The Who and the Beatles

[Wes Biggs <wbiggs@chaph.usc.edu>]

I also was a big Beatles fan before getting into the Who.  As the
years have gone by, though, it's the Who tunes that retain the most
meaning, and I see Lennon-McCartney songs as more and more
mass-produced for marketing reasons only.  Plus there's the fact that
the later Beatles stuff, while occasionally epiphanic, really shows
its drug-culture roots, and even if Townshend dabbled for a while in
pot, his songs are IMHO much deeper, on average.

And I'll give you "Sell Out" over "Sgt. Pepper's" for the concept
album of 1967.

But it's an interesting comparison to make, since the two groups are
so very different -- I mean, the Beatles were putting out what in my
opinion is their best work (Revolver, Rubber Soul) when the Who were
still covering James Brown R&B tunes.  Definitely a different sound.

Why should I care? (You better, you bet!)

Wes