Re: Getting it all together

[WFang01@aol.com]

Mark, re:

>I mean, obviously, that The Who has earned a better place and a higher
>regard in Rock than they have...the reason for where they are being the way
>their career has been handled and their material released. For instance, had
>songs like Leaving Here and Here Tis (Etc.) been released in `65, the band
>would have been considered in the same league as The Animals and
>Yardbirds...and as the material got better (and it did), their status would
>have risen accordingly. In Britian they WERE so regarded.
>Instead we got legal battles and record labels that wouldn't release or
>promote their music...and so on. The Who not being regarded as highly as The
>Stones or Zepplin or The Doors is indeed a failure. Pete shares the blame as
>well; many times he second-guessed the music to death.
>So why, 20 years later, are we still having to deal with the same old
>situation? People are supposed to learn from their mistakes.
>
You've gone on record numerous times praising "My Generation" for various
reasons. Now "Leaving Here" was the answer???

You have all your facts mixed up regarding the legal battles and the latter,
"success story". The legal battles had really no effect on the band's output.
In the UK, the band went from Brunswick to Reaction to Polydor. Here in the
USA, "Substitute" on Atco was the only interruption. Decca (which became MCA)
was their label here from the start. 
The main reason for The Who's success in the UK first, is that's where they
were PLAYING at the time. They started their road to success here coinciding
with their arrival to the USA. It took them two years to "make it". Not bad.
What exactly did MCA hold back on? A few singles (ie. "Dogs" and "Let's See
Action")? Or "b" sides like "Shout And Shimmy"??? Do you think the Who's
career would have been signifcantly improved here if Decca had released
"Ready Steady Who"???

As for "Pete shares the blame"... Pete was 18, 19...  then 20 when "Tommy"
came out? What would you like to blame him for, creating great music? I give
the man extraordinary credit for everything he's accomplished. What would you
like to blame him for? Perhaps some of the contracts that were negotiated
gave away many of the band's rights. Again, many circumstances that you or I
don't know about and for the most part, irrelevant.

In the meantime, you're losing valueable time & effort by arguing with me.
You were going to write to Andy, Chris and ??? to begin making a difference.
Write to Pete, see if he responds and let us know. When you become involved,
start understanding the details AND the people, you'll hopefully stop
oversimplifying all these matters and realize that most of what you are
saying makes no sense. 

Before we lose all the members of the Digest with this ongoing "discussion",
do your homework FIRST, then tell us what's real...

>>But if we can fine tune even such things out, wouldn't that be better?
Shouldn't we try?

YES! Go ahead and try and let us know.

wf