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Pete's Voice



> Kim wrote:
>
> >I would add that any innovation in NEW music (not live performance)
> to
> >come from the collection of musicians known as The Who will come from
>
> >but one, Pete Townshend, and to my mind it matters very little which
> >musicians he uses to play his music.  Much of his best work has been
> >recorded without the help of the other band members.  In fact, I
> think
> >they unnecessarily restrict his creativity, particularly having to
> use
> >Roger as a vocalist.

Then Rich wrote (hi, Rich!):

> While I am very fond of much of Pete's solo work, I respectfully
> disagree on
> several levels:
>
> 1.  On studio recordings, I like Roger's voice much better than I like
>
> Pete's.  And live, there is no question.  Apart from his frequent
> tendency
> to screw up or forget the lyrics he penned, Pete's vocals in concert
> are at
> best a mixed bag.  At his Chicago House Of Blues show there were many,
> many
> instances when he hit bum notes vocally.

All true!  But, for me (very subjectively, I admit), although Roger's
voice is consistently dynamic and expressive, Pete's is the voice that
knocks me over every time.  I read somewhere that he thought his own
voice was too cynical for many of his songs.  I find that Pete's voice
is so plaintive and yearning that it moves me much more deeply than
Roger's ever did, even live.  At his HoB show in June, Pete had me
absolutely enthralled; I had to remind myself to breathe.  I also find
most of his demos to be incredible, illuminating later versions recorded
and performed live by The Who.

- --Cheryl