Sin City

The Zoo Crew is spinning "Sin City," a track from Great White's 2002 cover album Recover, and the Zoo Freaks are loving it. This song, originally by AC/DC, was recorded by Great White as part of a live-in-studio two-track demo in November 1989. What makes this cover stand out is its raw energy, capturing the band's gritty hard rock roots. In a 2002 interview with KNAC.com, lead singer Jack Russell described the Recover sessions as a "back-to-basics" moment, where the band jammed out covers of songs that shaped their sound, including "Sin City." He noted that the AC/DC track was a favorite because it let them "just let loose and have fun," channeling the reckless vibe of Basin City from Frank Miller’s comics, which inspired the song’s title. The Zoo Freaks might also find it cool that this album faced controversy when an Italian label, Horizon-Italy, reissued it in 2004 as Burning House of Love without permission, a title deemed tasteless after the tragic 2003 Station nightclub fire tied to a Great White show. The band publicly condemned the reissue and urged fans not to buy it, as shared in a post on their official Facebook page at the time.

Another tidbit comes from a 2010 fan Q&A on the Great White website, where guitarist Mark Kendall revealed that "Sin City" was almost left off Recover because the band felt their version didn’t match AC/DC’s intensity. But after tweaking the tempo and adding their signature bluesy swagger, they nailed a take that felt "like a punch in the face." Fans on the Great White Fans Facebook group often cite this cover as a highlight for its sleazy, high-octane vibe, perfect for a night of spinning records with the Zoo Crew. The song’s connection to AC/DC also ties into Great White’s early days, as they often opened for bands influenced by the same raw rock energy, which the Zoo Freaks can probably feel blasting through their radios.

Great White kicked off their journey in the late 1970s in Los Angeles, born from the vision of Jack Russell and Mark Kendall. According to their bio on greatwhite.rocks, Russell, a charismatic frontman with a love for blues and hard rock, met Kendall, a guitarist obsessed with Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, in 1977. They started jamming in local bars, initially under the name Dante Fox, playing covers of bands like AC/DC and Mott the Hoople—both of which influenced their Recover album years later. By 1982, they rebranded as Great White, a nod to Kendall’s nickname due to his blonde hair and lanky frame. Their early gigs at Sunset Strip clubs like The Whisky a Go Go built a loyal following, with fans drawn to their blues-infused hard rock and Russell’s larger-than-life stage presence. A 1984 self-titled debut album on EMI got them noticed, but it was 1987’s Once Bitten and 1989’s ...Twice Shy, featuring the hit cover of Ian Hunter’s "Once Bitten, Twice Shy," that skyrocketed them to fame, earning platinum status.

The band’s rise wasn’t without struggle. In a 2015 Instagram post reflecting on their early days, Kendall shared a story of sleeping in their van between gigs, scraping by on cheap tacos to keep the dream alive. Their gritty determination paid off, as they toured with giants like Whitesnake and Dokken, shaping their sound through relentless live performances. Despite lineup changes and challenges, including the heartbreaking 2003 fire, Great White has kept rocking, with a current lineup featuring Kendall, Michael Lardie, Audie Desbrow, Scott Snyder, and new vocalist Brett Carlisle, as noted in a recent X post. For Zoo Freaks wanting to dive deeper, check out the band’s official website, follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and X, or join the Great White Fans Facebook group for fan discussions. There’s also a fan-run site, Great White World, packed with tour updates and memorabilia for diehards.