This story was originally published in the April 3, 2003, issue ofRolling Stone.
Guitarist Mark Kendall had quit drinking which had nearly killed him and returned to the group.
Hed taken up gardening at his new home in the California desert.
Jack Russell, singer and one of the original Great White members, gets emotional during a brief statement about guitarist Ty Longley who was killed in a nightclub fire in Rhode Island.Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images
The reconstituted group, Russell felt, was the most potent lineup Great White has ever had.
The Play On 2003 Tour kicked off in January.
The bands get along now, says Erik Turner, guitarist for Warrant.
All our egos have been deflated.
Were not walking around as gods anymore.
Were just out there together trying to make a living.
And a good living it is.
They make great money, says Nancy Sayle, a publicist for metal bands and tours.
Most Great White shows sold out.
He dallied with porn stars, that metal-musicians birthright.
The singer became known by the nickname Mista Bone.
For them, I had to go shopping for low-cal mayonnaise and low-cal yogurts, specific brands.
They didnt do any meet-and-greet or any signings, and pissed people off.
Russell visited tattoo parlors along the circuit for new body art.
Recently, he sang the national anthem at a New York Islanders hockey game.
He answered questions on morning radio and signed autographs at bookstores.
Backstage, the same modesty was in evidence.
Great Whites post-show requirements: Nine Subway-style sandwiches, two large pizzas and a large bag of potato chips.
No booze, not even beer.
They stayed at Red Roofs and Quality Inns.
In restaurants, Russell insisted on separate checks.
They were trying to keep costs down as much as possible.
Dependable, which is a big plus.
Its hard to find people in L.A., anywhere, really, who arent flakes.
Says Longleys friend, hard-rock drummer Anthony Biuso, Ty had no ego whatsoever.
He had none of the entitlement issues that some people have.
Longley often answered fan e-mail on Great Whites Web site.
Longley wanted to expand his musical world, but in the winter of 2003 he found limited options.
The whole Play On 2003 Tour, with Longley aboard, almost never happened.
Russell broke up Great White on January 1st, 2001.
Jack Russell was officially a solo artist.
He wanted to be accepted as something other than the singer from Great White.
It was not to be.
Great White fans, apparently, lived for the band, not its jovial singer.For Yousold poorly.
I think its important that we keep telling ourselves the same stories in our own way.
Those same stories, told in Great Whites way, still resonated.
And the band appreciated it.
On this tour, as always, the band members hung out with their fans.
They came out before the show, they came out after the show, one fan recalls.
They never hid in their bus until it was time to come out on the stage.
