JACK RUSSELL GREAT WHITE'S SIDE OF THE STORY WITH SALLY STEELE
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- Опубліковано 24 бер 2012
- Jack talks about Great White's break up and the Fire in Rhode Island ("People think I murdered their kids"). Filmed at Count's Vamp'd in Las Vegas, interview by Sally Steele.
NOTE: I would like to apologize if I offended anyone in this interview. This was one of my first interviews and it killed me. I didn't react the proper way because I became so nervous and didn't know what to say and wasn't prepared for what he began to talk about. I never meant to offend and appear insensitive to anyone but it did not come out that way.
It doesn’t matter what the club was inspected for. An arena starburst pyro doesn’t belong indoors.
Well, it doesn’t belong in a small club, after all arenas are indoors.
Who is an actual pyrotechnics professional that can weigh in on this?!!!
Yes, it does. That building was doomed and unsafe. If the fire Marshall did his job and if the owners didn’t cut corners to save money it wouldn’t have been a tragedy. I expect more common sense and responsible actions from fire Marshall’s and 2 business men than people in a rock band.
govt officials (fire marshal) always get off. but that is where I would place most the blame. the person probably didn't even get fired. it seems to be a right of passage to be a govt official and be grossly incompetent and never pay a price for it.
I was Jack's Tour Manager in 2002 for his sol tour, right before the fire in 2003. I met Dan, knew everyone in the band, Ty, his g/f Heidi, Jack, and I have spoken to Jack after the tragedy and I can assure you he is not the same person. Dan was the final straw, but there are many to blame for the cause of the fire, but in the end, that doesn't bring justice or the dead back. I lost friends and co-workers in that fire, and not all victims died..some are alive today, some still live with it.
Respect.
None off us were the same after that event. The memorial my wife and I visit every time we go up to Cape Cod. Rest In Peace to all of them.
😕 It never would have happened, without the use of pyrotechnics!!
Yep, one bouncer was especially aggressive with preventing patrons from trying escaping through the back door. The bouncers wife died in the fire, so karma was not kind to him.
Jack had no problem pointing out examples of negligence that other people were guilty of. For example he mentioned that the club owners knowingly installed flammable foam, and the fire marshal allowed the use of that foam without conducting a burn test. However Jack conveniently failed to mention a couple of laws that he broke. The band was required by law to have a licensed pyrotechnician on hand if pyrotechnics were used. Tour manager Daniel Biechele was not a licensed pyrotechnician. Also the band was required to obtain permits at each venue where pyrotechnics were going to be used. The band never obtained the proper permits for using pyrotechnics.
immediately after this tragedy, at least 3 other venue owners/managers stated that Great White also used pyrotechnics in their clubs - WITHOUT PERMISSION, OR PROPER PERMITS, OR WITH A LICENSED PYROTECHNICIAN. One was in Philidelphia...I can't recall where the other 2 were.
I think Jack is an ass. While I believe the fire was really caused by a series of failures by many people including inspectors, the club owners, the band manager (who allegedly brought the pyrotechnics), and even security, his response lacked any kind of empathy. I think of what I might say if I was in his shoes, and it would have been very empathetic, apologetic, and overall would have tried to take a kernel of responsibility. But I don't think Jack Russel is very intelligent or emotionally mature. He's basically a dumb rocker type who is completely incapable of doing anything along those lines. He's lucky his music career panned out for him...I really don't think he could have done anything else.
@Wilbur Wafer so I guess jack has no brain!!!
@@jasonhaynes2952 he is a moron. washed up druggie
Exactly.... Thats why I never listened to Great White again after this tragedy.....
Im from Rhode Island. I was there this night was fucking horrible, I still hear the scream in my head to this day, of people burning alive horrible shit. Jack Russel had nothing to do with it. he is a singer not a fucking fire Marshall or some kind of specialist. There are a few to blame here, lets start with brothers Jeffrey A. and Michael A. Derderian, the two owners of The Station nightclub, Daniel M. Biechele the rock band manager and the fire inspector whom was probably paid in pocket to look the other way. This is fucking rhode island money a small payoff to anyone will sell them out im tired of it. Jeffrey A. In my opinion accepted responsibility and was a man about it. Seriously I have been a contractor for years I see people being cheap about this shit and the sad part is they have fucking money to make it right but refuse to spend it. Half the bar staff were not trained and were paid in beer and concert tickets which makes me sick to my stomach. Fucking tired of people with good money who are making good money cheaping out on everything. I can picture them with the contractors looking for the cheapest way out. As a contractor whom does things right for this very reason I would have made them get the right shit or wouldn't have done the work at all. That club was not designed for the pyrotechnics it was quite obvious, the band manager should have seen the height of the ceiling and relized this fucking common sense. Honestly i put most blame on the cheap asshole club owners. Your making money spend it fucking right do things right or you go to fucking jail bottom line fucking assholes. When i make good money on my work i buy the right too;s to do things right bottom line.
This is not any one person's fault. It's more like a recipe for disaster and each group contributed their part that combined into a perfect storm. The owners cheating the fire inspection, especially the doors, added to the Styrofoam walls, plus the dumb 'bodyguard', mixed with a lack of sprinklers and extinguishers, overcrowding, the pyrotechnics...all of these elements put together killed 100 people. Each group/person bears their fair share of culpability. I think if those two sets of doors hadn't been blocked, everyone could have gotten out alive. If someone hadn't insisted on pyros, the fire never would have started. If the owners had taken just a few basic fire preventive measures, it could've been kept under control. There's plenty of blame to go around. I'm sure no one ever thought this could happen before, but now bar/club owners better take fire safety and exits seriously. Bands too. Now they know.
jamnjam when Bands play at a Bar / nightclub etc, they're ALL drinking alcohol way before they start ,during and after.they were most likely drunk ! The Band made a horrific choice to set off fireworks in a building !!! They need the death penalty.
Definitely the perfect storm of circimstances. Plenty of blame to go around.
Sorry Jack. Your band. Your pyro. Your fault. Saw this show in Allentown, PA exactly one week before the Station disaster. Heavy sparks reaching the ceiling. Remember thinking it was a really bad idea.....
@@jeffreymalack3723. Very true.
@@jeffreymalack3723 His band, yes. His pyro, no. That was the manager's fault, not Jack's or Great White's.
When I first heard the story, I automatically felt some sort of hostility toward the lead singer. After seeing interviews of him talking about this, I've decided I don't think he is to blame. He is a piece in the puzzle, but it was a freak accident that was a combination of many things. This dude looks like he will never be able to get rid of what he saw and heard, and he probably feels extremely guilty.
The only exception I take to your comment is "freak accident ". No. A freak accident is a loose brick falling on someone's head, or something like that. Also, he talks about "grass" there was no grass it was snow, it was Feb, I don't care, these people knew what pyrotechnics can do, club managers and band, alike! 100 people died HORRIBLY for no reason except stupidity. 💔💔💔
Facts. Jack was in with using pyro as much as the manager. One of the victims said what I thought: dafuq does Great White need pyro in an old tiny club venue...it’s not 1986! It was his ego and this idea that the band is still some huge deal and if he had a brain in the head you don’t bring that kind of pyro in a small space. EVER. Common sense.
He should feel fucking guilty because if they’d have just gone and played for fun, music, nostalgia good memories and dropped the theatrics and ego it wouldn’t have happened.
Don’t get me wrong, that place was a death trap and they are negligent, a they should’ve said NO to the pyro, cared for safety and not oversold capacity by 58 but Jesus his attitude sucks and it’s beyond me how he let his band manager go down all by himself for that shit.
I mean, he’s like “oh that doesn’t look good.”
Screw him.
And Ty died because he went off the side of the stage where he was and there was no exit there and he got friggin trapped.
This guy doesn’t care for shit and he was all about acting like Great White 86 when he was just playing dive clubs for a good time, which is what the people wanted. Zero need for all that nonsense. The survivors are like, the hell they shooting off fire in here for?
He is the one blaming everyone else and everything.
They just want some compassion from him.
@@tiffanysullivan5454 Speaking, of "Stupidity." and "Thick, as a Brick".....
@@asleepbydawn137 I agree
I am not sure but i think ty went the other way to save one of his friends not his guitar which makes sence to me since a persons life is more valuable then a guitar. I dont fully blame great white but i agree they deserve some blame but the most blame goes to the station owners like why not tell them about the foam and advise them not to use pyrotechnics. And alot of blame goes to the bouncer who would not let people out of the burning building. Then there is the fire department what idiots would okay a club where live music to play when there is flammable foam knowing that alot of bands use pyrotechnics. Like i hate to insault the town but it seems like any village idiot can run that town. That and how about the reporter and camera man have they ever thought about putting down the camera for 20 minutes and call 911 or the local fire department since it took them about 15 minutes to get there.
You have to give it to him, Jack has done his homework. For this interview, Jack is giving a fair summary of the Book 'Killer Show'. But it is not his personal memory of the night.
Russel is a tough showman working in a tough industry, where working conditions suck, the hours suck, the pay often sucks, and people will rip you off in the blink of an eye or the stroke of a pen.
Like most band leaders working the club circuit, he is under a lot of pressure to give 150%. Dodgy fire works in dangerous substandard venues are an industry norm. Great White did not set these expectations. THE INDUSTRY sets these expectations. Many acts performing at the Station used pyrotechnic displays. The people responsible for running the venue WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR HOW THE VENUE WAS USED.
This disaster would not have happened if the club manager was doing his job. He should have banned indoor fireworks years before. Ignorance of the law is no excuse.
The similiarities of the Station Fire and the Brazil fire this past weekend are gigantic. A band with flairs, people all running to the same door, 1 band member died in each event the others survived, 2 owners in each arrested, a stage manager accused of being the one to start the fire. The difference is that in Brazil so far 235 died, but there were at least twice as many people in the club in Brazil.
Sadly pretty much all night club fires follow this same very similar chain of events. It's scary to think that in the past hundred or so yrs the same lethal mistake has been made by people the world over. Not sure what it will take to change things, I wish I never had to hear about another incident like this again but I'm sure there will be many more in my lifetime. Makes me more vigilant when I'm out tbh, especially since I've been to a show with sketchy pyro myself and it was as scary as you can imagine. It was long before I started reading about these types of incidents though
For the record, Ty Longley did not escape the fire only to go back for his guitar. Not sure where that story came from, but it didn't happen. He never got out of the club.
Probably not. He wkdnt have been able to go back anyway.
It came from another musician that was there that night. He said in an interview that he saw Ty outside saying, “Man, I’ve got 1000’s of dollars worth of guitars in there!” and then saw Ty run back in. I don’t know this to be fact, I just heard the interview with that guy talking about it. He said he was the drummer for the band that opened for Great White that night
That is what the liar Jack Russell keeps saying.
This interview has been posted for over ten years and I just happened to see it and watch it. One thing I did not like was when Sally asked Jack about the fire, you could tell he was uncomfortable talking about it. Had I been interviewing him, I would have let the question go as soon as I saw that. I've interviewed Jack many times, and any time I do an interview, if I have a question I feel might be an issue for the person, I ask them before we do the interview out of respect for them. While I may want to know something and fans may want to know, if that person is not up to or comfortable with it, I will not even use it. That avoids and awkward situations during the interview...
Well maybe sometimes I won't make people uncomfortable asking things but there is so much I regret about me doing this interview. I was nervous as hell and when he started to talk I got even more nervous. But in the end, he had things to say and wanted to explain and defend himself and I respect him for that.
@@SallySteele He did give some good information in his answer. I just felt bad that you can see he was reliving that and I'm sure he relives that often. I'm sure no one would want to have to live through that once, yet alone for the rest of their life. That was where I saw the issue. The information he gave was very insightful since some of it I had not heard before.
That fire wasn't the band's fault. They were doing their show. It was the responsibility of the club owner (business operator) and the fire marshall and the politician to provide a safe, UP TO CODE environment. Someone got their palms greased and Jack Russell gets all the blame. That's bullshit. Jack has nothing to apologize for.
When my friend’s grandma died I told her I was sorry even though it wasn’t my fault that her grandma died. It took Russel 13 YEARS to apologize.
There’s a google drive online somewhere that has many videos of bands using pyrotechnics and flash pots at the station nightclub. Many of which are shooting sparks that hit the foam on the ceiling.
I don't know what video he looked at but I dont see him using a water bottle on a Fire that big at the moment he made a stupid comment you hear when they stopped playing "Wow That's Not Good" Sorry still pissed that something like this could have happened and hear differnt sides of this story. God Bless the families of the poor soles that were lost that night. You will never be forgotten and hope this never happens again to anyone at any Nightclub.
EVERYBODY with common sense knows pyro doesnt belong indoor.
Contrary to what a lot of you say. I do see how remorseful he is. It's been several years when this particular Interview was made. If any of you had half a brain you could see that it really bothers him to talk about it. Anyone who has been through a horrible traumatic experience will find different ways to cope, for him it's trying to detach himself from the night. Basically it'd drive a person to suicide to constantly relive that experience. I've seen the full video of the fire and it never was his fault, it was the pyrotechnician who set the fireworks, The Bouncer for stopping people from escaping, and the club owners for not having the building up to code. But he is scarred and he does feel the pain that so many feel.So knock off the criminalizing.
ok I can see that. but incidentally the owner of the car would be held legally accountable. I don't blame the bands... except for ricky Martin I knew he was gay the instant living la vida loca came out.
+Robert Kennelly I replied to the wrong post of yours dude. as for this one yeah I can see he is haunted by that night. you can see the physical change in his demeanor and see how he avoids her gaze as well as wanting to stop talking about it. he wanted to be a part of the fundraising for that night, but I've read how some people and their reactions to him have basically forced him to step back and not be a part of it. so he made the fundraiser for his guitarist and the trust fund for the son of the guitarist.
+Robert Kennelly Oh I see! And there is something wrong about being gay, right? Learn what life is all about already, instead of being a fucking neanderthal...Gay people have been around just as long as straight people have! Your favorite sports player may be gay. The relative you love the most may be gay. Why in the hell should you even care???
+Eardrum Buzzer dude I never said anything bad about the gays. Hell a few of my close friends and cousins are gay. I have however a problem with Ricky Martin
Ah BS of course the band is to blame they decided on the pyrotechnics show which the owners never gave permission, yes the bouncer was a idiot aswell but end of the day the fire was caused on the stage by the band.
We all agree that the venue was overcrowded, the back doors were locked, security wouldn't let anyone go out the back doors, the foam was flammable, etc. What people don't realize is they only had 88 seconds to get out alive. That's less than 3 minutes. If you watch other videos of this fire you can see how rapidly that place went up. It's horrific. I've heard that some firefighters committed suicide due to what they saw that night. There's a lot of people to blame. The inspector that cleared that place, the owners putting up flammable foam on the walls and ceiling, no sprinklers were installed, etc. And then we come up to the band using pyrotechnics. It's all a recipe for disaster.
The back doors were not locked
I don't blame Jack one bit i blame the pyro tech and the bouncer and the chief inspector The fire inspector should have closed that place down when he relized their were no sprinklers and the pyro tech should of known better
I would like everyone to know also, that I have personally called out Sally Steele about this interview. Not that it will do much, little me from little RI, but I had to. After all my comments and getting feelings off my chest to people on here, I had to go after the woman herself!
i had to pay a dollar to message her personally on Facebook, but worth every penny!
I think if she wants to laugh about our tragedy and completely offend someone who lost their mother as is in the comments, then why not donate some money to a Memorial. Maybe then she would seem human again! Not that I knew who she was anyway! But she runs a magazine in Vegas, so why not redeem yourself a bit Sally.
I have not heard back of course but she read it.
She's a fat, ugly, brainless slob. So Mother Nature has already punished her.
It's just up to us to remind her of that fact.
I agree with you on this one. This was one of my first interviews and it killed me. I didn't react the proper way because I became so nervous and didn't know what to say and wasn't prepared for what he began to talk about. I never meant to offend and appear insensitive to anyone but it did not come out that way.
@@sallysteelesexcellentadven2771 ...it "killed" you?
I can't imagine what all those people seen that night. God. Arms burnt and skin rolling up like black jelly bands? Ugh. Lord, please give these people closure and look over them. So horrible.
It happened in 30 seconds. He had no way of knowing there was a traffic jam at the front. Go back and get on the microphone and invite people to come back towards the fire and out the back door near the stage? Are you serious?
He should not be whining publicly about his degenerative disc disease. So many people who died in that fire would love to be able to experience degenerative disc disease.
I do not believe that the band themselves it at all responsible for the tragedy that occurred at The Station, but Jack Russell could've shown more compassion than he did. I saw a news interview that he did on scene about 15 minutes after the fire erupted where he stopped the reporter after a few questions to promote the band's upcoming summer tour. Meanwhile, the venue was fully engulfed, and 100 people (including the band's rhythm guitarist) were inside dying.
I understand the decision to use pyrotechnics was not made by the band, but Jack Russell could've been more compassionate than he was. In fact, he swore that the song "Desert Moon" would be permanently removed from Great White's setlist out of respect for the dead, but he added it again a few years later. I'm not saying that Jack is a bad guy, but he's just another arrogant, self-centered rock and roll frontman.
Tracii Kunkel Well since the owners had enough $$ to book bands like Great White, I'm sure they had the funds to install sprinklers.
how is the band not at fault? THEIR stage manager lit the pyrotechnics which started the fire. They did this, without having permission to do so, from the venue.
Owners of venues in both Philidelphia & another place, stated that this same band also set off pyrotechnics in their establishments - after being denied permission to do so.
Jack Russell is a piece of shit, who is trying to deflect blame in this video - with bullshit lies.
Traci - 1st, I never said the band deserved all the blame. I think there's fault on the parts of numerous people. My response, was to the original post, by Matt Steiger...stating the band deserved zero blame. Perhaps you should re-read both posts?
2nd - even if the club had installed the proper foam, it's still 'possible' the pyrotechnics 'could've' started 'a' fire. Perhaps it wouldn't have spread as quickly, but it wouldn't have guaranteed it could not happen. This was a very old 'barn-type' building. I'm confident it's structural members were 'very-dry' as I do construction, for a living. The proof of that is how quickly the 'entire' building became engulfed. Had the building not been so vulnerable, by nature...'perhaps' the foam, or whatever else the pyro sparks may have ignited - might've simply fallen from the walls & ceiling & burned themselves out?
3rd - the bands stage-manager who set the pyrotechnics off, was not licensed to do so! Period. Had he been, he 'may' have realized and/or determined that using them in that setting might not be wise. Even in this video - Jack Russell claims there were no fire-extinguishers available. If that's the case, why was Great Whites employee even setting off pyrotechnics? If he had a license to do so, he would've also known HE was required to have his own fire-extinguisher available...for 'emergency' situations.
Tracii Kunkel I think personally, you have to look at both of those decisions as being contributory factors. Without either, the fire would not have happened. I think the foam certainly would have made the fire more feriocious and toxic than it would otherwise have been, and probably led to the deadly flashover that occurred. Also, the use of pyrotechnics in such a small, confined space, with low ceilings and limited escape routes, was incredibly irresponsible. I can't believe that any fire safety consultant would have approved this premises for pyrotechnic displays. Actually, the idea of that kind of display being allowed indoors is absolutely ludicrous. But hindsight is a wonderful thing. Ultimately, I do think that the band managers have a role to play - not necessarily the performers themselves, as they would understandably expect their managers to be on top of venue safety, but some really bad (and stupid) decisions were made here.
crookedcopssuck Actually the club owner told them that they COULD use pyro.
He’s going to live the rest of his life in the shadow of the station fire.
Yes..he sure will..
Yup.....and that's exactly where he belongs! Feb 20th will be the 18th anniversary of that horrible night here in Rhode Island and we haven't forgotten the 100 people who died due to the " theatrical stunt" performed by this band.
I cant believe Jack doesn't know who Terry Ilous is
I didn't know who he was when I saw Great White a couple of years ago. He was ok, but doesn't compare to Jack at all.
Jack is an old friend from the day of Great White filling stadiums and arenas , he’s a great guy but the fire tragedy he has change for the better and I will always have Jacks back rock on from Mean Gene......
Funny you should say "washed-up old band". I just saw them tonight and they rocked the roof off the place. Older? yes. Hell, most of the audience wasn't even born yet when they had hits on MTV, but that didn't stop them from kicking ass.
That's exactly the point. When people in the audience weren't even born the last time a band had a hit, the band is washed up.
Why the hell were there young people there to see this guy?
I don’t get why he’s getting blamed. Performers are not responsible for ensuring that a venue is safe. That’s what building inspectors are for. He can’t be blamed for the fact that the building didn’t have adequate fire escapes and extinguishers. As for the pyro, it was stupid for a club band to use. But there’s no evidence that he forced everyone to use it against their will.
The people who lit the pyros were responsible for measuring the clearances (the sparks were spraying onto the walls and ceilings) and supervising the fireworks (having someone standing right next to them with an extinguisher). The people who lit the fireworks were not paying attention to them. The band was playing as the wall behind them burned and the front row was screaming "turn around!" at them. Then Jack wondered "where is the extinguisher"? If you set off fireworks you're supposed to bring one.
The club owners did break a lot of fire laws, but so did the band.
@@JeffTheHokie The band did nothing wrong. The band is paid to play, nothing else. Fire safety is not their job.
I can tell that Jack was still hurt by the fire. I never thought that Jack or the band was at fault for that tragedy
jack was never to blame,he is such a amazing singer
Who would want to use the name Great White after the disaster? Jack does have some responsibility, since he employed the pyro guy who he knew was not trained or licensed. He was negligent, along with a bunch of other people.
I think Jack Russell is a big part of what happened. The bouncer, club owners and Jack should have been in prison together.
@@Jamestele1 absolutely!
@@Brad68303 He has a lot of nerve, acting like it's all about him, and how much he's suffered. Regardless of the foam situation, he was trying to relive his 80s greatness and cared about his ego more than safety.
First, my heart goes out to the people of RI , what a senseless tragedy ,what a horrific night those poor poor people god bless the victims and their families and anyone effected , I don't totally blame the band but they were part of it and should have been held accountable, just the fact that he worried about the equipment with so many poor souls burning alive inside shows how sad of a human he is , you have my prayers RI god bless you and I hope you slowly begin to heal :(
There is no Great White without Jack Russell, sorry to say. And I'm on Team Mark Kendall.
He did two tours and donated the money? I thought the group didn't accept his money and he continued to advertise that the proceeds would be given which legitimized his performances at a time when many were becoming aware of the band owner and manager's own culpability in the matter, something they prefer not to point out or even acknowledge.
I can't understand at all why people still would have the notion that the band was responsible for the fire and deaths. It is common knowledge that the fire was because of irresponsibility by the club owners. Sometimes you can't can't reason with people that have no reason.
the hell kind of way is that to bring up this subject? that's like asking Stanley Praimnath "SO YOU REMEMBER 9/11 RIGHT? SO WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THAT DAY?"
Anyone who tries to judge these guys as murderers needs to go watch the 10 minute footage of the actual fire and realize there was nothing to be done. An absolute nightmare. I feel bad for Jack, I hope he gets some therapy and stays sober.
I do not! He cares about no one but himself!
It's really sad that a musician has to experience that kind of tragedy. Or anyone for that matter. It's more sad that he is gonna be known for the fire more than his music.
Somebody tell me how a fire inspector would let that show go on to my knowledge any show with pyro has to pass some kind of inspection so someone didnt do a job
thery are corrupt for sure
If you want to look for someone to blame have a good hard look at the person most responsible for avoiding this kind of accident..........The Fire inspector!
It’s interesting to see all the people on here pointing fingers like they themselves are perfect and sinless and do no wrong... you’re not fans you are trouble making gossips
I sure am not stupid enough to light up fireworks INDOORS
Bitch no one's saying we're sinners. But we sure as hell arent responsible for burning 100 people alive
How can anyone even begin to blame the band for what occurred? The only blame they share in, and its very minor compared to where the real responsible blame should lie, is lack of common sense perhaps. But in their defense on that also, if they are not aware of the danger of the soundproofing(and were not) and also told pyros couldnt be set off in the club(and they were not told) add to the fact that they used pyros in clubs before with no issues whatsoever...then blame Great White HOW exactly??
Because people are truly stupid.
Mark Kendall asked Jack to join his band in '78,. Manager Alan Niven changed the name to Great White in '82 because of Mark's appearance. Jack has always had to ask permission to use the name Great White anytime Mark wasn't involved. Too bad that wasn't legally ironed out in '82. There isn't a Great White unless Mark & Jack are together.
Sally Steele: thanks for posting. Just finished reading Scott James book about the Station nightclub fire "Trial By Fire". Great book.🥨
Also to ad to this..... What would you do in Jack's position? would you remain normal? Would you stay sober? would you like to re live the guilt and pain every day? Those Club owners and management were ultimately responsible and ill prepared for this and I can guarantee you when ANY club gets to book a gig as big as Great White they are thinking of how awesome that is and the money and notoriety they would have gained from it and were not thinking. Peace be with you Jack Russell, God forgives.
I love at 6:48 how she forgets to talk on mic..
I saw that like bitch you are soooooo dumb
I was stoked to find out they were playing in Kankakee,I'LL.July 12th 2013..-Rock on Jack..
Just saw JRGW last night in FTL and they were fantastic.
I play rock on the weekends & my day gig is a fire alarm specialist. I dont judge this guy for what happened at all, it was a tragic, terrible accident. God bless you JR
you paid to see a washed up druggie that killed 100 people? u a moron too
15 foot pyro should never be used in a club with a low ceiling. Insanity. Whoever pressed the button to light those is responsible. Period.
@Kirby Little It wasn't an entertainer that pressed the button Einstein
Says he remembers every detail of it but then doesnt remember for the life of him who kept throwing him on the ground as he (tried) to get inside and help people many times... pretty sus..
Blame the deaths on your stinking tour and road manager, Dude! You still have an amazing voice and you deserve to keep singing!!! And stay sober, Jack!!!
How does that some anything? That would simply piss a LOT of people off!
So infuriating and yes Jack is to blame. He needs to say it and understand it.
The truth is Jack and Great White drew the short straw. There is footage of other bands using pyro in that club, including as far as i remember the previous august. The crucial factor was the foam. After that was installed, the club became an extremely dangerous environment as even a spark could ignite it. In fact, sparks did ignite it. Those spark jets are "cold pyrotechnics" with no raw flame. The stage without the foam would not have ignited. For the record, it was WRONG foam. The club owners were under the impression it was noise reducing foam and was fireproof. It was actually packing foam that was highly flammable.
But as i said... it was going to happen one way or another with that foam in place. It was waiting to happen. Had Great White not accidentally ignited the foam that night, another band, or act, or even a poorly held cigarette was going to ignite it eventually. It literally only took sparks to do so. Then, there was no fire suppression system installed. Staff werent trained to deal with a fire. There was a logjam caused by the placement of a ticket booth at the front of the building and so on.
I've never blamed the band for this. They was touring and expecting to play venues that had it together and was safe. Don't every public venue have to pass a fire marshall inspection?
What happened? Drinking? Deaths?
I only know about the accident a the gig with the fire, but I haven't followed GW for many years now.
They made some good albums early on and had one big hit with one of 1987's best songs (Save Your Love), a great last year for rock in general. Not much greatness from anybody in the business since then, unfortunately rock music somehow went south.
Don't forget Once Bitten Twice Shy......Killer Song.
So 1987 was the last great year for rock? Are you fucking kidding me? And “Save Your Love” was one of the best songs. I feel bad for anyone forced to endure a long road trip with you buddy. I’m gonna start a go fund me page for air pods for you kids.
If you don't have all the facts surrounding this terrible disaster, don't comment here and make judgements. Read John Barylick's book "Killer Show" if you want the most facts about this whole entire disaster. To blame Jack Russell and Great White for this is like trying to say that Captain Smith wanted to kill all those people on the Titanic. Just like the Titanic, there were a lot of things that contributed to that night that caused the situation to be what it was. No one in the band, including Russell, knew how quickly the fire was going to spread when it started which is why their guitar player Ty most likely died when he re-entered the building to save some gear. When Russell made the comment "Wow, that's not good" when the fire started, he had no idea that everyone in the bar had 90 seconds to get out before the fire and smoke made the interior of the building not fit for survival. The Derderians (bar owners) were negligent in using the flammable foam, they hid things from the fire inspectors, fire inspectors missed obvious infractions, and a ton of other things I wont even go into were missed including the lack of preparedness with the staff on how to handle crowd situations during a fire. The band using pyro that night wasn't anything new to the bar. WASP used pyro just weeks before the fire with no issues. Lots of other bands used pyro at that same club over the years with no issue. It was just a lot of horrible unfortunate pieces that came together on that particular night that lead to the death of 100 people and so many other injuries, both physical and mental. I haven't been the same since I learned of all the events of that night and my heart goes out to all those that were there that night who either perished or went on to a living hell of having to carry that moment in their lives forever.
Exactly. I swear, 90% of the comments on here are blaming Jack for everything. This ruined the band's chance for success, and traumatized them. Most people think that since he played, he is completely responsible.
I agree Jack shouldn't be blamed for everything concerning the events of the fire but this didn't ruin the bands chance for success. The band popularity peaked during the 80s...early 90s when they were playing arenas in front of thousands each night. By the time they played The Station they were on the downside of their career playing small club venues mostly due to changes in the music scene and drug/alcohol problems with Jack and other members of the band. If anything the exposure to the Great White name gave them a little surge in popularity before declining again.
MrPogeybait4883 - Funny you mention Captain Smith. If he hadn't been racing across the north Atlantic through hazardous waters, it might have been a different story! Jack is a piece of shit. Defend him all you want... He's a piece of shit!
MrPogeybait4883 ...Well said my friend.
Jack was probably in shock and thats not good just came out
I just saw the 10 minute footage of the fire, what a living nightmare. Jack needs some major therapy and to get stone sober. I feel for the guy, and you. Sorry for that mess, people should not have to endure such pain.
Therapy might help him better address the tragedy, but he'll never get over it. Who would?
as someone interning for a music venue in hollywood, i can tell you from my limited experience that there is SO MUCH okaying that has to go on before someone can just put fireworks into a club. this idea had to go through marketing managers, tour managers, general managers, floor managers, so many fucking people before it was okayed. the blame, if it must be placed, rests on those that okayed this idea. what a tragedy.
backpocketfoundation Most of the bouncers were just regulars who agreed to do security for free beer. There were NO marketing managers, NO floor managers nobody except The 2 owners and the band's manager who were the only people who were in charge of everything for their performance. The band manager wanted Pyrotechnics and the club owners told the manager that they were safe to do it.
The band manager admitted his guilt and has lived a guilt ridden life trying to do whatever he can to make it right.
One of the owners literally grabbed a cash register while the building was burning and then buried the money so that the survivors wouldn't take it while he went over to the firefighters to see when they can reopen to make more money.
It should be illegal to not have a sprinkler system in public venues like that. That shit should be common sense.
Love you Jack!
Jack: What do I remember? I remember every single thing. I mean I don't want to get into the people screaming. You wanna hear about that? People burning up to death. Do you wanna hear about that? I don't want to talk about it.
Show a little sympathy Jack!
it wasn't the bands fault ,it's bullsh!t that they're getting blamed their job is to put on a show not fire marshals too.
The guy played a part in one of the most horrific events in American history, and he’s waffling about some Spinal Tap crap for the first 3 minutes. I’m struggling just watching the video
Right on bro. Look, we all know everything that could have went wrong actually went wrong that night, but if the band had told people to leave immediately AND that some should have also followed them through the back exit WITHOUT the scumbag bouncer stopping people, I bet ATLEAST 20-30 more people could have been saved. Maybe even more.
Turns out that bouncer died too.
Most unprofessional interview I have ever seen. Too many edits and she forgets to hold the mike while talking into it. Chick wasn't alive when the band was popular.
I agree with you on this one. This was one of my first interviews and it killed me. I didn't react the proper way because I became so nervous and didn't know what to say and wasn't prepared for what he began to talk about. I never meant to offend and appear insensitive to anyone but it did not come out that way.
Great interview Sally.
NOT.
All I see is JR not being sad & he had lost weight..this video is 6 years old now...idk what he's up to..don't care, but am curious if he's been to Memorial.
They ordered Sound foam which by law has to be flame retardant, but packing and sound foam look the same.
The Station nightclub owners sprayed cheaper, non-fire retardant foam for sound deadening on everything so even the EXIT signs weren't visible. They didn't install a sprinkler system, either. How is that code, R.I.? They were interested in making money and had no regard for human life. Great White never needed pyro before, so why now? The state of Rhode Island and the Station owners owe some restitution as well, don't you think?
What else can you do in this scenario?? There are like 2 doors for hundreds of people to get out... he can't start directing traffic when there's black smoke billowing and the ceiling is melting...
Those responsible for safety regulations to be met are the club owners. The band has probably done pyrotechnics indoors countless times which is obvious considering they used it thinking nothing would go wrong. While I don't think they should take full blame, they definitely should be aware of the dangers of pyrotechnics and make sure everything is done so that nothing terrible happens. Ultimately, I'd call it carelessness from their part. The one's truly responsible are the club owners.
Agreed, it was the club owner and band manager to blame. The band thought they had permission to use pyro, but the club owners said no pyro. Since this scenario happened in other clubs when they used pyro, the band's manager was obviously lying about obtaining permission to use pyro. The (Station) club said would have said, no pyro but they were not asked. Yet, they are at fault for running a fire trap in the first place. Any good spark, even from a blown lamp could have lit that place up
I would have been one of those people stuck in the venue & probably got injured or worse. Unfortunately those things do happen we just don't think about it?.
They packed nightclub over capacity and chained the doors shut to keep people from sneaking in and had an indoor fireworks show. I hope we've learned.
Jack Russell was there to perform live, nothing more.
*****
So he's a washed up rock star whose music sucks. Doesn't mean he's guilty of anything. It was really horrific. But Jack Russell is not liable. That's just a fact. The club, who was woefully unequipped in the fire safety department, and the manger that ignited the pyrotechnics without the proper licensing are to blame. These guys don't design their own shows. They hire people to do that for them. And they hire people to do the leg work, like communicating with club management about what their show entails before the show actually starts. It was also well known that the club had allowed pyrotechnics in the past with other bands (videos exist). The only people that showed negligence were the band manager and the club owners. Jack Russell is a junkie idiot. But I don't see how slapping blame to him personally (which is totally unfounded) helps anything. And there's a reason he wasn't held liable. He's not. In a civil suit perhaps the courts might find the Great White enterprise liable since that covers all employees of the band but he is not personally liable. Can we move the fuck on!
You don't even have you facts straight dude!
We don't point fingers at Jack. He brought pyros into one of my favorite bars...not a nightclub, a small local hole in the wall! No pyros!!! I couldn't believe they would have those in there!!! Never before had I seen pyros or even thought of them when I was there cause...small bar. He's the only one there who had ever won a Grammy or performed in a stadium, he is not alone to blame but he was CERTAINLY a part of the horrible chain of events. We are angry because he has never admitted his part...and he did have a big one. EVERYONE else (including his band manager he employed) has shown remorse. The bar owners did a press conference where they couldn't even talk they were crying so much...their lives are over!!!! Jack got to run back to LA and forget it all!!!! Never an apology, statement, nothing! We just get to listen to interviews like this by people who couldn't obviously care less about us up here...they've moved on. We'll try looking at that empty lot every day for 11 years!!!!!!
I remember seeing clubs with doors screwed or welded shut because of freeloaders. I think Desert Moon should be retired forever as a song and I think they all played some role.
It WAS an accident though.
Jack I wanted to write to you and say a few things not that I think you will ever see this! 1. Welcome to the DDD club with your back the way it is. 2. I dont believe you killed anyone's kid(s). 3. I lived in RI when this happened and still cant believe how much of a F@#$ up this was. The fire insp. to the club owners, all BS in my view. 4. Sad to see ppl with an agenda still blocking you from helping the victims. 5. Glad youre back on the rock scene, and hope to see a concert of yours someday!
Perhaps Ms. Steele could have framed her questions about the fire a bit better, but Jack needs to be less prima donna about it. Of course, she has to ask about it! There's a reason most of the fire survivors are still mad at Jack about the incident. For one thing, he didn't say he was sorry about it til over TEN years after the fact. Even if he wasn't the main culprit, he did want to use pyro in small venues (Duh!), and he did hire the inept, unlicensed stage manager for the event. Also, it is WIDELY know since Day One WHY guitarist Ty Longley did not make it out! Ty selflessly went to the crowd to get his friend, Bill Long, from their opening band, Trip, to help make sure he made it out. Then, by that time, only a few minutes later, the flashover event had occurred, and the side band door had become impassable from the falling "black rain" of melting, toxic, cyanide-laced polyfoam. He and Bill then went to try to get out the plexiglass atrium windows on the side of the club, but they were not able to be broken. By the time a first-responder broke through a window with a tire iron and pulled Bill out, Ty had disappeared, and was later found nearby, having succumbed to toxic smoke inhalation, plus burns. How outrageous of Russell to speak so irreverently, ignorantly, and dismissively of him!
+liselle sloan I listened to it again, and it's the ignorance about Ty that gets me, not so much the irreverence. Jesus, Jack, you could at least tell the story of Ty's selflessness, but that would require too much spotlight on someone else's story of bravery, I guess.
I blame the CLUB OWNERS
not the band's fault At ALL. Put the blame where it goes--the venue.
he literally looks spiritually dead. he looks horrible. maybe the event prompted him to drink
He was partying long b4 the fire.
I would agree with this statement if the pyro guy was in house, he was with the band, he set up 15 ft pyro in a building with a low ceiling. That would have caught anything on fire.
And the band that brought the pyros didn't even bother to bring a fire extinguisher, nor did they bother to have anyone watching the pyros. The people in the front row were actually yelling "turn around!" at the band.
Do whatever it takes to get back with your band Jack Russell, the ship is sinking
you say you don't know Terry but be honest you DO!!! Hello, Total Access.....they recorded at the same studio for their debut album - I know this because I met you there! Don't hate. i know you are going through alot, but there is no reason to hate on someone picking up when you were not able to. Have the respect for those who always respected you. I hear you sing and I love your voice, your talent - if you want to be present in rock and roll today do it and don't look back! Best Wishes!
I think that this also no one persons fault ! Many many things went "wrong " for this horrible tradagity to have taken place . I am from R.I. more spesficly lived in West Warwick at the time of the fire. I knew that great white was going to be there . I worked at the Cumberland farms down the street . I had to work a little late . When I pulled into the parking lot 2 fire trucks pulled infront of me . He said u cant go in or leave go across the street . I watched that building burn up . It happend soooo so so fast !! I heard those poor people screaming it was horrible . But in the after math there was sooo much of the blame game .It made me angry people always wana blame a horrible event on some 1 person when it isent possible. Just terrible I dont think its the band's fault .I dont think any 1 person can be blamed
No one said he got out of the club, he went back on stage for his guitar...
Duante' Fox,... knew them all before "Great White". Always super people. Heard "Angel" at Eden studios in Garden Grove before it was ever released. Jack, Mark Audy were all good people..
Not true. The guitarist died after escaping the fire only to return inside to retrieve his guitar. What could Jack White have done to save people? He was most likely in shock. If you HAVE to blame people, blame the people that were standing around at the entrance of the club with their hands in their pocket. Or club owners who failed to install sprinkler systems. Or the VERY apologetic band manager who foolishly set up and lit the pyrotechnics that engulfed the club.
I think it was wrong to bring up The Station Fire.
Yes it is true,the door opened inwards,and everytime there would be an ispectione the club's owners had it taken off before inspection and put it on again afterward
Sorry, after the Station tragedy, I won't listen to, nor post any links to GW songs...
Does Jack know who started the fire?
My friend survived this.
saddest part of the R.I. tragedy is that the same thing happened in Russia a few years later. The ownerof that Russian nightclub didn't learn a lesson from using pyrotechnics indoors.
On average a nightclub fire kills people every two years somewhere in the world. It is disgusting.
Jack Russell shows a horrible lack of remorse in this video. I'm a member of IATSE (the stagehands Union that sets up major concerts, works on movie sets etc) and studying 'The Station' fire is part of our OSHA safety training. Though a lot of people are to blame for how bad the fire was, Jack Russell is personally responsible for it starting in the first place. The contract for that tour had everyone working for him. He had complete control over what the band and crew did at every gig.
Federal Law requires that anyone who sets off pyro at any music show/ anywhere be a licensed pyrotechnician.and the same law requires permits and safety measures at every venue. That night there was no licensed pyro tech on the crew, and no permits or mandatory safety measures (for example: having a member of the pyro crew 'standing by' just off stage with a fire extinguisher in their hands 'just in case').
There's no way that Russell couldn't have known that the Pyro on that tour was totally illegal after being on national concert tours when Great White was playing Arena shows. But, he let his road manager be blamed for the illegal pyro, and still acts like he did nothing wrong.
+Yiamas You make a good case for civil liability, not criminal liability. At least somebody learned something from this disaster.
What does it look like when someone acts like they know they did something wrong?
I've seen many negative comments one these videos that are towards the camera guy (Brian Butler) calling him a p.o.s. and such. I don't get why these morons are badmouthing the camera guy (who was invited by coworker, Co club owner Jeff Derderian).
+TheWaynelds When my Union taught about the fire, they mentioned that the cameraman was accused of blocking the exit for some of the people that died, when he stopped in the hallway near the front exit to film the spreading fire in the club. He was also criticized for filming people dying from outside of club rather than help pull people out through the windows etc.
What these people fail to see is the 50 or 60 other people standing outside watching and not helping rescue either. Also, what these idiots also fail to realize is that this exit is fed from both the dancefloor section and the main bar section, which is inbetween the single and double doors in that hallway (not visible in the video). I highly doubt mr Butler was pausing to get a shot of the fire; he was blocked by people flooding into this 7 foot wide hallway from the main bar side. If Butler is guilty of hindering escape, then so is everyone else who used that exit. If Butler is guilty of not helping those trapped in the jammed doorway or pulling folks from windows, then so are the 50 or 60 others who are standing there as well.
TheWaynelds
Butler provided the world with a priceless piece of footage. So many people have learned so much, most notably the lawyers who sued his station based on his footage. The station settled out of court for $30 million because of those claims that he blocked the exit while filming and didn't help (not that anyone is legally obliged to help, or step aside and let others exit while they wait). It was a bullshit lawsuit, but the station has deep pockets, and wealthy underwriters. By comparison, the Derderians paid less than one million, and Jack Russel's group paid 1 million. The people responsible for the deathtrap and the people who set it on fire paid (combined) 1/15 of what was paid on behalf of that cameraman. Why? Because that was the limit of Jack Russell's and the Derderians' insurance coverage.
(continued) like a Roman Candle. Granted, in one way I do agree that Jack SHOULD have made an announcement and perhaps that would have even averted the situation with the bouncer refusing people out the back door. But think about it, you are on stage when all of a sudden a wall of flame appears around you. I think you would be soiling yourself at that point and fear for your own life kicks in. More then likely I would have made a mad dash for the back door myself if I were in his shoes.
Maybe (on the band's part, of course) it was just an accident. They never would have done what they had done if they had known what was going to happen. Same with the manager too, I don't think he should've tookk THAT much blame. I couldn't help but feel sorry for him, for it is the club owners and the fire marshall who are at fault.
It was not an accident, because everything that went wrong that night was the result of deliberate decisions.
You know something I do live in Rhode Island!!! I live maybe 20 minutes from where that happened!!! I'll tell ya what!!! A lot of things could have been prevented that night!!! It is not the bands fault at all!!! It is the club owners fault all the way!!! They have an establishment and they should have their building up to code! And the fire inspector should have made sure that shit was replaced!!!! That is the problem with some people in RI!!!! They want to blame the innocent!!!
I believe Jack Russell was drunk and/or on drugs the night of the fire. That's why I believe he was so slow to react. Can you really blame him for escaping the fire through the closest fire exit?
The club owners were BY FAR the most at fault.
So was just about everyone else in the club.
There's absolutely no way this was Great White's fault. If the club gave the go ahead for them to use their pyro then how can the band be blamed? They used the same pyro night after night in numerous clubs with no issues. I do, on the other hand, find it strange that a club level band would ever use pyro, i've never seen it used other than in theatre shows or arenas.
I don't blame the band for this horrible tragic fire. I mean the pyrotechnics shouldn't have been used for an indoor event, especially a small club like The Station night club. I put all the blame on the owner of the club and the city official who didn't do his due diligence. The place didn't even have a dam fire extinguisher anywhere inside the club, not to mention no sprinkler system. We all can set and place blame on whoever but it's not going to change anything about that horrific night. It's sad to watch videos and other news about that night, even to this day. It's 2019 and I just pray that clubs, bars or any place were large crowds gather has an emergency plan and sprinkler system, fire extinguishers and several emergency exits so that this never happens again. All of these innocent people that went out to have a few drinks and hear some good music and hang out with friends, deserve to be remembered by doing the right thing.