Yeah yeah yeah vs YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAHHHH!!!!

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

See! There's nothing wrong with a little harmless debate.  Who vs
Beatles.  No one got hospitalized; good clean fun.  I agree with a most
of what Lev replied (especially the reminder of the other great
anti-disco song "Dancing Fool", I love that.  Also Clapton's shining
moment on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", and, of course, Grand Funk
Railroad IS the ultimate live band.  Shame on me.), but being the bum
that I am I also differ on some of his points.  On the Who being the
only great British rock band to not give in to disco, Lev added (Deep
Purple, Yes, Black Sabbath, Eric Clapton (though he came close). Hard to
say whether Led Zep would have done disco as anything more than a
joke).  I meant Great British rock bands as in the granddaddy groups
(Beatles, Stones, Who, Kinks).  Out of the groups you mention (though I
love old Yes and Clapton (old Clapton esp Cream)), I only consider Led
Zep a group of the status of the early Big Four.  You're right, they
never sold out either, but as you point out they bought the farm during
the disco era's height (because of Bonham not disco, granted).  Also Lev
mentioned other Who song content that Pete should be blamed for such as
masturbation, child abuse, etc.  You're right but I don't blame him for
that, I applaud him.  That stuff was all going on but he was one of the
few songwriters to tackle it head on back then.  Good for you, Pete. 
When I said the Beatles lyrics were more accessible I meant more direct,
not so philosophic (not all of it and I'm not criticizing Pete for his
philosophic bent.  I love him more for it, but it narrowed his audience
I think).  Bad choice of words I admit.  Steinbeck was far more direct
than Danielle Schlemeel Steele will ever be.  I stand by comment that
The Who were the first rock group to successfully incorporate
synthesizers into a rock song.  Where are Kraftwerk now?  Where are
those songs played?  Even if the Beatles used synthesizer on Abbey Road
I consider that experiment, "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", cute and amusing
but not a spectacular breakthrough like WGFA or "Baba O'Riley".  The
Beatles used it for it's novelty.  The Who built their tunes around it. 
BUT, although The Who made this breakthrough they are not responsible
for the synth mess of late Seventies and Eighties.  The nausea created
by synth songs of later groups occurred because those groups used
synthesizers as a lead instrument.  Some groups on rare songs pulled it
off, but for the most part this gave us a revolting ten years laden with
soulless synth solos by mediocre New Wave groups.  The Who never did
that.  In the classic Who songs where synthesizers were used the synth
was used as a hypnotic, tension filled underpinning for the song, NEVER
as the lead instrument(s).  In Baba O'Riley, WGFA, and WAY the synth is
an insistent subtle suggestion of something lurking behind the song, but
the boys still drive those songs with the rock essentials (guitar, bass,
drums!).  That was the breakthrough to me.  Keep it under and it works
wonders.  Push synth to the front and you're killing the tune.  Anyway,
that's IMHO.  To Kathleen and Citywatch: All right.  A few good love
songs, but strictly for Pete fans I think.  Maybe "Let My Love Open The
Door" deserves great love song status although the ones you mention are
deeper.  Kathleen, your other point slayed me and it's all too true. 
What egomania drove Lennon and MacCartney to share the stage with their
tuneless wives while we paid for it.  Especially Lennon.  Yoko Ono is
the musical equivalent of cancer.  There's a great picture of Lennon and
Yoko jamming with Chuck Berry.  John's playing guitar, Yoko's up front
shrieking into the innocent microphone, and Chuck is standing behind her
with the most exquisite look of barely concealed agony on his face.
Anyway, Lev pretty much summed up exactly what I feel in three lines (I
wish I could; I know you all wish I could too).
"The Beatles are my favorite recording artists of all time (after Wild
Cherry, of course).  But the Who are my favorite Rock Band.  And that's
a higher honor, in my book." - Lev  
The highest honor. 
- --Leo