GREAT WHITE Singer Says His Estranged Bandmates Are Trying To Keep Him From Doing What He Loves

December 14, 2011

GREAT WHITE singer Jack Russell says that he is "deeply hurt and saddened" by his estranged bandmates' decision to "purposely exploit [his] personal and private medical conditions to try to prevent [him] from doing what [he] love[s]."

Russellrevealed over the weekend that he was joining forces with Matthew Johnson (former guitarist for GREAT WHITE),Derrick Pontier, (former drummer for GREAT WHITE),Dario Seixas (former bassist for FIREHOUSE and the Stephen Pearcy band) and Robby Lochner (former guitarist for Rob Halford's band and Cherie Currie) in a new incarnation of the classic '80s rock act, with plans to tour under the name GREAT WHITE FEATURING JACK RUSSELL in order to "try [to] avoid any confusion" with any other group calling itself GREAT WHITE.

In response, the current touring lineup of GREAT WHITE — Mark Kendall (lead guitar),Scott Snyder (bass),Audie Desbrow (drums),Michael Lardie (guitar, keyboards) and Terry Ilous (lead vocals) — issued a statement in which they claimed that Russell's "frail body" and "drug abuse" have prohibited him from taking part in the band's performances for the past year. They additionally revealed that Jack had undergone "five major surgeries" after his drug abuse got so bad that "his body began to shut down and ultimately resulted in colostomy surgery from a perforated bowel." In the statement, GREAT WHITE also insisted that the singer "does not have the right to start his own GREAT WHITE or use the name without our names in the lineup" and they vowed to "litigate any promoter that books 'Jack Russell's GREAT WHITE' or uses any logo featuring the name GREAT WHITE."

In a brand new statement released to BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Russell said about his bandmates' decision to air their dirty laundry in public, "I am deeply hurt and saddened by the fact that my old friends and bandmates would purposely exploit my personal and private medical conditions to try to prevent me from doing what I love. I can't even fathom as to why they would do such a thing and why they would want to personally hurt me so much. This is very upsetting considering that more than half of the band has had their own issues, demons, or personal problems at some point, all of which affected the band at one time or another." He added, "I am excited about the future and look forward to seeing all my friends on the road. My interview with Metal Sludge is the only one I will be doing right now, and I will make no further comments regarding this matter."

GREAT WHITE featuring Terry Ilous

Jack Russell's version of GREAT WHITE

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