LOS ANGELES -- The band Great White will launch a 55-city benefit
tour for victims of The Station nightclub fire. The band's lawyer made
the announcement last night, just before the band performed a benefit
concert in memory of lead guitarist Ty Longley, who died in the fire.
Ed McPherson, the band's Los Angeles attorney, announced the planned
tour as he stood outside the Key Club on Sunset Boulevard where Great
White's lead singer, Jack Russell, and guitarist Mark Kendall would soon
take the stage.
"This is the only way he [Russell] knows to help the victims," said
McPherson, of the lead singer. "If he can perform and raise money for
the deceased victims and the injured victims, he wants to do that."
McPherson said Russell and Kendall, and possibly all of Great White's
members, will take part in the tour, as well as the band "Warrant," and
possibly "LA Guns," and one or two other bands.
The tour is due to start in early June, McPherson said.
Asked whether Rhode Island will be included, McPherson said, "I would
assume so, but I don't know."
All proceeds will go to the Feinstein Foundation, McPherson said, which
will accept all the money and distribute it to the families of those who
lost their lives, and to the injured.
The Feinstein Foundation has insisted that a small part of the money be
used for scholarships, he added, but that most of the money will go to
the victims.
"It was the only foundation that we could find that could get the money
to the victims quickly," said McPherson, "and we wanted to get it to the
victims quickly."
The band will launch the tour despite being named in three lawsuits,
with more lawsuits expected to be filed, McPherson said.
"Irrespective of the lawsuits and the criminal stuff, they wanted to get
out there and tour and help the victims. They [the band] said, 'I don't
care about that stuff, we want to help the victims,' " said McPherson.
Referring to published criticism of last night's concert that questioned
why Great White wasn't doing something for the other victims, McPherson
said, "Well they can only do one at a time. They're doing the best they
can. We've been intending to announce this tonight."
Said McPherson, "They care about them. And tonight should not be
construed as any sign that they don't care about the other 98 victims
and the many people who were injured. That's what the tour is all about."
People and television trucks were lining up in front of the West
Hollywood rock club at 7:30 p.m. Pacific time. Four hundred people were
expected at the benefit to raise raise money for the Ty Longley Memorial
Foundation. Tickets were $20 each.
Most of the money will go into a trust fund for the unborn child of
Longley and his girlfriend, Heidi Peralta. Peralta, 26, of Plainfield,
Ill., is due to give birth Aug. 3.
Though last night's concert was billed as Great White's first since the
fatal fire in February, the band had an unannounced concert on April 17
at the Hard Rock Cafe in Beverly Hills.
Among those in line last night was Amy Doyle, of Hazlet, N.J., whose
daughter, Catherine Doyle, 21, is a senior at Johnson & Wales University.
Asked what she thought of Great White's planned tour, Doyle said, "I
wish them luck, but I think some fans may shy away from it. It may upset
some people. I mean the last time they played, there was a tragedy.
There are still people in the hospital."
Said Doyle, "I don't think they're [victims' families] going to be happy
about it. It will be interesting to get the feedback to see what people
think. I'm a little shocked by it."
Doyle said, "I'm worried that something else could happen."
But McPherson, the lawyer, said, " . . . Presumably they'll be in safe
clubs and we'll do everything we can to ensure they are in safe clubs."
