%Join Together%

[comlib2@hookup.net (Gary Sumpter)]

Wow!  I just stumbled across this listserv last night.  I've been a fan of 
the band for sixteen years, had the privilege of seeing them live five times 
and hoping for more!  Some more or less random thoughts occur to me after 
having waded through the archives:

Sorry to hear the RD and JE's Oz tour was canned.  Does that mean maybe 
they'll bring the show to North America instead?  I caught Rog's tour last 
summer when it passed through Toronto - extremely impressive.  A small 
audience (3-4,000) but one heck of a show!  Roger was in fine form, as was 
John - and if you squinted a bit, you'd swear that was Pete up there, too.

I know RD gets hammered a lot in the press, but to me, he's always been the 
heart of the band (Pete being the brain, or perhaps the soul).  He's always 
been so passionate about the Who, like it's the most important thing in the 
world to him.  I can understand Pete's reluctance to tour, but I'd love for 
them to get back into the studio and cut another album.

As far as "peak period" goes, I'd have to say that '71-'73 was it, as far as 
studio work goes.  That's not to discount earlier or later work:  WBN is 
DEFINITELY an underrated gem.  I find you can listen to it from beginning to 
end and it's like a one-disc concept album.  People have remarked that it 
gets better as you get older and I agree whole-heartedly.  At 30, I have a 
much greater appreciation of the lyrics and theme than I did at 15.  I 
figure in another 5-10 years, FD and IH will take on the same lustre.  Even 
now, there are some really poignant, powerful tracks on those post-Moon albums.

Long live the Who!