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Re: Happy Birthday(,) Pete!



> It could be that what we should be discussing here is how much Pete/
> Roger/The Who actually owe the fans.

Yes, that seems to be where this is leading.

> What you seem to be indicating here is a very personal relationship.

Well, Pete himself has stated that he considers himself a spokesperson
for that group of people from the old 'hood.  The Shepherd's Bush geezers
& birds he writes for.

And while I'm not a part of that group, Pete's expression of genius has
still been powerful enough to draw me & thousands of others into its
fold.  His words & actions spoke/speak for *me,* as well.

Now, you might be saying, "Hold on.  That's Pete's artistic side; what he
did on the internet was something personal to him.  We need to draw a dis-
tinction."

But, as Cousin Kevin stated so eloquently, our (the fans) relationship
with Pete is complex & unique.  He feeds off us, we feed off him.  We're
sickly intertwined.  "You see yourself when you see The Who."

Rightly or wrongly, I need certain things from Pete.  I need to hear him
speak.  I need to hear him perform.  I need to read his words.  I need
to hear his opinions.

I'm not saying I agree with everything he says or does.  I've been angry
or confused by his actions in the past.  This whole internet scandal isn't
giving me new feelings - but it's giving me more intense feelings.

What can I say?  Some people are content & satisfied.  I feel unsure &
perplexed.  His silence now is worse than the silence before the "deal"
was announced.  I hope Kevin's correct & there are lingering legal reasons
why Pete isn't communicating with us.

I also feel pissed because some of you fans (!) are ready to move on while
I've felt absolutely no closure whatsoever in this situation.  That's why
I'm lashing out so nastily & sarcastically at gentle people like Keets
& Brother Jon (!).  (They've heard it all before.)         

> Does he also owe an apology for his drug and alcohol addictions? For 
> retiring The Who for so many years? For the tragedy in Cincinnati?

Maybe the difference is that he has honestly & completely explained his 
feelings about the situations you mentioned above.  And if you'll remember,
he pissed a lot of people off when he unloaded his pent-up feelings about
Cincinnati in Rolling Stone magazine (even though, in Pete's defense, much
of what he said was taken out of context, & sarcasm was misconstrued as
honest feelings).

So, after arguably the most damaging event in Pete's life, what do we get?
After months of forced silence, what do we get?  After months of anticipa-
tion, what do we get?  After our joy at hearing nothing was found on his
computers & that he wasn't being charged, what do we get?

We get a snotty little, I'm-the-victim, mystical-soul-trauma, not-my-fault,
won't-accept-responsibility, thanks-for-nothing, self-centered, intellect-
ualy-diluted, complete-rubbish of an explanation.

I'm let down.  The pity-me, defensive nature isn't one of Pete's best out-
fits.  It doesn't fit him well.  Something's wrong.  And I'm still uneasy.


- SCHRADE in Akron