Gideon wrote:I've been accused of such all the time, as do Saint John and Tito. I can't speak for them, but I'd like to think none of us are Perry haters. The man had (has?) a fantastic voice which, for SJ and myself, at least, in its prime the best we've ever heard. He and I differ where we think his prime was. '83 - '94, I think no one on this planet could touch him and even before that, I think he was one of the best.
The problem is that I don't get caught up in the trap of being a fan. I love his voice, but he was an ass. I don't shade it, I don't whitewash it. He made shitty decisions in pursuit of self-aggrandizement and ego trips and they are inexcusable. Was he a bad man? No. He was human. But he was no better than what Neal and Jon have been roasted for. I don't excuse his decisions on the merits of his voice.
In contrast, Arnel's a class act who has demonstrated humility, gentility, and kindness that easily surpass anything I've ever seen and heard of Perry doing. And he's got a nice set of pipes on him, too.
Sometimes, but not always, being dirt poor can be quite the character builder.