It's Your Ass or your Face
"Fine, I'll buy everything you say when it
comes to art
and what is artistic and moving, but in music it is
what your audience wants. I'm sure if P. Diddy
thought his back would sell records, we would see a
lot of his back, but we don't and for good reason.
Turning your back to someone is a form of rejection.
It also covers your hands and you could be holding a
weapon. People may be curious, but they are also
fearful of seeing someone's back; what are they hiding
is the question. People will turn their back to you
if they are crying, laughing behind your back,
planning to rob you, or overcome with emotion so you
can't see them. I can think of at least one farewell,
in which I never saw the person again and the last
thing I remember is seeing their back. So yes the
back has a lot of power to it, but your audience wants
to see your face. You can walk backwards in a video
like Cold Play has done very effectively, but women's
seductiveness has a great deal to do with their eyes,
their mouth and the signals they are conveying with
them. There wouldn't such a face lift craze in
performers and social climbers if the face wasn't so
important. " V. August 2003