Under a Raging John (?)

["Kevin O'Neal" <kevinandt@xxxxxxxxx>]

>From: "Jim Sigel"
>Subject: Under a Raging Bass and Mary(ville)
>
>>You're underestimating the power and draw of The Ox.  Voted by his peers
as
>>the greatest rock bassist of the millennium.  Boris the Spider.  My Wife.
>>He's not as unknown as you make him out to be.
>
>That's a little biased

Not at all.
Any casual Who fan is also a fan of The Ox.  People didn't want to hear
Boris the Spider because it was a great song.
It was a cult following.  Don't underestimate the fandome for The Ox.

>Bully to you for standing up for our late great
>Ox.

Yeah, how dare I tell it like it is.

>But really, ask "the average Joe" to name ANY bass player, and you're
>likely to come up with a blank stare.

Ok, we need definitions here.  This all started with the statement "but
let's be honest, the general public doesn't care much" followed by the
statement that as a result, a tour without John would not suffer in ticket
sales and would not be missed.

So, who's the "average Joe", or the "general public" (besides another band I
used to be into back in the mid-80's)

Sure, if you go asking Joe Dick in Bumfuck USA, who doesn't listen or care
about music, who John is, or any bassist, then yes, you'll get a blank
stare, and probably some tobacco juice spit on your shoes.  Is Joe Dick
going to a Who concert?  No.

If you ask those who grew up with and still like bands like New Kids on The
Block, or Nsick, or Madonna, or Britiney, they too won't know.  Are any of
those people going to a Who concert?  Very more than likely....not.

If you ask casual fans of rock music in general, those that don't spend
their days watching MTV or VH1, those that don't go out buying CD's about
John, some will know, most will not.  Are these people going to a Who
concert (keeping in mind the prices they will have to pay)??  Again, likely
no.

Now, ask a fan of rock, who actually really likes music, buys CD's, despite
the crap that is forced down his throat by today's pop, and you may be
surprised that he/she will know bassists, and may even know John.  Are these
guys going to a Who concert.  Possibly, but still a big question, and more
than likely not.

Ask a person who knows their 60's rock.  Who knows the music of The Who. Has
several of their CD's, and they damn well will know of John, and the great
loss that he is.  These are the low rung of people who go to Who concerts,
and yes they will think twice about shelling out the money to go see 1/2 of
The Who.
You betcha.

Now, let's look at the majority of the people who are going to Who concerts.
These are people who have seen them in the past, are into or have been into
The Who, and you can't tell me many of these won't not go to a concert
without John.  I know of a couple on this list who won't go.
In the last two tours, there were only a very small number of sell out
shows.
Some, like in DC....IN DC....had tons of empty seats.  Take away John, and
there will be even more.

My whole point is, that those that go to Who concerts are well aware of who
John is, and what he meant to The Who, and with John gone will now probably
not bother going to another show.  It's only the very hard-core Who
followers that will go to see how the story progresses.
You can't tell me there won't be an effect.
If you do, you're (you in general) rationalizing.

That said, the prospect of brand new music, as reported on Pete's Who-news
site, will bring out those who would have ignored another "Who" tour of
greatest hits without John.

Kevin in VT