Bernd in London

Due to a misstep I erased all the posts I received between early this
morning and about 2.30 p.m. today so I missed amongst other things any
responses which may have been  made to Bernd's marathon post. If anyone sent
such a post in this time frame I'd be grateful to receive a copy as I would
like to read the reactions. For my part, reading Bernd's report was one of
the more extraordinary moments I've had on the list since joining it last
autumn. I found his commentary to be by turns perceptive (especially about
his German countrymen and the English), wry, sensitive, intensely personal
and musically knowledgable. I'm astonished someone could write exceedingly
credible English like that and never have addressed a native English speaker
in person until arriving at Heathrow Airport last weekend! And it was
refreshing, and appropriate considering the subject matter of Quad and Pete
Townshend's post-Quad career, to read that Bernd spent part of his Sunday at
Mass in Westminster Cathedtral rather than in a series of pubs or doing
something equally diverting (not that there's anything wrong with
pub-hopping per se, having done it many times myself and in the very
charming public houses of old Londontown too...). There was a particularly
European, introspective, and musing quality to  Bernd's report which was
perfectly suited to the subject he addressed: seeing a great British band on
its home turf well past its prime but still providing great moments. I feel
this event for Bernd had possibly a greater spiritual import than had he
seen the Who in 1969 or even 1982. Your report was, accordingly, much
appreciated Bernd. I plan to copy it and tuck it at the end of my copy of
The Horse's Neck (Pete Townshend's collection of autobiographical essays) as
it serves as a most fitting coda to that work. It is a sign of the greatness
and enduring influence of the Who that they could inspire, in 1996, a report
as fine as that of Bernd Gramlich.... Gary Gillman.

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