Re: Farewell Tours

["Jim M" <petenotped@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- From: <Nelson9792@xxxxxxx>

> True, although on the last night of the 1997 tour, Pete said, "This is our
> last show on this tour...any tour."

But, at the last US show of the 2002 tour, Pete promised, "WE WILL BE BACK!"

Would it not be ironic if the one time they promised NOT to stop touring
turned out to be when they actually did stop?

In my case, I hope they do tour again, if their hearts are in it.  If
playing live is what Pete and Roger want to do, then I want to hear them.
Jokes about "farewell tours" mean nothing to me.  It's just the jealous
whining of writers who wish they were rock stars, and fans who know their
bands can't compete with The Who.  Musicians and athletes retire, un-retire,
re-retire.  So what?  Who cares?

I can see the point about new material giving meaning to a tour, but I'm not
sure that is important to me, either.  Really, any new material is unlikely
to be close to the standard of their classic stuff.  I think they're far
more likely to put out a bad album than to put on bad live shows.  Their
newest material is over 20 years old.  If it wasn't stale in 2000 or 2002,
then why would it be in 2004?  Maybe they could resurrect some more lost
gems, like they did with Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere and retire some of the
more tired songs, like they did with Magic Bus.  I'm sure we could come up
with a selection of songs that we'd like to see added to the set.

And, for God's sake, if they tour again, or release an album, let it be
under the name The Who.  The surest way to guarantee nobody would notice is
to go out under some other name.  It's The Who, or it's nothing.

Scott, Kevin, I can appreciate that it seems pointless to carry on at this
stage.  With John gone and the uncertain public reaction to Pete's fuck up.
But, isn't there a part of you that doesn't want to see it end on that note?
Wouldn't you rather they did one more go around, got people talking about
how those old geezers can still rock, instead of snickering about what Pete
does on his computer.  Yes, the CFNY did open the eyes of people who didn't
know how great they still were.  But, they were going to tour anyway, even
if it didn't cause much of a stir in the general public.  They had and, I
think, still have enough of a following that they will draw.

After a full tour without John, Pete still believed they would continue.
The only thing that's happened since then is Pete's arrest and caution.  I
can't see him letting that be the final chapter of The Who.

Jim M