more ruminations

[Jeff Williams <jeffw@mxim.com>]

First, are there any moles in the organization who have a feel for the
remixed Quadrophenia release date?  

Second, I think, that if Townsend pulls it off properly, his adaptations
and renderings of his concept albums will take his stuff where I thought
things shoulda gone with the Who after Quadrophenia.  That is to say,
that album has so much depth and complexity to it that it sort of pointed
out the way for what I think should have been their direction. It would
have been completely different from a standard rock band career.  It
would have been more heavily involved in theater and film.  And, had
it been around back then, multimedia... It's a combination of these
things, had they been flawlessly executed, as had all previous albums,
that would have expressed the stuff he was trying and perhaps is still
going for.

Frankly, probably only the Who were capable of taking things in that
direction.  Zeppelin, frankly, were interested in being a rock band.
They had no interest in anything else, aside from some vague references
to a better life out there or somesuch.  And, hey, that's fine, as what 
they did was, with the exception of the Who, the best out there.  
I kinda think Pete woulda wanted to do something like Jesus Christ Superstar, which clearly has rock elements, has a theme, but is best done as a 
play, not a rock concert, without all the Broadway patina layered on top.
That's the toughie, I think.  He needs to know that the musical renderings
would have to be as exacting as his band was previous to going off this
way.  

And, no, the lineup for the '89 Tommy beyond Daltrey and Entwistle in my
opinion would have sufficed. Nor will it....  Look at Jesus Christ Superstar, at least the album version.  You've got Cousin Id on Vocals (the only
qualified person to get away with such a daunting role), and the musicians
acquitted themselves very well, thank you.  (I think Denny Lane on guitar).
Point is, the visual rendering will be critical, as will the musical one.
I've never been, nor ever will be, satisified in the least with the "repla-
cement" musicians.  And I've always believed, and will always believe, 
that the suitable ones are out there.  Since I know they are... 

But the horns and violins, and backup singers, now that's another thing.
That is completely suitable for a lot of what he's after.  As are synthesizers and other audio tricks to glue it all together.... 

I like his comment about being able to walk in and say "I wanna do this",
and get a sponsor to say, "O.K.", here's your money.  I do think it'll
take more than a half a mil. to do it, tho... more like 4 or 5 mil.  
Just depends on how he renders Quad at Hyde.  I'm inclined to be really
judgemental on how he pulls this off.

I mean, my impressions on the Live '89 Tommy stuff was:  Like the backing
orchestra, or whatever, like the original members, but think the drumming
and other guitar player reeaaalllly detracted from the overall sound.

Jeff