Living With Lions statement re: Holy Shit and the FACTOR

by Dave Sharp on May 26^th, 2011

In the last week, Vancouver’s Living With Lions made the bold decision to remit the $13,000 subsidy that The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR) offered to create their latest full-length Holy Shit in order to keep the initial artwork content of the album.

FACTOR and the ministry of James Moore took issue with the cover (above) of the album and the depiction inside of Jesus as a “turd.” The current pressing of the album has been recalled and will be re-issued as a non-FACTOR-supported recording.

Ezra Levant and James Moore (quoted below) were outspoken critics of the album.

Living With Lions released this statement:

The content of our artwork for our new recording was created out of our passion for satire and absurdist humor. The lyrical and musical content of this record does not contain any commentary on religion, nor does it use a pejorative or malicious voice against any particular group of people (excluding possibly some of our ex-girlfriends).

When the idea came up to simply alter the artwork for HOLY SHIT without having to expedite the repayment to FACTOR (The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings), we chose to entirely return the money so that HOLY SHIT can forever remain true to the original format.

The debate about government funding contributing to potentially controversial art is neither new nor truly resolved; but when the offended public complains, the politicians habitually remind groups like FACTOR, the NEA and the Arts Council that they can pull the plug rather than encourage discourse or scholarly debate.

We would like to thank our fans, friends and family for their continued support.  We’d especially like to thank some of our newer fans in the media whose stance(s) on free speech has been really influential:

“Only a fool would think that censoring and gagging someone is equivalent of changing their mind.” – Ezra Levant

“I’m a mad believer in free speech and standing up to those who want to stifle free speech and impose standards of expectations.” – James Moore

- Living with Lions, May 24th 2011