Pete in Boston Herald

[Brian Cady]

http://theedge.bostonherald.com/musicNews/view.bg?articleid=169891

For Pete’s sake: Townshend taps Daltrey to put The Who back in action
By Jed Gottlieb
Friday, December 1, 2006 - Updated: 08:20 AM EST
What a difference a year can make. Or 24 years, for that matter. 
 
    In 2005, there was little hope of a Who reunion album. A year later fans are savoring the first new Who recording in a quarter century, the magnificent return to form, “Endless Wire,” as well as an extensive tour. The British band’s two surviving original members, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, who played the TD Banknorth Garden in September, return for a second Who show tomorrow night. 
 
    In March of last year, Townshend and Daltrey began talking about a reunion but when Zak Starkey - son of Ringo Starr and The Who’s touring drummer since the mid-’90s - joined Oasis, things fell apart. 

“Roger and I spoke about trying to replace him, but decided to wait. It turned out to be a long wait,” Townshend said in an interview conducted, at his request, by e-mail. “However, as I didn’t have a complete album of songs ready, I didn’t panic. By March however, things had deteriorated somewhat between Roger and myself, only with respect to communication. It was a rather bleak period, and in the end we agreed to cancel the plans on the table.” 
 
    With no new Who project, Townshend was scratching his bald noggin wondering what to do next. At the suggestion of good friend Nick Goderson, he began transforming his novella, “The Boy Who Heard Music,” into a mini-rock opera. 
 
    In a few short months, Townshend had two dozen songs ready to record. He called Daltrey and told him to prepare for everything: a reunion, new album and massive world tour. 
 
    Released on Halloween, “Endless Wire” has enjoyed mostly favorable reviews and decent sales. In many ways - the bombastic drums, “Baba O’Riley”-keyboards and sonic force that oscillates between timid and tremendous -“Endless Wire” sounds like a classic early ’70s Who record. Even if few Who die-hards are ready to spin the new CD between plays of “Tommy” and “Who’s Next,” Townshend hopes that eventually they will. 
 
    “I wanted what we did after our last album (1982’s ‘It’s Hard’) to connect back to ‘Who Are You’ or ‘Quadrophenia,’ not to the post-Keith Moon years,” Townshend said. “And I knew deep down it was not about who played drums, or how they played them. I knew I had to find a mindset that was almost Zen-like, I had to allow the music to flow. God, this sounds so pretentious. In truth, I just waited. I had no idea I would wait 24 years.” 
 
    The Who has always been two bands: a meticulous studio band that constantly refines rock arrangements and production and a drum kit-exploding, guitar-smashing, microphone-swinging live juggernaut crushing lesser bands in its path. So it was crucial the songs from “Endless Wire” work in concert. Townshend thinks they do, thanks to Starkey’s return to the drum stool, bassist Pino Palladino’s ability to replace the late John Entwistle and, most of all, Daltrey’s work ethic.

“People should not worry that the show will be slow or boring because they don’t know the new material,” he said. “Roger has put together a show that works well, with a good balance of old and new stuff. The response has been great, it is hard sometimes when people take their seats for a new song, but they soon stand up again.” 
 
    Daltrey has hinted that this may be the end - his voice is already on its second wind and Townshend’s knees can’t take many more rockstar leaps - so it’s not surprising they’re giving it their all. After waiting this long, they both know there’s no use in not living up to their reputation. 
 
    The Who, at TD Banknorth Garden, tomorrow. Tickets: $54.50-$204.50; 617-931-2000
 
-Brian in Atlanta
The Who This Month!
http://www.thewhothismonth.com


 
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