Re: Roger interview

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

Some belated comments on the Daltrey interview:

> The Who are still The Who.

Pete said something similar in 1979.  He said, "The Who remains The Who & 
The Who remains on rails."  That was debatable in '79 - what with arguments
by Moon purists - and it's really debatable in 2003.  Perhaps Daltrey has a
point, though.  As long as Pete is still playing the guitar & he (Daltrey) 
is singing - it's still The Who.  Sort of.  I guess.

> The music is in my head. I never listen to anything we do once we've 
> done it.  I think it happens to a lot of artists: you record an album 
> and you never want to see it again.

This is weird.  He *has* to have listened to past studio albums on occasion.
He's commented that he appreciates WBN more in his later years than he did
when they made it.  And he complained quite a bit about the vocal levels on
the original QUAD release.  Maybe he's just talking about live albums.  But
wouldn't he be interested in hearing the final product?  

> Will The Who still record?
> Very much so. We'll be in the studio in October. It may just be Pete and 
> me from the original line-up, but we were always the driving force behind 
> the band anyway. 

Ah, the "driving force" comment.  Yes, I believe he means "driving force"
as in band direction & projects, not musicianship.

> It may not be the same without John, but it's not worse. It's just dif- 
> ferent. 

I think he's trying to maintain that the band wasn't destroyed by the death
of John.  They can still put on a show.  He's really trying to get across
that concerts without John aren't substandard.  They can still put out the
music.  Again, that's debatable.  

> It would be too easy to focus on the door that's just closed and not on 
> the ones that are opening up. 

Man, does this sound like a quote from '79.

> I can tell you now, there's more fire in Townshend's belly than there has
> been since the early 1970s.

Heh, heh.  Pete's belly.

> You have to give that credit to Pete. He was the most important songwriter
> of the 20th century.

True.  Sorry, Mr. McCartney.  Sorry, Mr. Dylan.  Sorry, Mr. Springsteen. 

> He did more to move music and lyrics on than any other writer. 

Yes!  Music *and* lyrics.  And subject matter, too.  Themes & ideas.  Not
just musical hooks with throw-away, cheap lyrics tacked on.  

> Look at John Lennon - lyrically brilliant, but most of the arrangements 
> were done by someone else. Townshend did everything.

Roger is so pro-Who, it's funny.  I love it.  Wouldn't it be great to hang
out with him for an evening?

> Where did you fit in?
> I can't be objective, but I think I could add the drama to his lyrics, 
> probably better than he could.

Tough question.  Realistic answer.  Kind of hard to put your finger on it.
Daltrey *did* add something to Pete's songs.  Some sort of depth or rich-
ness, for lack of a better word.  And it fit.  That's the most important
thing.  Ironic, too, because, as two individuals, Pete & Roger don't neces-
sarily "fit" each other.  Yet, as a vocalist, Daltrey "fit" into Townshend's
songs.  Strange.  Lovely. 

> I've done stuff I'm proud of and stuff I'm not so proud of. 

Very honest.

> What I have come to believe though is that most actors spend their careers
> polishing turds. 

Ha!  Very true!

> Does Chesney Hawkes stay in touch?
> I do hear from him quite regularly. He's doing well. He's a great musical 
> talent and does a lot of writing.

Little help.  Who is Chesney Hawkes?


- SCHRADE in Akron