Re: The Who's Popularity Peak

[Keithjmoon70@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 4/7/2004 1:38:11 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
sschrade@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
That's why I'm trying to get some feedback on this question.


I understand Scott's point and I agree with him that The Who were at their 
peak of *popularity* during the period of 79-82.  But I would put it back to '78 
to 82.  The song Who Are You was another WGFA as far as radio play is 
concerned. It is still standing.  And yes, you *can* dance to it. (It depends on 
either how black or how drunk you are).  This song was a monster.

The publicity surrounding the band did it I think.  They were legends by this 
point and had a tremendous amount of popularity capital.  No one knew they 
would fizzle out the way they did, (which is why I'm glad that they are redoing 
the end of their careers-as they should). And they were known to be great 
already. To Joe fan though, it was The Who. Who cares about anything else. They 
played in stadiums to huge crowds (like in 75-76) and their reputation was 
filling their sails. There were the old fans and the many new fans that were 
generated by WAY and the publicity. I became interested in them at first because my 
older siblings and neighbors were. Lewey Perdue showed me how cool his car 
"stereo" was by playing WAY on it and I could hear it going from side to side and 
it blew me away. No song sounded like that in 1978!

But by '82, they were obviously not the same. Pete's heart was not in it and 
he spoke openly about it <gasp!>. They said farewell. Then it got bitter 
between him and Roger, years passed and they were put on ice. 

Enter the Who in ice...
I was shocked when there was no line for tickets at the Silverdome box office 
the day the tickets went on sale for the '89 tour. But it still sold well.

What we are seeing today folks, is a genuine phenomenon.  They are 
recapturing their glory against all odds. No one did what they did before they did it 
and no one has done what they are now doing either. Popularity or not.  This is 
not the Who on ice.  This is a living band with the benefit of hindsight 
fighting for life. 

I dig that!!

Jon in Mi.