Art/Shit...?

Last year there was a crusade against SA and his now infamous lipping along to the soundtrack of our lives. I didn't join that crusade as it wasn't my kind of battle. The battle that I do pick however is the one between art and shit. I'm an old stage actor and I believe in art. In my experience art is an expression of the human experience therefore it's something that's born of a passionate heart. It may not have universal appeal - some may be entirely disgusted by it while others are completely captured BUT if it did neither then it wouldn't be art. The ultimate intention of art is to inspire - SOMETHING within an audience. If it doesn't then it's not art. It's shit.
This is why since 1998 that I've spoken out against the nostalgic band we all know as JOURNEY. Playing an old song from the 80's to an aging audience so that they can relive a moment of their youth is nostalgia NOT art. The fact that JOURNEY refuses to play anything new because their fans take that time to run for beers or urinate is evidence that JOURNEY has gone from art to shit. If their new music doesn't inspire but rather is received as less important than relieving one's bladder then it's clear that their art has turned to shit.
As I said in my "redemption" thread:
Sorry, Jeremey (if indeed you're the next guy) - while it may make good $$$ for you and JOURNEY to continue the nostalgic tour to beat all nostalgic tours - it's artistically BANKRUPT and as an artist myself I can't stomach SHIT being shoveled for ART. As an actor I NEVER - and I mean NEVER FUCKING EVER shoveled SHIT. It is the creed of a thespian to "Act well your part - there all the honor lies." On the stage the script is a guide. You take what the playwright has sketched out and you create a character according to YOUR ORIGINALITY - your TALENT. It's your HONOR to bring something original - YOURSELF - to your character. You are to enliven your character and GIVE it to your audience. That's ACTING. Rock music is NOT acting. A rock band is NOT supposed to use their catalog like a script for a singer to create an impression of the original NOR to try and "sound like" the original. That is NOT art. It's SHIT.
This is my battle. This is my war. To all of the other so-called "singers" that have posted their best Perry impressions here: you suck. You're not an artist. You're an impressionist. Impressions aren't impressive. Anyone can do an impression. The question is: can you SING? Steve Perry SANG. You're doing nothing more than an impression of a singer - but you're NOT singing. Steve Perry was an artist. You need to be an artist if you want to sing otherwise you're just shit.
Many fans couldn't bear to see JOURNEY "sell out" by lipping. That irks me, too but what irks me even more is trying to pass out shit as art.
This is why since 1998 that I've spoken out against the nostalgic band we all know as JOURNEY. Playing an old song from the 80's to an aging audience so that they can relive a moment of their youth is nostalgia NOT art. The fact that JOURNEY refuses to play anything new because their fans take that time to run for beers or urinate is evidence that JOURNEY has gone from art to shit. If their new music doesn't inspire but rather is received as less important than relieving one's bladder then it's clear that their art has turned to shit.
As I said in my "redemption" thread:
Sorry, Jeremey (if indeed you're the next guy) - while it may make good $$$ for you and JOURNEY to continue the nostalgic tour to beat all nostalgic tours - it's artistically BANKRUPT and as an artist myself I can't stomach SHIT being shoveled for ART. As an actor I NEVER - and I mean NEVER FUCKING EVER shoveled SHIT. It is the creed of a thespian to "Act well your part - there all the honor lies." On the stage the script is a guide. You take what the playwright has sketched out and you create a character according to YOUR ORIGINALITY - your TALENT. It's your HONOR to bring something original - YOURSELF - to your character. You are to enliven your character and GIVE it to your audience. That's ACTING. Rock music is NOT acting. A rock band is NOT supposed to use their catalog like a script for a singer to create an impression of the original NOR to try and "sound like" the original. That is NOT art. It's SHIT.
This is my battle. This is my war. To all of the other so-called "singers" that have posted their best Perry impressions here: you suck. You're not an artist. You're an impressionist. Impressions aren't impressive. Anyone can do an impression. The question is: can you SING? Steve Perry SANG. You're doing nothing more than an impression of a singer - but you're NOT singing. Steve Perry was an artist. You need to be an artist if you want to sing otherwise you're just shit.
Many fans couldn't bear to see JOURNEY "sell out" by lipping. That irks me, too but what irks me even more is trying to pass out shit as art.