Whoheads; Operas; Creation

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

> To be more accurate, I've spent the evening with a bunch of true
>Dead fans without a home.
> It was sad to me, and gave me reason to pause.

Kevin:

Ah, now you've hit upon a subject very much in my mind of late. As a fan of
Widespread Panic, the death of Jerry Garcia caused Deadheads to spread like
dandelion tufts...seeking any and all concerts from which they could pretend
they were still seeing the Dead. I used to be able to see Widespread with no
problem, but these days there are "certain people" following the band
around...selling out every show and making it hard to impossible for those
of us who were with the band from the beginning to even get a ticket. And I
resent that, because it's not because these people appreciate the band (they
are one of my top five), but merely because they want to live the lifestyle.
Another great example is from last summer. I saw Paul Simon and Bob Dylan
with my dauther, and the place was filled with Deadheads. There wasn't THAT
much tiedye back in its time! All of them were dancing, dancing, dancing in
front of anyone who might have wanted to see the bands.
Don't get me wrong...I have no problem with people being moved by music, but
let's face it...Still Crazy After All These Years is NOT a dancable
song!!!!! I think they danced to be seen dancing...much like the Mods, I
guess, although I wasn't there for that. I also think younger concert goers
think there's a certain way of behavior for a concert...like you're supposed
to yell "wooooooooooh!" every chance you get, especially when there's
nothing going on. Oh, yeah, and I'm not lying...someone yelled "Play
SKYNYRD!" during Dylan (that's the South for ya), which ultimately gave me
the idea for doing the album I hope to make...but anyway, none of those sort
of thing was present for The Who in Raleigh 1997, so I'm HOPING the
Deadheads won't be on this tour either (The Who being so completely
different)...although I fear no Classic Rock concert is safe anymore.
Jerry Garcia's death was the worst thing that ever happened to
concert-going. It's a fact.

>Here's one about the possible new album.  Does PT think no one wants
>another concept album?  That's one of the things I really love about
>The Who.

LB:

Me too. I'd love to see another concept album, or (dare I breathe it) a Rock
Opera. It seems to me that Pete is able to be the most creative when he puts
his ideas into a structured setting. As strange as that might seem.

>A band doesn't need new songs to be creatively viable.

Jeff:

I disagree. Without new songs or even changing the old ones (which BTTB
shows they haven't enough to call "being creative"), they are merely
"performing." Not that perfoming is a bad thing, but I can't call it
creative.



"Will the highways on the Internet become more few?"
                           George W. Bush, Presidential candidate


        Cheers                 ML