[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Quad 96/97 v Quad 00/02



Rick in ME said "...have to rely on my live boot, but I'll always wonder
what that tour would
have sounded like with just the five piece and some backing tapes.
Certainly all the Quad we saw in 2000 and 2002 didn't need back up singers
and horns did it?  Chime in please."

Okie dokie.
I think the backing vocals were thin all the way around in 2000 and early
2002, before Simon joined the tour.  Simon (and others) were there in 96/97
and post-John '02.  He was needed, not just on the Quad numbers but many
numbers benefited from his vocal talents.  Pete's a great harmonizer with
Roger, but he gets tired and even when he's on his game one backup singer
often is just not enough.  Simon's voice is very resilient, strong and a
great help to The Who.  And...I just like him.  OK, I admit it.  I am
biased.  I REALLY like Simon :-)

What was the question again? ;-)

Oh yeah, musicians.  They did need the extra musicians for the Quad pieces
that are more pseudo-classical.  The instrumental sections sounded great
with the extra musicians.  It is also important to remember that Pete was
not entirely comfortable on electric (especially in '96) and the band was
not yet ready to make Zak their front-and-center guy.  They brought a
percussionist along, and this allowed Zak to find his niche in the band
without all the pressures of being THE drummer in a 5-piece.  It was a
necessary step in the evolution of the band.

BTW, the argument has been made here before that the (somwhat disliked) '89
tour format was necessary because it set the stage for (the nearly
universally loved) '96 tour.  Again, they had to do this to evolve into the
band they were this year.

...or not.

Jeff