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Virginia; Face fencing; Quad the movie





> For those who don't know, it's a response from Pete to a letter from some
> girl named Virginia who wants to know why Pete has abandoned his song-

Scott:

Actually, she's someone Pete knows well. Not just a fan who sent a letter.

> The thing that irks me on the FACE DANCES reissue is the goofy vocal edit
> at 1:13 in the song.  The line should be: "And if you depend on me to
make
> you rock & roll, well ya' better look out, tits(?), 'cause we're getting
old."  The
> re-issue at this point, however, sounds like a vinyl record skipping ! 
Why
> they tried to clean up this line, I don't know.

Um, there was a digital error on the first run of the CD. It was recalled
by MCA and replaced by the corrected version. I don't know MCA's policy on
it at this point, but you might want to contact them. Or you might want to
keep it as a collector's item and buy a new one.

> majority of blame, for lack of a better word, must lie with Pete.  Let's
be
> honest with ourselves: his songwriting got worse.  Much worse.

Let's not say "worse," because then I'd have to disagree with you (and
neither of us want that), but instead "different." I definitely would agree
with that.

> these songs just plain stink.  *That's* why these albums are continually
> regarded as sub-standard by *most* critics & even *most* WHO fans.

The production was a factor, and Kenny too. But basically The Who are a
great Rock band, but a fair Pop band.

> is one of my favorite WHO songs.  I can't explain.

Do you feel hot and cold way down in your soul?

> Why do you think Pete is so worried about writing new material for The
WHO?
> Because his track record for the last 20 years is spotty at best.  He
knows that
> & he's worried.

Well, I guess we'll have to disagree, then. I think White City and
Psychoderelict (w/o dialogue) are his best two solo albums.

> tunes. Just an observation ...but does anyone feel as if Pete just ran
out
> of good tunes...concepts...ideas  

Kevin (another Kevin):

I'd say no to this, but instead say his songs changed beyond what he felt
The Who could perform. He wanted to go beyond, and while adding a keyboard
and horns dealt with this to some degree, it apparently wasn't enough.

> I still remember how disappointed I was when I saw Quadrophenia for the
> first time and the magnificent sound of "The Real Me" faded off into
plain
> ol' dialogue, and I realized the Quad movie was NOT going to be "all
music,
> all the time".

Alan:

I think you need to approach it as a movie, not a Who movie. For me, it
shares a lot with another flick which came out about the same
time...Apocalypse Now. Both feature stark realism. Both have bizarre
circumstances and situations. Both showcase a strange time and place.
I'm not saying it's as good as the album, or even that it has the same
story (because essentially, it doesn't). But it's a nice aside.


> I don't hear much humor in the song.  It's downright ugly, what with all
the 
> imagery about giving her the shaft.  Great way to be immortalized, ain't
it?

Keets:

She doesn't seem to mind.

> Since we're discussing FACE DANCES, "Somebody Saved Me" is one of those 
> narratives that I dearly love.  But who is Pete talking about here?

Some say Kit Lambert. Pete said the part about the friend who took care of
him and died is true.

> the regulat MCA American reissue.  Can anyone else check, too, please?

Scott:

It's the digital error; don't worry.


"By many measures, Texas is easily the most polluted state in the country."
                  Rolling Stone magazine

      
                    Cheers                  ML