The 'French Grasshopper' Interview

[Jim M]

----- Original Message ----- From: <jimthewhofan at aol.com>

> I've echoed this sentiment on a number of occasions. That's why it's hard
for me to look at any new "Who" work without at least some bitterness,
bitterness that this accord could not have been reached during John's life.
>
>  I can't help but wonder the extent to which Pete has found this feeling
of "not letting go" because of John's death. Because Roger does not write
and because Roger is not a serious instrumentalist, there is little in the
way to bar Pete from establishing and maintaining total control over
"whatever the Who is."
>

I'm not sure if it's what you meant, but this makes it sound like the
problem was that Pete wanted creative control for his own ego or something.
I'd color it slightly differently and say that the problem was the music
that would be expected of the band with Pete, John & Roger was not the music
that was inside Pete at the time.  He was being asked to be something he
wasn't.  With the loss of John and the expectations of history, it also
meant that future of The Who would be whatever Pete had in him creatively.
Some will say that it's too bad it took the loss of John to make that
happen.  I'd counter that it's too bad those expectations were there in the
first place.

Jim M