Protest for John

Jim wrote,

>>It's just a guess on my part, but maybe the bass was lower in the mix at MSG
because John didn't care enough to argue on his own behalf.  We know that the
man has plans for himself and his other band, so his focus and attention may
have been on them, and he participated in this QUAD thing as simply a way to
get some visibility, perform before a big crowd, and cash some checks.  I
think Roger has made it pretty clear that he and JAE don't like working
purely at Pete's behest and whim.  This QUAD thing, IMHO, is purely
Pete-driven and will benefit Pete more than it does RD and JAE, and
*everybody* involved knows it.  So maybe John simply relented to save the
argument. I have to think that if it mattered that much to John, he wouldn't
sit out the encore (that utterly amazes me that he did).<<

And Eddie wrote

>>I don't know why he was mixed down it, just like on nearly every studio
record, live record, live tv performance, home video performance, I don't
know why John is almost always TOO LOW. John certain could have blended in
and not out. He is a lead player in the Who and it amazes me everytime I
see new Who product, John is almost always out of the mix. The Who is a
band that roars with equal parts bass, drums, voice and guitar. They make
one huge noise. The only thing that I can see for the MSG shows for John
being low is Pete's  hearing or that was best mix for the musicians on
stage, or that was the most satisfying mix out front (to them) with all the
extra musicians. This doesn't make it 'right' or satisfying to the audience
who just want to hear John steamroll over the place with his bass parts,
but they had the extra musicians to fill in the gaps John usually does and
this wasn't a Who (wink wink) performance. It was just a performance of
Quadrophenia... Now where's the home video? ;)<<

In other words...John has always been a large part of the Who, but the Who 
never treated him fairly?  Well no WONDER he threatened to quit the band.  And 
that's probably why Moonie was always unsure about his position in the group 
as well, even though it's obvious his playing was at the core of the Who's 
sound.  It seems to me that Pete doesn't appreciate the rest of the 
band...like Roger once said, "He thinks he's the bleeding Who."  

The fat broad trying to balance herself on a soapbox,

Amira