MATTHEW wrote:Fred...I'm a bloke and Matthew is my real name...(wish I could change it to lower case...I hate those stupid capitals...don't what I was thinking)...and no I'm not gay...not that there's anything wrong with that.
I would think Andrew would be able to help you with that...you should ask him. Wombat to the rescue!
Firstly, I couldn't care less about Elvis. All I'm picking up on is your disingenious attempt to associate Perry with images that are totally irrelevant to his - Perry's - situation.
Look, my MAIN point (and I simply used Elvis to illustrate it) was that to SOME people, if Perry got up on stage and croaked, they would go, "Wow, he sounds better than ever!!"
Big deal! Would this prevent him from making a dignified comeback? Of course not. Yet you conjure up images of Vegas-era Elvis...when he was grotesquely fat...drugged out of his brain...and all in all a pitiful shadow of his former self.
No Matt. I simply chose to use the Elvis factor as a comparison. If you're read my post, I clearly stated where the comparison STOPPED. Regarding Perry's dignified comeback, I think it would be welcome by many (whether he was solor or with Journey), however IN MY OPINION after the initial comeback, I'm not sure that the welcome would last ONLY BECAUSE I do NOT think he has what it takes (energy/creativity/high-ranging vocals) to honestly make a comeback worth ANYONE'S while, including HIS. Frankly, I believe that this is exactly why he has NOT had a comeback. AGAIN, THE PRECEDING STATEMENTS ARE SOLELY MY OPININON AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE OPINION OF STEVE PERRY, OR ANY OF HIS ASSOCIATES OR AGENTS, OR ANDREW THE WOMBAT, OR THIS FORUM, OR THE INTERNET ITSELF OR JOURNEY AND ANY OF ITS RELATED AFFILIATES...OR ELVIS AND HIS ESTATE.
Sure, some fans would excuse Perry no matter what shape he was in. But Perry isn't in bad shape. Why not compare him to, say, Billy Joel who at the same age has just finished a hugely successful comeback tour (where he broke the record at Madison Square Garden for consecutive nights played)?
I could do that, but then someone would jump on me because of Joel's alleged alcohol/drug problems...
Fred - you have clearly had some bad experiences at the hands of the Perryloons - and believe me - I feel your pain - but try not to let resentment cloud your judgement of the Great Man himself.

Matt, I honestly wish you could KNOW that I hold NO resentment toward the man at all. The people I detest are his rabid followers and I do NOT blame Perry for them. They're misguided, afflicted and generally emotional messes. That's NOT Perry's fault. I would love for him to come back to the stage. I simply do not believe it will happen.
I hope we're clear on this. I'll go after the Perry Troopers any day of the week, because I do NOT believe they represent the attitude that Steve Perry represents. He's a genius. They? Assholes. Him? Exceedingly creative. Them? Boring as all hell. Him? Gave the world a tremendous gift with his song and his voice. Them? Gives the world gas. Huge difference between Steve Perry and his rabid band of incoherent, go-for-the-jugular philistines.