Re:Feedback, Tommy, Teenagers

["Leo O'Sullivan" <Leo.O'Sullivan@globalone.net>]

Feedback:
I think the last digest's source quotes from Brian in Atlanta and David
Lifton pretty much end this debate decisively (my Who and Beatle books
are hours away so I'm glad my own memory served me right for a change). 
Summed up, Lennon recorded feedback on "I Feel Fine" in late '64 and he
did so by design. This was the first instance of guitar feedback
captured on vinyl.  Lennon witnessed The Who's live set prior to "I Feel
Fine" and may have been influenced by Townshend's feedback pyrotechnics,
but this assumption of influence is speculation at best.  The Beatles,
to their credit, never shied away from borrowing from any one who was
doing something innovative however.  But this particular innovation did
not start with The Beatles, they were simply the band that brought it to
the airwaves (and that's nothing to sneeze at).  Pete makes an excellent
case that he "discovered" feedback, but the truth is Dave Davies and
Jeff Beck were cranking their amps to the same nerve damaging decibals
as Pete was in this period and each man lays claim to the feedback
discovery.  Hey, they were all much louder than anyone else and no one
was there to record their various claims, so I give them all a tip of
the hat.  Suffice to say, by the time "I Feel Fine" was recorded
feedback was already a musical device used on stage by Dave Davies (to
lesser extent), Jeff Beck (to great extent) and Pete Townshend (a
feedback virtuoso).  Most Who biographers also go out of their way to
express how instrumental a part of The Who's act feedback was for Pete. 
He was its master as "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" proves. *Also let's not
forget Mr. Hendrix, who Lennon mentioned in the interview quoted by
Brian last time.  Hendrix was humble as hell when discussing his
playing, but he was IMO THEE feedback genius of the late '60s, not just
making sound effects, but getting whole melodies out of feedback
manipulation.  He never discussed feedback at all, but I have to wonder
when he started playing with it (and I believe it's far too easy to
claim he simply copped it from Pete or Jeff Beck when he got to
England.  Jimi was a touring lead guitarist for piles of major U.S.
bands (Little Richard, Isley Brothers) before The Who formed).  Jimi was
as much a fiend for sheer volume as Pete was.

Tommy productions:
I've never seen Tommy performed on Broadway or elsewhere, but I did
catch the Tony Awards the year Tommy nabbed a few statues (I was happy
for old Pete I have to say).  The snippet of the Broadway show they
broadcast that night left me cold.  As Dave Elliott aptly described it,
Tommy here seemed to have "lost its soul".  OK.  My point is, I've known
a lot of people over the years that belittle The Who and their music yet
have raved about the other various incarnations of Tommy.  Years ago my
best friend's pretentious older sister told me that The Who's version
(version?!?) of Tommy was lousy and that the only true version of Tommy
was the London Symphony Orchestra performance.  I bought that abyssmal
album years ago and struggled to play it through once (and never more). 
Only Roger's momentary vocals kept me from throwing up.  Tommy returned
recently as a full fledged Broadway production and Pete became the toast
of the Great White Way.  More's the power say I....BUT, I dated a woman
recently who, knowing of my lifelong Who obsession, made a point of
stating she despised The Who (needless to say, she failed the primary
litmus test of what constitutes intelligent life so I summarily dumped
her soon afterwards). Yet, this same woman had the soundtrack to the
Broadway production of Tommy.  When I brought up this contradiction she
tried to "put the toothpaste back in the tube" by mumbling, "well, I
never said I hated all their music.  I just prefer the Broadway
performance".  Damn, I hate that!  Give credit where credit is due. 
It's like preferring Pat Boone's version of "Tutti Frutti" to Little
Richard's.  God save me from the blandization of great rock music.  And
another thing, why do all people who dislike The Who when confronted
with a rabid Who fan (being myself) find the need to publicly declare
how they despise The Who to that fan.  It's like someone calling your
mom ugly.  Aside from being rude, it destroys any credibility that
person's musical opinion might have had.  I don't bash your damn Hootie
albums to your face, so leave my Who alone you tone deaf morons.
"I Was A Teenage Who Freak":
I was a teenager from the early to mid '80s and people ten years older
than me were shocked that I was so into The Who.  To me it seemed
simple,  I'd found the best and although I enjoyed lots of other bands
and continued to keep looking for something better I never did.  I'd
forgotten how different I felt from my friends who were locked on to the
latest new bands back then while I airjammed to "Young Man Blues" in my
car.  It's a revelation to me that Who fans spring up like rare wild
flowers in every generation no matter what the popular bill of fare is. 
They wait out there not knowing what they are waiting for until that one
Who song makes their brain scream, "Exactly!  That's it exactly!"  So,
here's to the next wave of Who fiends, Jennifer, Yellow, DayTripper,
Jason and others.  What I would have given to have had this list back
then.  Teenage Wasteland of the best kind.
P.S.- Next time Who v Beatles (Greatest Band?)  Bryce's gauntlet is
thrown.  
- --Leo