Re: JAE -- Turn Up the Volume!

From: "Amira Boctor" 
I wrote:
>In the Who, John is too important to maintaining the structure of the
songs and would >definitely be missed if he was not playing with the group.
Chris' style is distinctive, but is >not as important to the music as John
is by far, IMO.

Then Amira wrote:
>If that's so, then why was his bass turned down so low at MSG?  I realize
everything had >to be quieter for Pete's sake (no pun intended) but I think
the Who could have pulled off a >"Yes" performance, that is, blending the
bass and all the other instruments so John >wouldn't have been so left out.
 All IMHAIO (try to figure that one out, Jen and Aimee! ;-).

I don't know why he was mixed down it, just like on nearly every studio
record, live record, live tv performance, home video performance, I don't
know why John is almost always TOO LOW. John certain could have blended in
and not out. He is a lead player in the Who and it amazes me everytime I
see new Who product, John is almost always out of the mix. The Who is a
band that roars with equal parts bass, drums, voice and guitar. They make
one huge noise. The only thing that I can see for the MSG shows for John
being low is Pete's  hearing or that was best mix for the musicians on
stage, or that was the most satisfying mix out front (to them) with all the
extra musicians. This doesn't make it 'right' or satisfying to the audience
who just want to hear John steamroll over the place with his bass parts,
but they had the extra musicians to fill in the gaps John usually does and
this wasn't a Who (wink wink) performance. It was just a performance of
Quadrophenia... Now where's the home video? ;)
Eddie