Re: WHO sells out?? --- cause "it's HARD"

[Beau McCrury <Beau.McCrury@ucop.edu>]

>Date: Wed, 09 Jul 1997 11:59:42 -0700
>To: JB2TheWho@aol.com, TheWho@igtc.com
>From: Beau McCrury <Beau.McCrury@ucop.edu>
>Subject: Re: WHO sells out?? --- cause "it's HARD"
>Cc: The Who
>Bcc: tam
>
>Hello JB2,
>Thanx very much for your flattering responses to my posts.  I have to admit 
>that it's unusual for me to actually look forward to coming in to read my
e-mail.  I have to
>say that after reading your letter I was going around the office singing under
>my voice 'Popular' when I colleague asked what I was saying and I said 'I 
>just want to be popular' quit humorously his response was 'not a chance'.
>
>Thank you very much for putting It's Hard and Popular together for me.  I never
>put the two together.  Ah, and with renewed interest another listening session
>is at hand!
>
>As far as the Roger Daltrey ULTIMATE trivia question I can only humorously
>respond by saying it's either Heinz baked beans or Dippity Do:)  Help, I've
>got an enquirering mind and I want to know!
>
>As far as Roger ever selling out, I remember an interview on the Tonight Show
>with Jay Leno and Rog said he felt that he was the biggest Who fan.  Since he's
>in the band I guess that is about as big as you can get.  FYI, this was circa
>the time when he was going around with The Chieftains.
>
>And as far as Ace Face, well, ok.  I'll be king for a day but no more.
>
>Thanx again buddy for all of your kind words.
>
>Beau 'quadrophrenicly speaking' McCrury
>At 09:47 AM 7/8/97 -0400, JB2TheWho@aol.com wrote:
>>Hey, there, Beau!
>>
>>Once again, thanks for an extremely eloquent as well as insightful letter. I
>>selected a brief passage which I have cited below - it's so well thought out
>>and written, IMHO, that I hope you hold onto it - it should end up published
>>in some form/some day (I say this as the son of a rather well known novelest,
>>two novelests in fact, AND as a certified "hack, wanna-be" burned out
>>free-lancer myself). Seriously, though, s$#t that good doesn't grow on trees,
>>and where you're on a roll as strong as the one you are clearly on, thing
>>long and hard before tossing anything..seriously!!
>>
>>I also have to congraduate you for using what is perhaps my favourite WHO
>>quote, one which I use constantly and one which, for rerasons I am at a loss
>>to explain ("I can't explain...I think it's senility..."), I had never, until
>>reading your most excellent letter just now, had quoted back to me by
>>anyone..I refer, of course, to KEITH'S immortal "We WHOOOOOED it" (referring
>>to how "SUMMERTIME BLUES" has come to be thought of amost entirely as a WHO
>>original and not a cover). 
>>
>>What you said about the interplay of the band and PETE in terms of the
>>creative effort, and specifically the lyrics, also struck me as right on
>>target!! I have a great example from that poingent final album, "IT'S HARD",
>>as well....
>>
>>It involves the "title" tract, "IT'S HARD". Interestingly, the song started
>>out, (i.e. was submitted to the group by PETE in DEMO form), as a REJECTED
>>song called "POPULAR". It had/has the same body of individual verse...(i.e.
>>"Any wimp can weap, but a few can cry, ", but oddly, it's the chrous that's
>>was changed as the song was eventually accepted by the band with the new
>>chrous and title, "IT'S HARD"..
>>
>>And it makes quite a difference...In the original, instead of the refrain,
>>"IT'S HARD, IT'S VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY HARD...", the original was more
>>egocentic and specific (same melody).."I just wanna be popular, I don't
>>really care WHO you are, I jusr wanna be popular...! POPULAR!!"
>>
>>BTW, I think I have found the ULTIMATE Roger Daltry trivia question and I
>>would be fascinated to know if you or anyone had the answer (I don't)!! I
>>only came across it yesterday while watching a special on one of the Ted
>>Turner cable networks called something like "The greatest commercials of all
>>time". Anyway, there were some interesting moments, werein the movers and
>>shaker in advertising did some serious talking about trends and technique in
>>advertsing and TV commericals in particular. One expert, in voice-over,
>>commented upon the fact that "Major celebrity endorsements of specific
>>products has ALWAYS been one of our biggest winners..." As this was being
>>said, about 10-12 famous faces, all identified by name at the bottom, flashed
>>briefly across the screen..
>>
>>AND LO AND BEHOLD...about half way through, there was a close up of ROGER,
>>along with his name at the bottom to remove any doubts. Now, the ULTIMATE
>>TRIVIA QUESTION is...WHAT PRODUCT DID ROGER ENDORSE SO SPECIFICALLY??
>>
>>I was only able to come up with one clue. The photo of Roger, obviously taken
>>at the time of the endorsement, showed him in that rather appalling
>>"Ultra-short" haircult we wore for the 1982 "Farewell Tour", so that would at
>>least put a date on it.. Other than that, it was clearly from a specific ad
>>and endorsement (as opposed to be a still from a movie or something such as
>>that).
>>
>>Although I would never think of ROG as truely "selling out", I imagine that
>>he told his fair share of s$#t from PETE et al, especially when one recalls
>>the marvellous album cover of "THE WHO SELL OUT". 
>>
>>Anyway, if ANYONE knows what product ROG apparently endorsed, then that
>>person IS GOOD! Thought you might have a clue..???
>>
>>Thanks again for a brilliant and well wrought letter and collection of
>>thought! IMHO, I do think I have to right proper consider you as none other
>>than an "ACE FACE", and I'm sure that many of our fellow gheezers might well
>>join me in that sentiment. (Why don't we talk more "MOD" on this board every
>>so often...to honor KEITH if for no other reason....The terriffic book about
>>him, "FULL MOON" actually has a rather thorough "MOD" glossary in the back
>>for those "QUADROPHRENICLY-deprived souls who do seek the bleedin truth, eh?!
>>
>>Once again, well said, Beau!
>>
>>Regards,
>>
>>
>>JB2---TheWHO!!
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>In a message dated 97-07-07 18:01:10 EDT, Beau.McCrury@ucop.edu (Beau
>>McCrury) writes:
>>
>><< f the artistic process.  It evolves.  That artistic
>> license is given out and used not only by Pete but by other members of the
>> group.  I could very easily see Pete submitting a song to The Who and them
>> fiddling around with it further, or as Keith once said 'we who'd it'.  Also
>> I think that the artistic process doesn't have to stop with recordings.  I
>> feel that the artistic process can continue with the listener.  For example,
>> listening to a symphony with the lights out, your mind starts to wonder and
>> potentially can create very wonderful ideas.  One of the reasons that I find
>> the music of The Who so personal is that I have taken it into my own
>>creative
>> space and well, I Beau'd it.  And I think that's one of the reasons the
>>Digest
>> is so valuable because we all get to see what The Who mean to others and
>>what
>> we have all done to it.
>>  >>
>>
>>
>>
>