by wednesday's child » Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:35 am
A lot of iffy assertions being made here, that I have to counter with these facts:
1. Andrew was denied interview access by Journey management, for the BS reason that he wasn't fully behind the current lineup
Andrew gave Revelation a fair review. IIRC, Andew reported that Neal even called to thank him for the review.
The album got very high marks, but Andrew's prose bears none of the telltale drool that mindless fanboys
inescapably betray themselves with.
2. Arnel has said an MR interview will happen.
It's a matter of fucking record.
Unless you require Arnel to issue an engaved invitation or a notarized affidavit, it can't get much clearer at this time.
3. As busy as he is, Arnel has the time/means to do an MR interview, probably via webcam chat.
The last APSB chat ran over a fucking hour. Right on the heels of another chat that also ran a respectable duration.
It should be easy to set up a closed webcam chat with Andrew, in installments even (to reduce the demand
on Arnel's time for R&R). The interview can also be conducted via keyboard, to hush critics who want Arnel
to give maximum rest for his vocal folds. Remember that Arnel is adept at video chat: it's part of how he
got his job.
4. The past ugliness was committed by a minority, but not a tiny minority. Incidents continued up til June 2008.
The majority should have howled violently against it in 2007... and I was lurking when that DIDN'T happen.
Marty's right that there's been an attitude shift around here, but it's an extremely recent one.
Is Andrew to blame for the ugliness? If nobody reports the shit to him, it likely goes uncorrected.
It's not like he can scan every single fucking post made here.
5. Arnel has learned to guard what he says, whenever it risks violating others' privacy, confidence or purview.
This isn't December 2007 anymore.
Arnel ignores or finesses the trickier questions on APSB. He won't comment on the ILAA cancellations of M&G's, and
he won't acknowledge silly questions asking him who he gets along with on the band, etc. Azoff et. al. can rest easy.
6. Rip, Maui, Progg, Dan et. al. have done a tremendous job of dispelling the MR image as a bunch of haters.
I don't see why they HAVE to do more, before you give Arnel or his peeps a call and begin setting it up, Andrew.
Maybe I'm unfairly lightening the point made about a potential backlash from J-management. What do I know?
You're the pro, and I respect your experience in how these things are done.
7. Hopefully Ttango and other Filipinos here on MR have shown that quite a few Filipinos are Journey fans first.
Filipinos are a naturally happy lot, and will have understandable happiness for Arnel's good fortune.
If the legions of Loons, Wigglers, etc. can have their happy enthusiasms, without inviting accusations
of mindlessness or carpetbagging, then perhaps so can Arnel's army.
-wech
Last edited by
wednesday's child on Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:46 am, edited 3 times in total.