Re: ICSFM

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

> Which is why I'm so interested to hear that Mansfield version.  

The Mansfield version was ragged & weak.  But, yes, you should hear it 
for yourself & decide.

> It's as close to that as we're ever likely to get.  

I have some boots from the '79 tour where they play it & it sounds pretty
good.  The power & control of Kenny Jones.  Often overlooked.    

> I don't think it's any more pessimistic than some of their other early
> singles, or others of the era either.  

Well, for whatever reason, Pete thought ICSFM was going to be a HUGE hit.
He was right in one respect:  It's the highest charting Who single in
America (No.9).

> They had to adapt a lot of their songs to be played live by a four piece.
> Why should ICSFM be any different?  

Because it's more complex than it seems.  And like I've said, it doesn't
translate well live.  It has too many quiet moments; you can't clap along
to it like "Magic Bus;" the meter is odd (the way Moon played it); it's
more of a sit & zone out type of song than an exciting live number.

"Love, Reign O'er Me" is the same way.  They should've avoided that song,
too, throughout their career.  I don't think I've ever heard a decent
live rendering of that song.       

> But it has become much more popular over the years, which might be why 
> they keep trying to include it in their set list I suppose.

Well, I wouldn't say they keep trying to include it.  They didn't really
attempt it properly until Jones was in the band in '79.  They certainly
didn't make much of an attempt to play it in '82.

In '89 they could pull it off because there were 32 musicians on stage.
They didn't attempt it in '96, '99, or 2000.  And, as we know, they gave 
it one shot in 2002 & quickly abandoned it.

Not every song will sound good live even for a great band like The Who.
One can *imagine* a good-sounding live version & think that it mustn't
be too hard to pull off, but imagining is easy.  Actually doing it is
another matter.

Bottom line:  It's one of the biggest hits The Who have ever had.  And
yet they've almost ignored it as a live song.  Reason:  They don't like
how it comes across live.  Pete & Roger have been at this long enough
to know that not every song is right for the stage.


- SCHRADE in Akron