RE: Comparing Who stories

["O'Neal, Kevin W." <Kevin.ONeal@vtmednet.org>]

>From: Lucas Bleicher <lbleicher@yahoo.com>
>Subject: Re: The Who Mailing List Digest V7 #350
>
>Hm... I think that comparing Rush and The Who is
>really a matter of tastes. 
>Rush and Who have different styles, so I think we just
>can't say "this one is better than the other".

I was with you up until this point.

>Even when we think of individual instruments, it's hard to
>settle things.

Now, you've totally gone over the line.

>Geddy Lee and John Entwistle?

You've got to be kidding me!  There is no comparison at all.

>Both are incredible bassists.

No, John is an "incredible bassist", but Geddy is an OK bassist.  All Geddy
brought to playing bass is the deep "clunky" sound of the Rickenbocker.
Geddy doesn't have Johns speed, musical talent, or ability to improvise like
John does.  Really, I'm shocked at the comparison.  *BUT*, not as shocked as
the comparison below.

>Pete Townshend and Alex Lifeson?

You have got to be *fucking* kidding me!
Alex Lifeson????????????????
Ask anyone on the street, or even in a music store who Alex is, and I'm sure
you'll get a puzzled look in return.
Alex Lifeson was the weak link in Rush.  He really is not a good guitar
player, at all. His playing was un-imaginative, and simply immature.
I think of it as "cookie-cutter playing".  Stamped out in the studio, with
little variance when played live.

>It's just impossible to compare one with the other.

Not impossible at all.
Are you saying that you can't compare Pete to say some Punk Band guitarist
who sucks, simply because they play differing styles.  Too easy.
Pete is so far in a class beyond Lifeson, that I don't know what else to say
except this:  Go back and listen to both their music for a few days.
Really.
You are right, they are from two differing styles, but still,....talent is
talent, and ability is ability.  And recognition does count for something.

>Then comes Keith Moon and Neil Peart. These two
>outstanding drummers have totally opposite styles, and
>they master their own style. How can we say that one
>is better than the other?

Ok, now I'm back with ya.  You've just put my two favorite drummers
side-by-side.
I can't compare them.  One style is totally different from the other, and
both are excellent at what they do.
I will say that I think Keith has (had) the edge in speed, and you can't
ignore the ability to improvise and flow in a jam.  I don't know if I could
say that Neil could handle that kind of drumming.

>I just don't know... I remember a thread some time ago
>comparing Led Zeppelin to The Who... Two different
>bands, but much easier to compare
>Lucas Bleicher

Let's not go there again. ;-)

>From: "Scott Schrade" <schrade@akrobiz.com>
>Subject: Headline: WHO DON'T EXIST FOR SOME!
>
>I thought to myself, "Man, I barely *stopped* thinking about The WHO 
>in 2000 yet here's a lady who wasn't touched at all!"  Kinda surprised
>me at first but the more I thought about it, everything made sense &
>nothing had changed.
>- - SCHRADE in Akron

I always find it interesting how we all seem to flow together on the same
emotional track.

Over the Holidays, I went into a Gas Station to pay my bill and get some
road munchies, and the attractive girl (about 19-20) behind the counter was
wearing a T-shirt that read "Tommy Girl".
Now, I'm not stupid, so when I asked if she was a Who fan, it was an obvious
attempt at flirtation.  Her reply was what I expected...."<giggle> well,
this is from Tommy Hilfigger".

BUT, then she *did* surprise me!
She went on..."BUT, I do like The Who!  My Daddy turned me on to all their
records!"
OK, once I got past the obvious slap in the face that I felt due to my
closer connection with *HER FUCKING DADDY*, I began to pursue the situation
only to find that she had no idea that The Who had toured this past summer,
that they still are incredible, or that they could even get out of their
wheelchairs and walk without walkers!  
I didn't leave a tip.

My apologies in advance for this one time, yet seriously thought provoking
political "sig". ;-)

In 1555, Nostradamus wrote: 
  "Come the millennium, month 12
   In the home of greatest power,
   The village idiot will come forth 
   To be acclaimed the leader." 
         
Coincidence?

Stay in Tune,
Kevin in VT