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Re: Who memories in my garage



It's been great reading all these Who stories.  Dave K's last post
kicks off a new tangent:  Who fans aka garage bands!  The best amateur
drummer I ever knew was the slightly older brother of one of my
ex-girlfriends.  The first time I met this guy he had this manic look on
his face all the time and he had a really perverse laugh.  He was a die
hard Who fan.  One day I was visiting my girlfriend when a staccato drum
roll burst out of their garage.  The style was very familiar.  I walked
out there and this kid was doing the best Moon impression since Mitch
Mitchell.  Amazing!  He knew he was good too.  For years I'd wanted to
play the drums myself, because I didn't think my hands were right for a
guitar.  When I turned twenty a friend convinced me otherwise.  In due
course I bought a cheap electric guitar (Vantage) and a cheaper amp.  I
took a few lessons from this local heavy metal guitarist who gave
lessons out of a music store.  Turned out that although he dressed and
played like Ratt his real obsession was Sixties British Rock.  He was
surprised I was so into The Who, Stones, Beatles, Kinks, etc.  I told
him I was giving myself a year to learn at least one classic Who song
well enough to play it, otherwise I'd sell the guitar.  He laughed and
said, "You'll be playing 'Pinball Wizard' in a month".  He was right.  I
found out that although I was no Hendrix (or Townshend, or any decent
guitarist), I had a good ear which could figure out songs quickly. 
Unfortunately, I'm the most uncoordinated guitarist that ever lived so I
can't proficiently play the solos I figure out by ear.  After six months
I searched through the classifieds until I found an ad for a 1961 Les
Paul SG (the guitar Pete used on Quadrophenia and during the Tommy
tours, I think?!  It was one of his babies once anyway).  What I'd
really been looking for was a (1957?) Chet Atkins Gretsch, the awesome
battleax that Joe Walsh gave to Pete and which Pete recorded WGFA with. 
Pete claims that the guitar was so loud and ballsy that he pretty much
played the song in one take; Pete said "it played me!"  That's my
favorite guitar sound ever, but they cost a king's ransom so I'm waiting
til I strike it rich.  
	My old friend, the Moon-style drummer and I would get together with
these two or three other guys (bass, lead guitarist...I was rhythm) and
we'd play all kinds of songs.  The best moment was always when we broke
into "My Generation":  I'd crank it up to 11 and my friend would start
his authentic Moon rolls.  Ahh me.  Anyway, he moved away, so now, every
once in a while I get out my SG, plug in to my old Gibson amp, throw on
Who's Next and drown out the world with a deafening version of WGFA. 
PS:  Windmills are a bitch!
- --Leo