Lifehouse & WAY, anyway

["Mark R. Leaman" <mleaman@sccoast.net>]

> What story?  The first one?  The second?  Or the current one?  Since 
> it's never been published, it's not set in stone, much less print.

Keets:

I'm going by the story as set out in several books, from the 1971 effort,
and the radio show which gives a bit more detail. I don't know that there
ARE two; if so I've seen nothing about the "second" or any current one.
Like I said, he hasn't done the first one yet!

> It's his music and he gets to change it if he wants to.

I'd like to see him do SOMETHING with it...
  
> Since "Lifehouse" has never been published, though, I'd actually expect 
> Pete to update the story/script to nineties concerns rather than go with 
> the script he wrote in the seventies.  Otherwise it would be pretty 
> stale.

I don't think so. The story is still great, and compelling, and as a
Science Fiction fan myself, extremely interesting. I'd like to see it done,
but only if done right. I'd hate to see it end up like some sort of Logan's
Run or something.

> Okay.  Sounds like speed metal, then.  Remember who we're talking about 
> here.  The Who are trend setters, not followers.

I've never considered that they may have invented speed metal...hmmm...

The band and more specifically Pete set trends until 1973, but with WBN
they went into a fall-back position. Nothing innovative on that album, or
any which followed. A pity.

> Hmmm.  I can see about Celine Dion, but I thought Madonna was generally 
> considered to work within the rock genre

Some may, but it sounds like Dance music to me.

> Much of Pop and R&B could be considered a branch of rock

Again, not by me. R&B definitely comes from Soul, which is not Rock (even
though they came from the same place). And Pop would depend on the song,
and the songs which won Grammys didn't come from Rock.
Besides, they are all their own genres.

> as could rap, 

Definitely not Rock! Rap is its own genre.

> place The Chieftains in "Rock Music."  Go figure.

I figure it's because many Rock stars have recorded with them, including
Daltrey. However, in MY store they are in World Music.

> Okay, I see what you mean.  I don't know that "invented" is the right 
> word, though--maybe "opened the doors" for rock to become what it did.

Anyway you want to slice it. "Kicked down the door," more like.

> Nuance by definition means something subtle, which is considerably less 
> likely to be heard over the bass at a Who live performance.

Volume negates nuance?

> RD is a pretty sharp guy, and likely no slouch in the brains department. 


Hmmm...have you seen any of his interviews?

> The solo choices vary a lot, which's had the effect of 1) letting him 
> work out different technique  2) showing off the different things he can 
> do  3) extending the time and place where he can work.

I understand, but some of the songs are just plain BAD. To quote Dave
Edmunds: "Sometimes, bad is bad!"

> have a better record as an actor.  He does need better quality 
> opportunities and good people to work with.

Can't argue against that!

> Here's a review from another list that certainly isn't bad.

I thank you for this, sir!

> You actually expected Pete to FOLLOW a trend?  I don't think the man 
> knows how.

Since he invented the trend, I didn't see it as a problem. Maybe he did, I
dunno.

> Mark, Mark, Mark.

Jim:

I've heard CDs do that, too.

> IMHO, he knows he was recycling trash.

THAT is the joke, sort of a self-depreciating joke you see. The same sort
(but not NEARLY as lame) as Paul McCartney attempted with Silly Love Songs.
I'll decry it while doing it. Not funny.

> Who were finished.  To him, they became the "caberet act" that he so
> deperately wanted to avoid.

Too bad he didn't feel that way in 1986 (Deep End) and 1989 (TOMMY tour)...

> Again, I could be way off, but Had Enough is not a bleedin' ballad. 
> If the vocals in this song didn't have a mean edge to it, it would
> lose it's effectiveness.

I'm not talking about that. There is a hoarseness to his voice. Haven't you
noticed? For one thing, he doesn't have nearly the range he usually does.
To me it sounds like he's straining.
In this part: "I've had enough of trying to love my brother..." check out
"trying," and in: "I've had enough of being trodden on..." check out "on"
for the hoarseness.