Brett Carlisle: Bridging Generations Through Music and Perseverance – by Lori McKone.
Brett Carlisle’s rise to fame is a testament to his unwavering passion, perseverance, and natural talent. As the new lead vocalist of the iconic rock band Great White, Carlisle is bringing a fresh energy to the group’s legendary sound. With his roots in heavy metal and a voice that can seamlessly transition from aggressive to soulful, Carlisle is proving himself to be a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.
RRX: What was your first concert or musical experience that left an impression on you?
BC: My dad was always listening to Van Halen and KISS and stuff like that. He had the KISS Alive albums—I thought the solo on “Detroit Rock City” was the coolest thing in the world! I first saw them during the KISS Alive 35 tour with Buckcherry, then later with Motley Crue. Being that young and knowing all of the songs and seeing the pyro, and the lights, and the makeup and everything—it was just so cool.
RRX: You received your first guitar at age eight for Christmas and you taught yourself to play. What was it like the first time you held a guitar and started playing?
BC: It was frustrating at first because I didn’t have any instruction or devices where I could go on YouTube and look up a tutorial or something. When I first got it, I didn’t know tuning was a thing. You know, you see people playing – it looks so easy, and they’re playing a solo, and you’re like, “I don’t know what to do right now.”
RRX: How long was it before you were able to put some chords together and play a song?
BC: The first couple of years, I was inconsistent. But throughout middle school and high school, once I figured out what was going on, I’m just by ear with everything. I would wake up early in the morning, and I would be practicing as soon as I came home from school. From the time I got home, to the time I fell asleep. And then I wake up in the morning, I’m like, “Hey, can I still play that thing?” That’s when I started getting consistent.
RRX: If you rely on self-reflection, tapping into your own experiences and emotions teaching yourself guitar or singing, how did you cultivate this skill at such a young age?
BC: I’m pretty good with patience. Sometimes, things don’t work out the first time the way you expect them to, but with persistence, it just comes back around. If I’m working on my voice and I hear something that I can’t do or I don’t know how to mimic or replicate, I’ll drive myself crazy until I figure it out and I’m good and comfortable with it.
RRX: When did you decide to pursue singing, and did you have formal vocal coaching?
BC: I’d love to have some coaching. I feel there are some things I could be doing better, technically, maybe. I’ve just been using my voice memos on my phone to record myself singing – in the kitchen with some good reverb, or in the car, or wherever – and then I listen back and say I don’t like how that word came out. I just keep listening back, kind of just chipping away at what I want things to sound like, redoing it until I’m satisfied with how it sounds. So yeah. I just record, listen back, and redo.
RRX: You mastered the guitar in high school. Was there any pushback from your parents when you discussed becoming a singer instead?
BC: My dad felt I was too good at guitar to be a singer. “When you can cover something like Skid Row, then you can call yourself a singer,” he told me. I sent him a recording of me singing the end of “I Remember You” by Skid Row, and singing the big note at the end of the song caught him a little off guard. But after he heard me a few times, he became very supportive. When I nailed that final high note, my father simply said, “I guess I’ll shut up now.”
RRX: Where does that self-confidence come from, especially at such a young age to become a self-taught musician and vocalist?
BC: I think that confidence comes from setting goals, whether they’re small, attaining them, and working your way up to big ones. I knew with guitar and singing certain songs I was going to sit there for hours, days, and weeks until I learned them. Then I’m like, okay, now what? If there’s something I put my mind to, it might not be easy, but challenge is fun, right?
RRX: The first time you sang in public was at your school prom. Walk us through your musical journey and when did you decide you wanted to pursue music as a career?
BC: The band I was in, in high school, we played a couple of friends’ birthday parties, house parties, and stuff. We actually played prom to save some money for the senior class—it was the first time I sang in front of anybody. Every time we played for our friends or did something at school, it was just so much fun. I feel like it was never even a decision I had to make. It was “This is what I want to do, and I’ll find a way to do it.”
RRX: What influences your vocal style?
BC: I grew up listening to black metal, death metal, deathcore; just really heavy stuff in places like The Forge and Zydeco when I was in high school. I would love to have a separate project just to get it all out there. I was always listening to bands like Van Halen, Metallica, and KISS. I’ve done some pop stuff; I love singing R&B, and I feel that it helps tie in with the blues. I was good at screaming and being loud, and hitting high notes. Then I had to reel it in and get more control of my voice to be able to sing more quietly and more well-rounded.
RRX: How do you think your experience with AON has prepared you for your role as the lead singer of Great White?
BC: Being part of AON, there was a big learning curve for me and Skyler [McCain] starting the band. It’s not just, “I want to play this and sing this,” you have to be keeping up with social media content, managing merchandise, booking studio time, figuring out who we want to work with, and navigating music platforms. There’s a lot you have to learn and hidden things that you have to take on. It was like being thrown out into the sea, and you’re either going to sink or swim.
RRX: AON recorded a song called “Escape” and at the end of the music video there is a sobering reminder of the number of daily suicides. Do you feel that you did the subject matter justice with that song?
BC: We made it what it was because the story was personal to Jacob, even though we all have friends or have known somebody who’s been affected by it. The guy that taught him how to play guitar was the one—so that was his message. Jacob had a lot of pieces: the original melody for the chorus and a lot of words. I came in and helped tweak it
RRX: Is there more to say about the subject that wasn’t covered in the song?
BC: There is more to say because it can happen from so many different perspectives, for so many different reasons, but we were satisfied. It’s not an easy subject and shouldn’t be taken lightly. It doesn’t just impact you; it pushes that pain you’re feeling on everybody around you that cares about you. But with music we said everything, and we’re very proud of it.
RRX: How do you make sure you take care of your own mental health while on the road?
BC: You’ve got to steer clear of people’s opinions and getting sucked into social media. When people say, “That’s the greatest song I’ve ever heard in my life!” You can have all these people saying, “You’re awesome!” or “You’re the greatest!” But if you don’t feel that inside first, then that’s cool—you can appreciate it, but it’s easy for those things to not line up. You’ve got to take care of yourself first to be able to give the most to others.
RRX: How do you navigate the creative demands of working with two distinct bands, like Great White and AON?
BC: It’s cool. I write to the song and how it makes me feel so I can separate the two fairly well. AON’s a little heavier, a different style, so it’s a little easier. The hard part is when Great White has a show in California, and AON has a show in Florida the next day. I’m leaving from Florida in mid-tour with AON to fly to California to do a show and then the next day coming back. The travel can be challenging because I can’t be in two places at once.
RRX: What’s the dynamic like between you and your AON bandmates and how does your experience with AON differ from working with Great White?
BC: When I’m with AON, we’re family. We’ve lived together at times; we’ve been through everything growing up together, so when I’m out with them, I’m out with my boys and we’re having a blast doing whatever we’re doing. When I’m with Great White, I can truly learn from their experience and prepare myself for more of life. They’re older than me, and I can gain a lot of wisdom from them. They’re super cool, and we get along really well. It’s amazing how, despite coming from different generations, we’re still the same type of people, and we just click as humans.
RRX: What can fans expect from Great White with Brett Carlisle at the helm?
BC: We’ve got about six or seven ideas we’re throwing around, so hopefully, something will come out soon. I don’t want to change what they’re doing at all. Mark says we need to bring the pain with this stuff and make sure our music shows everybody that we’re still here. When we’ve been writing, any ideas that I’ve had, they’ve embraced and been very excited about and accepting of. Michael can write some pretty, swingy, cool stuff on the piano, and Mark comes in with his riffs. Blending the two, they can be rocking like their early stuff or more bluesy, ballad-like. My transition from singing heavy, aggressive tunes in AON to more bluesy, ballad-like songs is not too far from what they already do. The stuff we’ve been writing is interesting, really cool. We want to make some stuff tough, diverse, and so far, it’s really good. I’m really excited!
RRX: Do you feel pressure to live up to Great White’s legacy or are you just doing your own thing?
BC: I mean, they might not get as much radio play as the classics or be as well-known as the classics because they are what they are. But for the fans wanting to hear something new, we’re excited for them to hear it and hoping to reach some new people. Bands can put out new music, and you might hear it on the radio once, but then they go back to playing the big ones off the first couple albums. It’s understandable. It is what it is.
RRX: What inspires your songwriting process?
BC: The most genuine things come from pushing the boundaries and exploring. It has to come from a creative place. That’s usually where the best stuff comes from. It’s about embracing the unknown and allowing ourselves to be vulnerable. When you listen to Van Halen’s first album or Mötley Crüe’s “Shout at the Devil,” they’re not trying to sound like everyone else. That’s why a lot of our favorite bands and artists—their first album is their best or the coolest because they don’t quite have a process yet, and they’re trying to figure themselves out. You don’t need outside validation, either. If you love it, then nothing’s missing.
RRX: What are your goals for Great White’s new songs?
BC: I want our new songs to be a reflection of the excitement and energy we’re feeling right now. I want us to show the world that we’re still here, we’re still doing well, and you know, ”Damn, Great White, okay, we hear you!” That’s not just about me being in the band or anything, that’s growing up a fan, too.
RRX: How has your addition to the band affected Great White’s dynamics?
BC: I love seeing the guys excited. They’re excited because they don’t have to question what’s going to happen every night. I’m consistent every night; they don’t have to worry about my range or what songs we’re doing, so everybody’s amped up right now.
RRX: What’s the most unforgettable moment you’ve experienced on tour? What’s at the top of your list?
BC: There have been so many memorable moments, but one that stands out was when we played a show in New York when Skid Row canceled. At the very end of the set, people started freaking out in the crowd, pointing and yelling, “Stop, stop, stop!” I didn’t know what was going on, but I yelled for security, then we left the stage. Afterwards, I saw a guy on a gurney being taken to the ambulance. I didn’t know what happened, but I wanted to say something. He had no pulse for like 90 seconds or so, and they brought him back. I went over to him, and I was like, “Hey man, I’m glad you’re okay.” He sits up and he’s like, “Can we take a selfie?” Oh geez, what!
As Brett Carlisle continues to make waves with Great White and All or Nothing (AON), one thing is clear: this talented young artist is here to stay. With his infectious enthusiasm, impressive vocal range, and dedication to his craft, Carlisle is poised to leave an indelible mark on the music world. As he embarks on this exciting new chapter in his career, fans can’t help but wonder what’s next for this rising rock star. One thing’s for sure – with Brett Carlisle at the helm, the future of rock ‘n’ roll is looking brighter than ever.
