Jack Russell has been the voice of Great White for more than two decades. He co-founded the band along with guitarist Mark Kendall in 1981. But never has a tour had so much meaning as the one the band is on now.
Just seven months ago, Great White was headlining a show at the Station in Warwick, R.I., when the band's on-stage pyrotechnics ignited a fire moments after the band started playing its first song. When the smoke cleared, 100 people were dead, including Great White guitar player Ty Longley; another 200 were injured.
During a telephone interview, Russell said he cannot comment on anything that happened that night because of ongoing investigations and legal battles over culpability, but he did say that what happened is ingrained in his mind forever.
"It was horrible. Everyday we grieve," Russell said. "I spent months on a psychiatrist's couch. I would talk to anyone who would lend an ear. No one came out of that place unscathed. You may have walked out unhurt but not unscathed."
Although an investigation by the Rhode Island attorney general is still being conducted to determine what exactly happened, the first set of fines was issued in August by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Jack Russell Touring Inc., the company that represents Great White, was fined $7,000. Owners of the Station were fined more than $85,000 for using highly flammable sound-proofing material and inadequate safety planning.
The Boston Globe reported in August that prosecutors would likely seek involuntary manslaughter charges against the owners of the Station nightclub and against Great White's tour manager. The paper reported it was unlikely that members of the band would face charges.
Against the advice of attorneys, Great White immediately tried to put together a tour, along with fellow '80s rockers L.A. Guns and XYZ, to raise money to help the survivors. But no company would insure the tour, and it was canceled before it even got off the ground.
That's when Great White decided to literally pack up a minivan and tour on its own to raise funds for the Station Family Fund. The "Help Us Help Our Own" tour rolls into Kamikaze's in Ogden on Saturday.
"It's not about us. It's about what's the greater good?" Russell said. "If I've got people asking for help, I'm not going to turn my back on them. We're trying to find some light at the end of the tunnel. Some pinpoint of light."
All profits from the tour are going to the Station Family Fund. In many cities, the band is auctioning off T-shirts and autographed guitars to raise extra money. Local fire departments in some cities have held fill-the-boot campaigns before some shows. Promoters have agreed to donate 10 percent of their proceeds to the fund. As of Sept. 23, the tour had raised more than $48,000.
"The public has been very, very giving," Russell said. "No matter how much bad there is, there are a lot of good people, and a lot of good still going on. There's a lot of compassion in the rock 'n' roll community."
But not every city has welcomed the band with open arms. Great White decided to cancel a show in Massachusetts because of negative comments that were being made on local radio stations. Russell said the timing wasn't right to return to the New England area.
"We don't want to have any controversy," he said. "Some people who lost family members are directing their anger at us. They are dealing with it the best way they can. If I have to take some heat now and then, then so be it. I'll do what I think is right and what I have to do."
During each performance there is 100 seconds of silence in remembrance of the victims. Although the moment is somber each night, that mood does not set the tone for the entire concert. Russell said the band made a decision not to just get onstage and stare at their shoes for over an hour. "It's emotional each night. Every day I get to a point where I get a little teary. But you have to go on. You have to pick yourself up. You don't want to turn (the concert) into a wake. We're trying to heal and let the fans heal along with us."
Russell said the Station fire has forever changed his life in more ways than just the obvious. "It's one of those things that will affect me the rest of my life no matter what I do. My outlook on life has changed. I'm looking for sprinklers or exit doors when I go in a restaurant. I've got fire extinguishers in my house. It makes you think you're not as safe as you think you are."
As for the future of Great White, Russell said it's impossible to say. "I couldn't tell you. The future is just tomorrow and then the day after that. I'm just concerned about doing these shows. I can't think that far ahead."
But Russell also admitted, "I don't know if we would have ever toured again if not for this fund."
Great White actually played a farewell show on Dec. 31, 2001 with most of its classic lineup. Russell wanted to concentrate on his solo CD. But he and Kendall reunited not long after and began touring under the Great White name again with new players.
When the day comes that Russell and Kendall put the band to rest for good, Russell hopes Great White will be remembered as "a band that really cared about their fans. Through the tough times they stayed together to do the best they could to help."
If you go
What: Great White
Where: Kamikaze's, 2408 Adams, Ogden
When : Saturday, 7 p.m.
How much: $22.50
Phone: 801-621-9138 or 583-9626
E-MAIL: preavy@desnews.com