Kix frontman Steve Whiteman has explained why bassist Donnie Purnell was never asked to take part in the band’s reunion – and insists the fans don’t miss him.
The American rockers, who enjoyed the height of their fame in the 1980s, got back together in 2003 with Mark Shenker on bass instead of Purnell.
And nearly a decade on, the singer says the band had no intention of ever letting the founding member rejoin.
Whiteman tells Sleaze Roxx: “When Kix disbanded in 1996 I started a band called Funny Money. I was given a vehicle where I could write my own material, which was hard to do in Kix because Donnie controlled everything in that band.
“There was a song Donnie and I had written that I wanted to release. I called him up so he wouldn’t be blindsided by it – and he tore into me.
“He called me every name in the book. He accused me of using his name and his talent and said I was taking the song from him. It was the most unpleasant and nasty conversion I’ve ever had in my life.
“Right then I decided I never wanted to go through that ever again. When it came time for Kix to reform, and we performed some local shows, it was our decision not to have him involved.”
Whiteman insists Purnell’s absence was the only way the rest of the band could keep working together. He says: “Donnie would always add so much pressure to everything and it was just so unnecessary.
“To be honest, I’ve never had a fan walk up to me and ask, ‘Where’s Donnie? How come he’s not involved?’”
Kix have just released a live album and are considering starting work on a studio project, their first since 1996′s Show Business.
“Funny Money was getting ready to record a new CD,” Whiteman explains, “So I had a bunch of material lying around. Mark has a lot of material and Brian Forsyth has some.
“If we can get 10-12 strong Kix songs together for an album the fans are going to love, we’ll put it out. We’re back, and we’re going to be around for a while.”
-Classic Rock Magazine
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