Re: Glancing Very Briefly, Ox on 2002 Biography

["Schrade, Scott" <sschrade@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Yeah.  How about Parvardigar?

Yuck.  I hate that one.

> Sorry,  just kidding.    

Oh.  Well, I still hate it.

> Actually I'd like to explore what songs Pete wrote about other 
> members of the band.    

That's a toughie because it's open to interpretation.  Pete is cryp-
tic enough to keep us guessing as to who he's referring to in many
of his songs.

I've always felt he's referring to Roger in "However Much I Booze"
when he sings, "Are the problems that screw me up really down to
him or me?"  1975 was the height of that Roger/Pete feud that was 
carried out in the press, so....

Also, I've always suspected that "Legal Matter" was written with Rog-
er's philandering in mind.  Didn't Roger get married & quickly divorc-
ed around that time (little help)?  I've theorized that Pete sang 
lead on that song because it hit a little too close to home for Roger.

Those are the ones that instantly come to mind; I'll try to come up
with some others.

> Did John write any about other members of the band as solo mater-
> ial, or who material?

Wasn't "Dr. Jekyl & Mr. Hyde" written about Keith?  I believe it was.
An early description of Keith's multiple personality, bipolar, or 
whatever you want to call it, disorder.  Pleasant & sober one minute,
a monstrous, bad-behaving drunk the next.

> I read somewhere (perhaps on Brian's "Who This Month" at one point) 
> that when Pete played the demo of How Many Friends,  Keith began to 
> cry.  Was this about Keith or more likely about Pete and there were 
> just similarities between him and Keith?

Who knows.  Maybe Keith cried because he realized that he *wasn't*
one of the small number of friends that Pete could count "on one hand."
That would be my guess.  Remember how important the band was to Keith.
It was literally his life.  And Pete writes a song implying that the
band members aren't even really true friends of his.  

Keith was no stranger to self-pity so he probably picked up on that
vibe very quickly.  And maybe the title of the song was a question he
had asked himself a few times, also.

> Some of Substitute with the skinny mod kid dancing and John playing 
> bass in black and white,....

I believe that's the "I Can't Explain" video.

Thanks Joe for:

A. The Boston II stage banter transcription, and
B. The late-night Daltrey interview summation.

Much appreciated.


- SCHRADE in Akron