Join Together

[Cheryl <otter@execpc.com>]

Sean, about your reply to Vincent concerning the "Join Together" box set
(and please excuse my snipping):

>  If you love the Who
> for what their legacy really is -- Thunderous, three-piece
> Rock-and-Roll
> the likes of which you will never see again -- I think you will be
> greatly dissapointed with Join Together.
>
>  I hate it because it represents everything that is dead about the The
>
> Who today.

> I cry when I hear it.

> Double your money and go look for a good boot.

I agree with you.  Although I think "Join Together" is better than the
televised pay-per-view "Tommy" parody that I wept over in 1989, this
recording is NOT The Who at their best.  It is very well orchestrated,
very slick, very rehearsed, and almost entirely artificial.  Although
"Tommy" is my favorite work, I've only listened to that disc once.  I
listen to the other disc when I want to hear JAE sing "Trick of the
Light".  While Vince may still want this set if the price is cheap
enough, I think he would be MUCH happier if he tracked down the "Live at
Leeds Complete" double-disc boot set.  LaLC has a live, vigorous,
raunchy, and gloriously imperfect "Tommy", as well as a batch of other
wonderful songs, such as "Heaven and Hell", their usual opener at the
time.

I know many of you love the "Join Together" recording, and I'm not
criticizing any of you for being fond of it.  My preference is for
earlier, live Who recordings (featuring the irreplaceable KM).

--Cheryl