Re: BBC Lifehouse

["Rich Bogovich" <bogie@itis.com>]

>Simon Doyle wrote:

>Today London's Sunday Times printed an article which confirmed that >Pete
was writing Lifehouse for the BBC. The article said that >negotiations with
Daltrey and Entwistle were underway and that the >project would be broadcast
on BBC Radio 3 on the 6th December.

Quadrophenia gets my vote for best Who album over Who's Next mainly because
it's twice as long, but an 8-track of Who's Next bought in 1980 was my first
real exposure to The Who, so I've always had a very strong interest in
anything relating to Lifehouse.  I was thrilled to hear about Pete's BBC
project, though I try to contain my enthusiasm until such projects become
reality because too many announced Who-related projects haven't
materialized.  In this particular instance I also held my emotions in check
because I really think that Roger and John must be involved.  Based on
Pete's involvement with the Broadway Tommy I assume that he could decide to
do this project without permission from Roger or John (and certainly without
their actual involvement), so I gather that "negotiations with" means Roger
and John will be asked to perform.

I really can't see this happening any other way.  Lifehouse is far too
important to Pete to think that he'd pass on the best bass player in rock
history, not to mention the vocalist who knows these songs far better than
anyone else (even Pete, I might argue).

I just hope that Pete and his colleagues strongly consider using a small
band.  I didn't mind the extra musicians on the 1989 tour, and I thought an
expanded band was entirely appropriate for an orchestral work like Quad, but
Lifehouse should have a smaller batch of musicians.  But I wouldn't object
to selectively employing GOOD guest vocalists to help avoid straining
Roger's and Pete's vocal chords.

Hey, if I recall correctly, John wrote songs for Lifehouse several years
after Who's Next (during the first phase when Pete was talking about
completing the project) and that "905" was one of them.  If I'm correct, I
wonder if Pete would now consider using any songs that weren't part of his
original effort?  If so, John might want to get to a voice coach NOW (and
stop smoking).   : )

Rich