Metal music of the mid to late 80's. Many artists and fans are insulted with the umbrella term, feeling it’s an unjust assessment of the genre as a whole. What are your thoughts about the term? Does it detract from both the artists’ and the music's integrity, lessening the impact the music had at the time? Or is it something more to be embraced and has become more of an advantage to stay relevant in your opinion?
Mark Kendall: I guess they felt a need to name it. Most bands in the 80s had the big hair so journalists went with hair metal. Not only has my hair never written a song but it has nothing to do with our playing style or our songs. If they were speaking about the fashion, I get it, but with our music, I don’t get it.

CV: Did Great White ever consider themselves Heavy Metal or was it just a good old Rock n Roll band?
MK: We aren’t heavy metal. We’re a rock band with blue overtones.

PHOTO BY NEIL ZLOZOWER

CV: Some time ago, a posting on Great White’s official Facebook page asked the question "How would you describe seeing Great White live for the first time to a new fan?" How would you put the experience into words…how would you describe a fan's first show seeing Great White?
MK: I’m sure they saw high energy and fan engagement at our show. We give maximum effort every performance, so I would hope they were impressed by our effort in delivering our music to them, or at least entertained.

CV: Let's talk about Great White's current chapter with singer Mitch Malloy fronting the band. What kind of energy has Mitch brought to the band and what does this new force mean as the music continues to evolve? Do you feel the overall writing style of the band for future albums will change based on the weight of Mitch’s vocal ability and charisma?
MK: The fans have accepted Mitch with open arms. He has great song sense, is an excellent live performer, and sounds great with our current & past music. We never change anything about our writing process or try to change our music for any reason.

PHOTO BY NEIL ZLOZOWER

CV: Has Mitch's vocal style and vibrant style impacted the band in a way not expected? Is there a concern that the essence of Great White will change...or is such a change being welcomed as the band moves into its fifth decade?
MK: It’s a new welcomed chapter in our career! The past had great moments also, but we are living in the current one, and digging it. I think people will like our new music with Mitch!

CV: Yesterday was so far away but how would you describe the dynamic of band's line up today as compared to the lineup in the late 80's? Is it like comparing apples to oranges or does that dynamic center more around the legacy the band has built and is attributed to?
MK: It’s basically the same line up apart from the singer. If you add the three of us Audie, Michael and I, it’s over 100 years in the band and 14 studio albums.

Nothing else is too drastically different apart from no music stores and people mostly download songs & not the whole album. I believe the human connection with fans & band gets a little disjointed for that reason. However, when I say that, I have to add, our fans have been loyal from day one and still attend our live shows and buy our records.

CV: At this phase in the band's career, is it a matter of knowing what you want versus what you don't want when it comes to being successful and achieving your goals? Has the band’s good fortune over the years provided the ability to make such a distinction or is it still a hit and miss game?
MK: Our goal has never changed. We try and make the music the very best we can and pray the fans will like it!

CV: Luck has been described as when preparation meets opportunity, thus, nothing is really ever left to chance. Would you define Great White then as being lucky given the band's success and dedicated fans?
MK: We’re grateful for our fans and opportunity. As up-and-comers we tried to play more than anyone else and that meant for free a lot. So in that regard I believe we kind of put ourselves in a good position to get lucky. We just needed someone to see us play live who could help us get to the next level and that’s what happened. An A&R man caught our show and the rest is history. Your stars do have to line up though, but hard work helps it along.

PHOTO BY NEIL ZLOZOWER

CV: What's next for Great White? What can fans expect to see coming in 2021?
MK: We are hopeful to get a new album out by the summer and we can play more shows!

CV: Thank you again Mark for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. I wish you all the best and continued success.
MK: Thank you! On behalf of Great White we wish everyone a happy holiday season, and we are so grateful for the support all of these years.

Check out Great White at:
Official: www.officialgreatwhite.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/officialgreatwhiteTV
Twitter: www.twitter.com/GreatWhiteRocks

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.