Re: Townshend doesn't care???

[Alan McKendree <amck@eden.com>]

On Fri, 17 Mar 1995 Jeisrael@aol.com wrote:

>amck wrote:
> 
> >It was during the PSyD tour that I realized Pete doesn't give a >shit if he
> forgets the words to songs, or (to a degree) if things >screw up onstage.
>  He's just been doing it too long to get upset >over having to improvise a
> line or verse. 
> 
> I think that you are COMPLETELY wrong about this.

Allow me to clarify.  That's why I put in "(to a degree)".

I too have seen him get mad and smash stuff.  What I meant was that he
doesn't get nervous about, or fear, screwing up his own performances
-- specifically, forgetting lyrics.  When I first saw him forget
lyrics, I was horrified and fascinated, like he would blow up on the
spot or something.  No such thing, he just charged on.  Even odder to
me, he would forget the same song again.  "Rough Boys" in '89 was
usually just a hash of randomly selected couplets.  My orientation
would be, if I forgot lyrics I would go home that night and make damn
sure I didn't do it again.  He's even made up whole new verses to
songs on the spot.  He doesn't seem concerned about doing the songs
letter-perfect, which is actually a plus as far as I'm concerned
because improvisation adds an enjoyable variety to each show.

  While Pete may be mature
> enough to take minor mistakes in stride,

Right.  But what _do_ you make of his complete calm when about to do a
nationally-televised live performance, and what do you think he meant
when he said, "I wish I knew what fear was."?

>[Great woods]  His anger was transfered into his music and he did songs he'd
> not performed in decades during that show!

It's unfortunate that it takes this to pull out his greatest
performances.  Apparently this has always been true of Pete & The Who;
that inter-group tension led to especially memorable performances.
Seems like it would be very hard on them, and self-destructive if the
best performances for the fans come at the greatest personal cost.

Also, I think it's significant that what angered Pete (and what has
angered him every time I've seen him angry) was _other_ people's
screwups which affected _his_ performance.

And having said all this, if anyone has a tape of Great Woods and
would like to trade please let me know.

Alan
LaL #009099

"When I'm onstage...it's not like bein' possessed, it's just -- 
*I* *do* *my* *job*."  -- Pete Townshend