The story has already expired by the time I downloaded this page!
AEB~
I got it with no problems, but somebody else said that, too. So, I'll post
the whole thing. See below:
The Who goes Spinal
National Post
Saturday, August 17, 2002
When it came out 18 years ago, This Is Spinal Tap was hailed as brilliant
satire. But the movie's humour seems to have been lost on the surviving
members of The Who. Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey are starting to look a
lot like Nigel Tufnel and David St. Hubbins.
Two years before Rob Reiner's rockumentary tapped into America, The Who
played its "farewell" performance in Toronto. The British band's original
drummer, Keith Moon, had passed away in 1978 (tragically emulating the fate
of a long list of his Spinal Tap counterparts), and the sense was that the
band was picking the right time to pack it in.
But the riches of reunion tours proved too tempting, and The Who has spent
the past few years overcharging Baby Boomers for a tired nostalgia act.
Toward the end of Mr. Reiner's film, Spinal Tap's dimwitted guitarist and
co-songwriter storms out of a particularly disastrous gig at a military
base. Talking with Mr. St. Hubbins, the lead singer, the rockumentarian is
shocked to learn the band plans to rock on without one of its three original
members. "Well, I'm sure I would feel much worse if I weren't under such
heavy sedation," the singer says. "But still in all, I mean, you've got to
be realistic about these sorts of things."
Last month, The Who did not just lose its founding bassist; he died.
Nicknamed "Ox", John Entwistle was described as "unique and irreplaceable"
by Bill Wyman, the former Rolling Stones bassist, following his death. Yet
within four days, The Who had replaced him. "We are musicians,
entertainers," Mr. Townshend offered by way of
explanation. "We can do it. We have the right tools. No worries." Back on
stage in California, they claimed they were performing in tribute to their
fallen friend. But industry insiders suggest a different motivation: With
the tour expected to take in US$25- to 30-million, the band's two remaining
members had much to lose by cancelling.
Next month, The Who will return to Toronto. Hopefully, they will make good
on their pledge of two decades ago and dismantle the group. Half the band
that hoped to "die before I get old" has done just that; the other half
lives on in self-parody. If Messrs. Townshend and Daltrey want to go out in
style, perhaps they should invite Mr. Reiner to
accompany them. The resulting rockumentary would provide one final classic
to add to The Who's bulging oeuvre.
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