Great White: Once Bitten

Posted by Luminator (A) on October 5, 2015 at 11:13:45

In the early 90s, Stereophile's Sam Tellig chronicled the travails of audiophiles lending and borrowing audio gear. But when it comes to music, that is something which has to be shared.

After 1984's "Rock You Like A Hurricane" by the Scorpions, heavy metal hit a rut. In the mid-80s, it did not get as much airplay. Thus, we had to share the music, usually by exchanging cassettes. In 1987, heavy metal made its comeback. By then, it was aided by MTV's Headbangers Ball, and the popularity of the Compact Disc.

When I started my junior year of high school in September 1987, the incoming freshman class was loaded with good-looking, friendly, sociable, and positive girls. Their love of popular music was both welcome and refreshing. I loved the way they hung out in the courtyard, gathered people 'round, and got everyone to dance. These freshmen were so much more inclusive, than my own grade.

I think it was a Saturday in early October 1987. Some of my junior friends couldn't figure out which movie(s) they wanted to see. So while they were dithering, I went with three of my female freshmen friends, who wanted to meet up with other groups at a park (Westmoor, I believe) in Daly City. Because we came from all parts of San Francisco, we decided to meet first out near S.F. State. And from there, we could take Samtrans to Daly City.

Wow! Those freshmen introduced me to more of their friends, some of whom went to other high schools. Why don't we audiophiles do likewise? Why do we remain a smattering of passionate individuals, rather than a unified group?

Anyway, there wasn't any fog that day. When we finally got to the park, sure enough, someone had a boombox. I do not know to whom it belonged, but someone had, on cassette, Great White's Once Bitten. Its blues-based heavy metal was...pretty good, but two tracks really stood out. The over 7-minute-long "Rock Me" started with its things-to-come bassline, and then unfolded. And "Save Your Love" sounded like Great White's version of Robert Plant's "Big Log." That bluesy "Save Your Love" really fit in with, and enhanced, the cool marine air hovering over Daly City. It made us want to go down Skyline and Highway 1, to meet our friends and relatives on the Pacifica shoreline.

Great White were from Southern California. Their brand of blues-based metal has always found a home, here on the California coast. Once Bitten, along with Whitesnake's blues-based eponymous album, really led 1987's heavy metal renaissance here.

Yes, we did see Great White in the late-80s. Somewhat oddly, in those shows, the band was.....professional.

At the beginning of the post, I mentioned Sam Tellig writing about audiophiles lending and borrowing stuff from each other. One of you has my copy of Great White's Once Bitten. Thus, I am not able to post a photo of it. In case you are wondering, that copy was indeed purchased during that 87/88 school year.

Anyway, the original Once Bitten cassette and CD sound compressed. If you can find the LP, it has less compression, but it has more grain, instability, and funhouse-mirror imaging.

However, we have Great White's Absolute Hits on SHM-CD. On this SHM-CD [can you make out the "SHM-CD" print in the CD's inner circle?], the songs from Once Bitten sound clean, detailed, and free of distortion; much better than the original Capitol cassette, CD, and vinyl. If your system is capable, this SHM-CD will make you (re)discover the goodness of "Rock Me's" bassline. Obviously, there is no magical time machine, to bring us back to that Fall '87 semester. So if you want to fantasize about that time, and live vicariously through my friends who met in Daly City, the SHM-CD provides the next best thing. And if you are old enough to be the parent of one of these c/o 91 graduates, give yourself a pat on the back.

Because of the internet and apps, children nowadays are learning how to play Once Bitten's "Rock Me," "All Over Now," "On The Edge," and "Save Your Love." No. Back in '87, we could not have foreseen, 28 years later, our kids enthusiastically learning and enjoying these songs.

-Lummy The Loch Monster

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Topic - Great White: Once Bitten - Luminator 11:13:45 10/05/15 (3)

Once Bitten : IAN HUNTER/MICK RONSON - roxymott 09:46:40 10/14/15 (0)

I always kinda liked them. - Prisoners 17:59:41 10/06/15 (1)

RE: I always kinda liked them. - fantja 20:48:11 10/06/15 (0)

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