Re: The Who Mailing List Digest V9 #132

["L. Bird" <pkeets@hotmail.com>]

> > We also have Pete Townshend.  Match that.
>
>I don't think Pete without The Who could sell out large Venues like
>McCartney is doing right now on his tour.
>D

But then, Pete doesn't engage in the same aggressive deal-making and 
promotion that McCartney does--we got to see Macca in action at the CFNYC.  
I know the music business is pretty cut-throat, but still Pete/The Who have 
made it moreso on artistic merit than many other acts--including Macca.  
Remember that NSync and Britney Spears sell out large venues, too.

Pete/The Who's assumption that the music should sell itself has provided the 
integrity that leads fan to gripe about just a little bit of promotion.  
They don't like to hear that Who tours are sponsored by beer companies, or 
that Pete needs to sell music to ads to get it played on TV.  The music is 
supposed to attract fans purely by its virtue.

Pete/The Who end up walking a thin line between undermining the music with 
promotion that's too obvious and commercial, and losing attendance at 
concerts with too little promotion.  Still, their recent strategies have 
been brilliant.  They achieved notice very naturally.


keets




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