Great White looks back, moves forward

The draw of Great White’s music proved too strong for Kendall and Russell. Several months after the blaze, they returned to touring, contributing proceeds to The Station Family Fund.

Six months ago, the guitarist and his family packed their things into storage and left their home in Palm Desert to help take care of his ailing mother-in-law in Ogden, Utah. Kendall has been busy producing local artists, including hip-hop group Bomb City. In 2005, Kendall released a spiritually minded solo CD.

Russell, the band’s lyricist and a recovering alcoholic, underwent a facelift earlier this year, documented by the TV show “Extra.” News of the facelift — which Russell told “Extra” he wanted in order to get rid of his “jowls” and “double eyelids” from years of hard living — angered relatives of those who died in the fire and its survivors who felt he didn’t show enough remorse.

“I don’t think he wants to talk about the fire,” Kendall said of Russell. “It’s hard on everybody. At some point, you feel you want to stop talking about it.”

When pressed, however, Kendall did talk about the Derderians, owners of The Station.

He said that although it’s hard to blame one person for the fire, “I think it’s kind of wrong for someone to allow pyrotechnics when there’s flammable substances (nearby). I think they realize that was kind of dumb.”

Like Kendall, Heidi Longley has gone through therapy to deal with the effects of the fire. When her boyfriend, guitarist Ty Longley, died in the fire she was four months pregnant with their son.

“I never used to say that Ty was dead, until last summer,” she said by phone from her home outside Chicago.

The former stripper in Los Angeles with a taste for Versace, says she is now a “domestic diva,” taking care of 3-year-old AceyTy Christopher Longley II with help from Social Security and worker’s compensation from Great White. She has not been in touch lately with Kendall and Russell.

Longley often shows her son videos and photos to preserve his dad’s memory. The two look alike, she said.

“We call him Daddy Angel,” Longley said. “Acey says, ‘Rock on, Daddy Angel,’ and he dances around.”

MORE FROM MUSIC

Music Section Front

Taylor made? All eyes on Swift at CMA awards Beyonce, U2 among MTV Europe winners Village Gate club owner, Art D’Lugoff, dies Judge stops sites from selling Beatles songs Elton John on mend, prepares to resume tour Calle 13 shines at Latin Grammy Awards Rihanna to perform at American Music Awards U2 plays six classics in Berlin mini-concert Islamic critics blast Beyonce before Egypt show Newsweek: New Nirvana release a mixed bag Music Section Front   Add Music headlines to your news reader: