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Last Updated: February 9, 2010 4:53 PM

GREAT WHITE Fire Nightclub Owner Released From Prison - June 26, 2009

WBZTV.com reports that fhe former co-owner of the Station nightclub in Rhode Island — where one hundred people were killed in the February 2003 blaze at a GREAT WHITE concert — has been released early from prison for good behavior.

A spokesman for the state prison said Michael Derderian was freed Thursday. He was initially due out this fall.

Derderian spent less than three years behind bars after pleading no contest to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter for the West Warwick nightclub fire. The fire was sparked by pyrotechnics used by GREAT WHITE — which ignited cheap foam used as soundproofing.

Derderian said in an e-mailed statement that his time in prison was difficult but that others have suffered worse.

"Although my incarceration has ended, remembering the loss of life and pain from family members and survivors is something that will never leave me," the statement said. "The magnitude of what happened cannot be measured in words."

Read the entire report from WBZTV.com.

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	COMMENT \| MasterOfPanic is a douche posted by : tpie 6/26/2009 8:35:02 AM

	Michael Vick knew exactly what was doing. This guy may have been negligent, but he did not go out to kill. He wasn't malicious and had no intent - Michael Vick INTENDED to kill animals in a cruel way. Do you see the difference at all?

	COMMENT \| So posted by : greyland666 6/26/2009 8:59:20 AM

	When is the next Great White Barbeque

	COMMENT \| posted by : Mandalay 6/26/2009 9:15:21 AM

	Vick knowingly gave a lot of money to an illegal gambling operation. That's what he went to jail for, not killing dogs (although he did that too). Who knows how many clubs are like this, built on the cheap because people don't think anything bad can happen?

	COMMENT \| posted by : diemybride 6/26/2009 9:25:21 AM

	From what I've read, the families of the victims supported this guy's release from prison, because he's the only one who stepped up and took responsibility for this tragedy

	COMMENT \| no one on here gets it posted by : GIGFACE 6/26/2009 10:53:35 AM

	as a LICENSED pyrotechnician in neighboring CT and having been to the club as well as toured with similar level bands I can say without a doubt that this was THE BANDS FAULT, A - for bringing in illegal pyro in the first place with no precautions and B- for more than likely ordering that their employees (techs) set up the pyro they brought into the club without having the simplest of saftey precautions around- 2 fire extinguishers would have stopped this tragic mistake , upon mistake , upon mistake from getting out of control. The Jack and Mark being the leaders of the band should have been equally responsible as the club owner who allowed it to happen- no one set up pyro on a stage that small without the club's people knowing its going to happen. - the stage tech who acutally set it off... he knew it was illegal and for fear of his job set off a chain of events that killed 100 people and THE BAND for transporting illegal pyro across state lines and using them without any regard for public saftey. PERIOD , END OF DISCUSSION!

	COMMENT \| posted by : mrsromek 6/26/2009 12:33:57 PM

	I agree with GIGFACE. Jack and Mark knew the risks, and if they didn't think of it, someone in their camp had to. They still thought it was 1986 and they were playing in an arena. How many other bands that play in clubs, small bars, etc, have that shit? None that I have seen. Some don't even really have lights on them or even a backdrop with their bands name on it.

	COMMENT \| Uneducation is rampant on Blabbermouth, yet again posted by : longhairedrocker 6/26/2009 1:07:55 PM

	I read all of the reports and I can't for the life of me understand how many of you haven't a clue of how the law works and who is responsible for this tragedy. Great White is not responsible for the tragedy other than they were the band performing at the time of the accident. The management of the band is responsible for bringing the pyro, operating the pyro and not having the proper safety measues in place to avoid a fire. The owners of the club are responsible for authorizing the use of the pyro and the lack of safety measues for the actual building. When a band performs it doesn't get to say what does and doesn't happen at any given gig. The band shows up for sound check and then leaves to eat shower and rest. The band returns at the set time and plays the show. The pyro was barely used on the entire tour and permission was asked of the club owner before it was even brought into the venue. The owner said it was ok and that many acts have used pyro in that club. It turns out they installed flamible foam to the ceiling since the last band that used pyro performed at the venue. So, how do you justify your claim that the band was responsible? The band manager operated the pyro and he was negligent in his actions of not having the proper fire extinguishers and personel availble for use of pyro. He was prisoned for his lack of judgement and lack of safety measures. I hate to say this but being stupid isn't illegal but when death results from your actions that in fact is illegal. All the band did was perform a song and last time I checked playing a guitar isn't illegal. When a tragedy like this happens everyone feels helpless and we try to punish everyone that we can. I understand the frustration and I feel terrible for the deaths but you still have to be reasonable when you point the blame especially when you don't have all of the facts of the case.

	COMMENT \| posted by : sonic the girl 6/26/2009 1:45:42 PM

	I do not care who is responsible...it just seems weird that great white keep playing. I would never go see a band that would let that happen to it's fans, what little they have. it just seems weird to me and I would not go to see them.

	COMMENT \| Hmm posted by : gypsyin38 6/26/2009 1:54:49 PM

	Great White is not responsible for the tragedy, they hit the stage then it unfolded.. BAND - No way. Owner/Tech Needs to take responcability for what happened... BUT know ne intended for Death to happen. R.I.P.

	COMMENT \| posted by : RiotAct666 6/26/2009 2:57:36 PM

	Sad event it was.

	COMMENT \| I'm curious as to what LONGHAIREDROCKER does for a livng posted by : GIGFACE 6/26/2009 6:34:00 PM

	If you are in anyway involved in show business you would know that NOTHING happens on a headliners stage without the band knowing about it and paying for the pyro to be used...and expecting it to be used as often as possible... the BAND- be it their crew or managment KNEW that they didn't have the proper legal permission to have that stuff in their possession and transport it into the state let alone set it off in a club, arena or stadium without first IN ADVANCE notifying the police and FIRE DEPT.. getting permits (which would never have been issued) and having the REQUIRED fire personel ON SITE to oversee the effect. That is the law in almost every state in the country. I do not say this out of conjecture or just to post on a website.. I am a professional stagehand with over 25 years experience in clubs as small as CBGB's to as large as Giants Stadium and at one time a LICENSED pyro tech in the state of Connecticut...knowing full well the rules of safety precluded so much as a match being lit on that stage legally. So here are the undisputed facts. The band - not the owner of the club brought in illegal pyro with the intent of using it during their performance Great White's production guy - being a professional on any level should have seen that the place was too damn small to use any pyro. But hey he had it on the truck , the band wanted it.. and they talked the house into letting it happen.... ALL KNEW IT WAS ILLEGAL AND SINCE NOTHING HAPPENED IN THE PAST WHEN THEY THREW THE DICE WITH A CLUB FULL OF PEOPLE THEY THREW THEM AGAIN AND LOST! - IF he had had fire extinguishers ready for when something could go wrong they could have quickly put out the fire when the foam caught on fire... That brings me to the fact that the poor manufacturer of the foam which the club probably brought at Home Depot not bothering to look at things such as flame retardancy - -hell they disregarded a bunch of safety codes, what's one more... they got sued for selling a product in a free economy. So who actually did time.. the club owner.. good he was responsible for the safety of his patrons and his neglect allowed it to happen the stage manager- double good the guy was incompetent and should have burned down with the place or been in jail for a lot longer.. he placed the pyro , he pushed the trigger he killed 100 people and ruined lives for generations to come. Fuck him The band who because of ego or some false sense of showmanship not matching their then status in showbiz, had to have a cheap gag on a small stage got away with it somehow.. Mark and Jack run the band they know every dime that comes in from every t-shirt and they know they payed hundreds of dollars for pyro that they wanted to see on the stage every night....The legal system is fucked, no doubt but simple responsibility would dictate that those that set the motions of disaster into play are the ones that should pay. So before you go spouting off on things I doubt you know about just put on a Great White CD- you can find them in the 99cent bin and light yourself on fire in solidarity. MORONS SHOULDN'T TYPE

	COMMENT \| final word posted by : GIGFACE 6/26/2009 6:37:47 PM

	it was a tragic night.. I have friends that got pulled out of the fire that night so I'm a little touchy when people spout off with little or no knowledge of how things on a stage work. No one expected things to happen like they did but again the bottom line is that the BAND set all these things in motion and the club allowed it to happen. PERIOD

	COMMENT \| Gigface posted by : longhairedrocker 6/28/2009 8:54:51 AM

	I am a paid touring musician. Over the years plenty of things have happened on the stage while I was performing that I had no prior knowledge of. The band did transport the pyro and they knew it was something that could possibly be on the stage that night but according to court transcripts on this case the pyro was not used every night of the tour as several club owners told them they could not fire it off in their club. That meant the managements claim that the owners of the night club not only knew it was going to be used but they were asked for permission to use it. I have never used pyro but it was an option and I know all of the laws that you referenced. I agree with you that many things went wrong and it could have been avoided but I also know that accusing someone of a crime is illegal and it's called Libel. The internet isn't a place that you can just go accusing people of crimes and expect to remain anonymous. You do realize that if Jack Russell or Mark Kendall read your post they can in fact sue you for Libel. I'm sure they won't but keep in mind that what you write can be read by the people you are pointing the finger at and that not only is it uncool to write it but it's also illegal. Everyone on Balbbermouth should treat their post like they are standing in a room with all the world watching them talk and maybe the posts would be a little less outlandish and a little more thought out.

	COMMENT \| heavenstoobatty posted by : Dale Lammers 6/28/2009 10:54:31 AM

	I respect your right to make jokes, but you're a classless pig.

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