|
Many Reasons I Love Michael Lardie |
|
|
|
|
|
|
I know it's Audie Desbrow's birthday (My Taurus buddy - one of my Taurus buddies) and I love him, but every time I think of Michael Lardie, I forget about everything else that's going on. Michael makes me so happy, so here goes a list of the many reasons he's my favorite musician.
1. How amazing "Hard To Say Goodbye" is as well as the music video. I have to start with this one because that's how I became a fan of Great White in the first place. I was watching VH1-Classic and they played "Once Bitten, Twice Shy". I had heard that song many times before so I watched the video. Right afterwards, they played "Hard to Say Goodbye". I kind of remember the moment like it was yesterday... The shot of the tour bus interlaced with this beautiful acoustic guitar. Then, I saw a guy in a purple shirt with shoulder-length blond hair playing said acoustic guitar and fell in love. I COULD NOT take my eyes off of him the whole video. I hopped onto the internet to find out who this guy was: Michael Lardie. I love the end of the video when he waves goodbye to the girl. It's so sweet.
2. Michael has the best smile. Oh my gosh! If I'm having a bad day or I'm not feeling like myself (which is right now actually) all I have to do is look at my Great White photo collection on my computer to cheer me up. All it takes is one look at him. If I see a photo of him smiling, I'll smile. Simple as that.
3. He is an AMAZING keyboardist! He plays the piano so goddamn beautifully... Case in point: "Love Is a Lie" and "Love Is Enough". They're both Great White songs and his piano playing in both of them is out of this world. He cannot be matched in my mind. He's one of the greatest keyboardists ever (along with Rick Wakeman and Jon Lord). I love his work on Psycho City, Can't Get There From Here and Let It Rock the best. And the middle section of "Shot In the Dark" and the intros to "Is Anybody There" and "Never Change Heart"! Oh geez.
4. His voice is so beautiful. I've found some videos on YouTube of Michael singing "Lovin' Kind" live and that's one song that I wish the band would play again. I really like the way he sings the song (not to say anything bad about the way Jack sang it on the original recording - that's gorgeous, too). He has also sung Elton John's "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" and that was incredible, too! But I think the best of the best so far is his rendition of KISS' "Beth". Holy s**t. It's just... oh my god... I am speechless at the moment because that song is just so beautiful. He's playing all the on that song, too. HIS VOICE! Why has he never gotten a shot at lead vocals on a Great White record?
5. Michael can play many musical instruments. Many is an understatement. On Great White records alone he has played electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, piano, synthesizer, banjo, harmonica, sitar, dobro, and the flute. He can even play the harp, which he did on Kevin DuBrow's solo album. In the video for "Save Your Love" he played a harp guitar. He can even play the bass guitar. For Rock n' Roll Fantasy Camp one time I saw him playing a bass guitar. That is something I would love to hear.
6. The video for "Big Goodbye". Damn, he was hot in that video! The whole video has this blue hue over it and it's so well done. Michael played a V guitar in the video and as far as I can recall, it's on the only time I've seen him play one. His hair was especially beautiful. ... Damn, he was hot in that video!
7. Michael's hair is absolutely gorgeous! My goodness... He has always had this beautiful, long hair. Timeline of Mikey's hair over the years:
Pre 1980s: dark, brown (I'm not entirely sure. I've only seen a few photos from that time period)
1986 - 1989: blond and very '80s
1990 - 1994: long and blond. It just kept getting longer and his hair looked so ******** beautiful. It was straight and just... Oh my
1995 - 1996: brown (probably closer to his natural hair color)
1997 - 1998: black. Yep, he dyed his hair black and I think he's almost hotter with black hair. Exhibit A
1999 - 2002: blond again and somewhat short while still being somewhat long, if that makes sense.
2003 onwards: long and blond. His hair was pretty long in 2007 or so. Then it was pretty much the same length for a couple years. Sometimes he lets it grow out and sometimes it's shorter... I just saw at the Ronnie James Dio remembrance events this weekend that his hair is growing out longer and it looks great. (OH GOD, I sound like a stalker... Michael, I don't stalk you. I promise!)
8. His rhythm guitar lines are EPIC. Take one listen to "Desert Moon" and tell me otherwise. The rhythm guitar makes that song what it is. The rhythm guitar part on "All Over Now" is great, too!
9. He's apparently really damn good at bowling. If Loudwire is correct and I'm sure they are, then this weekend at Bowl For Ronnie, he got the top score. That's insane! Go Michael!
10. His production/engineer work is great! Just listen to Back to the Rhythm and Rising. The production on them is killer!
Yeah, I sound like a stalker...
But I love this guy so much. Ever since I became a fan of Michael, I've had this sudden urge to want to learn how to play the guitar and it's getting to the point where I feel like I'm about to go grab my dad's guitar and just play it. I've never really felt like that before.
I have also never enjoyed listening to a band more than Great White. EVERY SINGLE SONG OF THEIRS IS PURE GOLD!
I'm sorry but Great White is my favorite band in the entire flipping universe and it's mainly because of Michael Lardie.
And yet, Jack Russell, Audie Desbrow, Mark Kendall, Terry Ilous, Scott Snyder, Tony Montana, Teddy Cook, Dave "The Beast" Spitz, Lorne Black, Gary Holland, and Sean McNabb are amazing as well!
 SamWeiki · Mon May 18, 2015 @ 05:01am · 0 Comments |
|
|
|
|
|
