Underrated? Overrated?

[Howard Powers <howie@rexnet.net>]

Since we're all talking about overrated-ness (sorry to grammar-freaks),
underrated-ness, what-have you, I just want to state an opinion about
the underratedness of the Who.

My statement:   "What????!!!!!)"

As far as critics go, they love the Who.

As far as the general public goes, I've never heard someone say they
thought the Who were a subpar band.  People either think they're great,
or they just don't know their music.  I think the Who are rated
correctly, when they are rated:  they are great.

I happen to think they are the greatest ever, but I also see much more
than the music itself.  I see what Pete hoped for, and I love him for
that.  And I love the others for following him even when they weren't
sure he was headed in the right direction.  And, of course, I do love
the music itself, which I could go on and on about but we've all heard
it before (even though it's a blast to talk about).

At the risk of getting off-Who (off-topic), I just want to say to
anybody who doesn't like U2, listen to their 80's stuff, especially the
Joshua Tree and previous to that.

Like the Who's, U2's music is about youth, spiritual seeking, is
dramatic, powerful, and unique-sounding.  And like the Who, U2 have been
searching for a way to move forward.  And like the Who, their later
stuff doesn't measure up to their prime stuff.

And U2 were influenced by the Who.  Some people don't like certain
celebs because they don't like the Who.  Maybe U2 deserves a second
chance because they do.  :-)

And about the Dead... if you've not seen them live, you don't know
them.  Their albums do suck, and many Dead fans think so (the Dead don't
even like the albums).  The albums are more of a document, in my
opinion, of the songs.  The survivors tour as "The Other Ones," and it
is still a mystical experience.  I've never experienced such a close
performer-audience connection, in a local pub or small venue, let alone
the stadiums they play.  It is amazing.  Every person there jams in
their own way; a Dead concert is not a spectator activity.  And watch
the monitors.  They don't just capture the performance.  The video crew
are jamming, too.  They perform as much as the performers.  Their video
people (at least the main players) have been a part of the act for a
long time (they don't just hire some unknown production company).

If I haven't changed anybody's mind on U2 or the Dead, I hope somebody
maybe will give them a second chance.  It may be worth it to you.  They
are certainly worthwhile to me.

Long Live Rock!

Howard P.