THE WHITE WIZZARD / HOLY GRAIL SOAP OPERA GETS EVEN WEIRDER AND WEIRDER

Just when it seemed like things had finally cooled down and no ex-members of White Wizzard had engaged in comment wars on MetalSucks in several months, up pops an interesting interview with ex-White Wizzard — and, apparently, ex-Holy Grail — guitarist James J. LaRue.

The interview took place over the weekend on the Mars Attacks Radio podcast. LaRue shares some pretty interesting revelations, among them:

• He and bassist Blake Mount are no longer in Holy Grail and haven’t been for quite some time, despite still being listed on their MySpace page
• working with producer Danny Lohner was full of controversy and the recording process was not fun at all for James
• the reason that he, James Paul Luna and Tyler Meahl quit White Wizzard (namely tension and creative differences between them and Jon Leon)
• former WW guitarist Erik Kluiber was being considered for the vacant bassist spot in Holy Grail but the label and band didn’t want another WW association
• he is not surprised about the number of lineup changes in WW and describes Jon Leon as “the only constant”
• LaRue is working on a new project with a cast of characters he isn’t yet willing to reveal

The interview starts around 9:30 after an introduction and two Holy Grail songs. I went in thinking there was no way I could listen to an hour-long interview… but I couldn’t stop listening. Hats off to Mars Attacks Radio for asking all the right questions and LaRue for being so honest yet diplomatic.

-VN