GREAT WHITE Singer Speaks On Eve Of Nightclub Fire's One-Year Anniversary: Audio Available

GREAT WHITE lead singer Jack Russell is continuing to maintain that the band were given permission to set off pyrotechnics at a Rhode Island nightclub one year ago, killing 100 people. Investigators said sparks from a pyrotechnics display ignited foam placed around the stage as soundproofing.

The following is a transcript of an interview between Michael Rock, program director of 100.3 KKB in New Bedford, Mass., and Jack Russell, conducted earlier today (Feb. 19).

Michael Rock: "Who do you think is responsible for what happened?"

Jack Russell: "I just think that there's a lot of things that were wrong with that building. Maybe it shouldn't have been opened to begin with. And people say, 'Aren't you mad at the owners?' But you know what? The only reason I'm mad at them is the fact that they lied about giving us permission to use the pyro."

Rock: "You stick by that, that they gave you permission?"

Russell: "It's simple logic here, you know what I mean? You play these places every single year. That's your bread and butter. Why would you go somewhere and do something that's going to piss somebody off so they're not going to let you play there next year. That's just bad business, and you would never do that. We're a professional band, and if somebody says no, OK, let's not. It wasn't like it was part of our show. We're not KISS here. I understand why they denied it, you know what I mean. I could see them trying to cover their ass. But, I mean, something this big you got to stand up and take your lumps, you know?"

Rock: "When did you first realize that something was wrong?"

Russell: "Well, I felt heat and that was the first time I knew something was wrong because those things aren't hot — the gerbs are not hot. It's cold spark. I turned around and saw the corners of the wall on fire and I'm thinking, this isn't good. So, I'm looking around for a fire extinguisher and there wasn't any there. I figured someone would come and start spraying it out. Stupid me, I'm sitting there trying to throw water on it from my water bottle. And then I was actually walking over to move Mark's amp out from away from the wall because I was waiting for someone to come up with a fire extinguisher."

Rock: "So, you're not panicking at all?"

Russell: "No, I was figuring the flames were only about a foot high. I was thinking, OK, a fire extinguisher and beep-beep, it's done. The next thing I remember, I called my wife on the cell phone, and I said, 'Honey, there's been a fire. I think we might lose our equipment.' We had no idea the extreme it was going to go."

Russell's interview with Rock can be downloaded in MP3 format at this location.

In other news, GREAT WHITE have issued the following statement on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the biggest concert-related catastrophe to happen in U.S. history:

"As we approach the anniversary date of February 20, 2003, words will not now, nor will they ever, begin to express the sorrow we are all feeling. Although it has been a year, we are all only at the beginning of the healing process. We will always fondly remember our friends that we lost, as will as our band member and brother Ty Longley. To everyone that was affected, by this terrible tragedy, we send our love, prayers and encouragement."