The brown double album we know as the original cast recording was better, but again, Webber cast his friends, and most couldn't sing well enough to do the music justice.

The movie soundtrack was superb. Neeley's voice has always been wonderful, even when he was head of the Teddy Neeley Four, and although somewhat strained now, is still great -- full of emotion, particularly that tortured pathos. Carl Anderson, with his velvet sound, was a perfect counterpoint.

Although I'd seen various versions of the play, I did love the movie. Neeley had the small, meek appearance appropriate to a peacekeeping prophet, and Anderson was just enough larger and more intimidating to pull off Judas well. Yvonne Elliman was wonderful. Barry Dennen, a favorite of mine from when he did Cabaret ages ago, looked a bit odd, just because he was older than the rest of the cast, but did a marvelous job.

I'm glad Webber stuck to his guns on JCSS, and left the ending open to personal interpretation. After all, the play was written "through the eyes of Judas." We do see a shepherd with his flock in the distance at the end, but we can interpret it however we want. If the movie had ended any other way, it wouldn't have been such a success. The way it was/is allows it to cross philosophical boundaries.

I'm sorry Webber and Rice broke apart, because Webber's work just hasn't been the same since. Disappointing. It's nice that Tim Rice is working with Elton John and others, but the breakup of Webber and Rice was a mistake.

People create God in their own image. People choose the religion that reflects their own personality. Chris is an obnoxiously smug & arrogant person---therefore he chooses to believe in a smug & arrogant religion. If Chris had been born in Arabia, he'd be an Islamic holy warrior preaching the same contempt for foreign religions. You can't reason with zombies like Chris. They are psychotic children. They are True Believers. They believe that their religion is the only true religion and any other religion is wrong and/or satanic. Religious absolutists are the scum of the earth.

MEMO TO WEDGE: I'm genuinely sorry if I misinterpreted you as being a fundamentalist Kinsingerite. But I dislike your gloating mean-spirited vindictiveness against Judas Iscariot & the unrepentent thief. Maybe Judas deserved to be slapped around a little, but I certainly don't think he deserved to be condemned forever to hell.

MEMO TO CHRIS KINSINGER: Chris, I'd like to thank you for hanging yourself with your own words. You have stated your belief in a God who rejects non-Christians. You have chosen to believe in a jealous God who damns people for being non-Christians. Thank you for clearly establishing the fact that you're a full-blown psychotic. God will vindicate me and prove you wrong. After you croak, God will de-program you and show you The Light. I'm not referring to the light of your Christians-Only God. I'm referring to the light of the Universal God. Chris, you're such a big fat gooneybird that only God can heal you. Until then, good luck with the world.

Mr. Luscious Lazlo you obvisiouly have had bad experiences with people of my faith. I'm sorry about that. You seem to be a believer in God but not a Chrisitian. I can accept that. If I may add, you have no idea what a Christian is, what he/she is supposed to be and our true responsabiltiy towards God and our fellow man. Christianity as any other religion, has been distorted and changed from the word of God from the beginning. To blast believers in Jesus Christ in the way you have shows a lot of contempt and disresptect and most of all utter intolerance towards your fellow man. You are demonstrating, quite effective I might add, the same behaviour and attitude you accuse us of. Bravo!

I do not judge, because I am not God. That truly is a good thing, because I would not have the love, patience and grace to put up with us. I don't approve of God. How preposterous. God is God, wether we approve of him or not. He simply is, wether you choose to believe in him or not.

I don't know you very much. All I know is that you like to post negative comments about various issues. So be it. I'm not here to convert you, only God can tell you the truth. I can pray for you, wether you want me to or not.

What I am sure of sir, is that God truly, deeply loves you. More than you will ever know. He wants to embrace you, talk to you and love you. That is all he cares about. You! You may write this off as belony. You may call us wimps. You may attempt to defile us with filthy language. But truth remains, God loves you. I hope you understand this. I hope you are listening. God loves you! He always has, and He always will.

So I end this. God is love and He loves you sir and there ain't nothing you can do about it, except accept it, or don't.

With deep respect,

Scott

I know you are...but what am I?

Don't mince words, Luscious...how do you REALLY feel?

Oh, and is that the "Big Fat Gooneybird" as opposed to the "Little Scrawny North American Gooneybird"?

Ya' just gotta' LOVE name-callers...

A "Kinsingerite?" Well, more often than not he and I are on the same page, but I sincerely doubt he's out to found a new religion.

"I dislike your gloating mean-spirited vindictiveness against Judas Iscariot & the unrepentent thief."

Gloating? Mean-spirited? Vindictive? This implies that I take some measure of triumph and glory in their denigration. I do not. I can assure you that my views on this matter are virtually objective. They are, I think, examples of what NOT to do, but I don't use them to make me look "better" by contrast.

"Maybe Judas deserved to be slapped around a little, but I certainly don't think he deserved to be condemned forever to hell."

... which begs the question, does ANYONE deserve to be condemned forever to Hell? According to my religion, the answer is "yes." BUT, while we accept this, we refuse to slap that judgment on others. I reiterate: I believe that the judging of souls is for God and God alone. The Big Guy made it VERY PLAIN that this area is off-limits!

I've been THINKING about what Luscious Lazlo said to Wedge...he called him a "Kinsingerite", meaning, of course, that there must be a Church Of Kinsinger!

Fascinating...

We know that a man named Joseph Smith created the Church Of Mormon...we know that a man named L. Ron Hubbard created the Church of Scientology...we know that a woman named Mary Baker Eddy created the Church of Christian Scientists...
WHY SHOULDN'T I HAVE MY VERY OWN CHURCH?

The Church Of Kinsinger!

Luscious!
You're a GENIUS!

Services begin the first Sunday after Easter!
(I'm booked up until then.)