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Re: The Who Mailing List Digest V4 #37



On Wed, 12 Feb 1997, The Who Mailing List Digest wrote:

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 09:03:46 EDT
> From: "Frank S. Corotto" <fcorotto@nugget.ngc.peachnet.edu>
> Subject: young people have not heard of the Who
> 
> Hi.  I teach Biology at North Georgia College and today I was helping 
> a student choose classes for next quarter.  He looked at my wall 
> where I have a picture of Pete windmilling and asked "Who are the 
> Who?"  Is it any wonder they couldn't sell out in Las Vegas?

This is unfortunate, but I think the lack of sellouts on the last tour
was due more to poor promotion than ignorance on the part of the
younger generation.  The $150 ticket prices in Las Vegas were a
contributing factor there, too.

Personally, I would be thrilled to have a college student ask me "Who
are the Who?"  I have literally trembled with excitement at getting to
introduce someone to the music, assuming they were interested.
Actually, I usually go the other way and take it slow it to be sure
I'm not boring the other person.

> It's Pete's fault they are being forgotten.

Bullshit.  It's due to Pete (with essential contributions from many
others) that they're remembered at all.  See below.

  They need a real, new 
> album and a lot of hard work or their legacy will be lost with the 
> newer generations.

I can't imagine what goes on in people's minds to make them say
something like this.  You mean all they have to do is put out ONE more
"real, new album" and do "a lot of hard work", and suddenly THEN
they'll be big, THEN their legacy will be remembered and immortal?
Crap.  In 5.3 years someone else will be saying EXACTLY the same
thing: "Sure they were big back in 1997, but they better get their
butts in gear and put out something new or they'll be forgotten."

Please.  The only thing putting out a new album will do is (hopefully)
give the world some more great music.  The only thing a tour would do
is allow more people to see them perform again (admittedly, a benefit
to both sides of the stage).  But to claim that this is somehow
necessary to avoid "losing their legacy" is just transparently false.
The human race is going to go on for a long, long time and I venture
to say that one more album will not determine whether or not The Who's
music is going to live in its memory.  

Sadly, it's true that in the future there will be people who love the
music but will not have the experience of seeing them perform, just as
I was born too late to see them perform during what many older fans
say was their peak, 1965-'68, but there's nothing to be done about
that.


> ------------------------------
> 
> Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 16:20:35 -0500 (EST)
> From: LARSPUMA@aol.com
> Subject: Re: The Who Mailing List Digest V4 #36
> 
> I do not think that enough young people appreciate the great music that the
> Who really performs.

Why should you care?  For that matter, I do not think that enough old
people appreciate it.  On the other hand, the fewer people who
appreciate it, the easier it is for me to get front-row tickets.

FWIW, I saw a girl in her early 20s last night with a Who jacket on.
I asked her if she just found the jacket or was a Who fan.  Turns out
she traveled to San Jose (from Austin) last October for Quad just like
I did.

  In all seriousness music from the late 60's up to the
> late 70's was really the greatest time for music.

Yeah.  Anyone born after 1975 should just have their ears taped shut,
opened only to listen to The Who or listen to us old farts (over 40)
talk about the good ol'days.  (:-), BTW).  (Is there such a thing as a
young fart...?)

> ------------------------------
> 
> Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 21:59:01 -0500 (EST)
> From: BABAORILEY@delphi.com
> Subject: The Who
> 
> I don't understand you people. The Who are and have been defunct as a group
> for about 15 years now. How can you all still support something as dead in
> the water as this band is ? They have done nothing new for us, and just 
> keep repeating what they have put out in the past. Re-masters just to get
> your money TWICE!  [blah, blah deleted]

I am treating this post as a "troll" (deliberate trap set to start
flame wars, for those unfamiliar with the term), and as such best
ignored.  The proposition that it might be serious is too bogus to
contemplate.

- --
Alan McKendree        amck@eden.com        512-478-9900 x206
Adhesive Media, 101 W. 6th St., Ste. 210, Austin, TX   78701