Technology’s impact on music, both in the recording process and live performances, is increasing. Especially when it comes to live shows, some criticize the use of technology, saying that it takes away the organic feel of the performance and makes it more synthetic. Judging by his recent interview with Syncin’ Stanley YouTube, Tim Ripper Owens doesn’t find it that bad, but he has one condition: not lip-syncing.
“Listen, lip-syncing I do not like unless you’re on a TV show or you’re [doing] a video,” he said, sharing how he feels about lip-syncing. “Your main vocal should never be lip-synced. Backing tracks, backing harmonies, backing music, that’s fine; make the show better. But if you’ve gotta lip sync, maybe you shouldn’t do it. I don’t know. I think it’s pretty silly. I don’t lip sync.”
He continued, “But, yeah, you don’t really need to do that. No backing tracks, no backing tracks for the lead vocal. If the lead singer is miming it up there and not doing it, then [makes a farting sound with his mouth] on that. Use the voice, my friend. If you ain’t got the voice, don’t do it.”
While Ripper is clearly very much against lip-syncing, some musicians in the rock world have supported it because they believe it makes live performances more consistent. Zach Myers, for example, said that this is how things work now, so it’s inevitable and even irrational to disregard it.
However, some have been quite opposed to any use of technology. Gene Simmons, for example, thinks this is a somewhat dishonest move. When we say protesting the use of technology on stage, another person immediately comes to mind and is quite strict about this matter: Bruce Dickinson. He, for example, really really hates teleprompters.
This is, of course, a controversial topic, and there is no correct answer. The use of technology can indeed destroy that ‘unique’ nature of a performance, but it can also help us achieve a performance track that is thoroughly consistent and greatly enjoyable. It all depends on what you expect from a concert.
