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Re: wider audience
>Pete has hinted that he would like to have his work seen and heard more
>than it has. He's spoken about a desire to get some ideas on film and on
>the stage and have them be popular (ala Tommy). How can he do that without
>alienating the hardcore Who fan?
>Maybe by simply working more? I am not being completely facetious. If TED
>tour on a semi-regular basis and toss in some new songs, wouldn't we cut
>them some slack for softening the edges for movies and stage productions?
>I would.
I think most fans would. I haven't heard anybody say they had quit being a
fan because there was a TOMMY show on Broadway, or that it was made into a
ballet or performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, or that Quad the movie
didn't follow the opera script. They gripe and bellyache, and maybe they
pass on the ballet, but still they come to the shows.
Broadening the audience is one method I could come up with right away, and
another is continued promotion. You have to stay in the public eye in order
to be heard. I don't know that working harder will do you as much good as
working smarter.
Over the years, TED have generally done well in broadening their audience
because they're a) good enough to cross over into different musical genres
and b) not afraid to experiment. One of the best things Pete has done
recently is to offer his music for movie scores. I'm less sure of the
commercial ads, but that may well turn out to be an excellent strategy, too.
It might also be helpful if all Pete's music was scored and adapted for
orchestras. (Let's see a show of hands--how many people know who John Star
Wars Williams is?) Something I also thought might be interesting is
cross-over albums with well-known classical or jazz artists. Sanborn plays
Townshend? (Not Kenny G, though.) Vanessa-Mae? Bet Pete would enjoy that.
:) Itzhak Perlman? Yo-Yo Ma? Whatever, they'll get to meet lots of
potential collaborators at these upcoming award shows.
TED haven't done quite so well with promotion in the last twenty years, as
they've pretty much dropped out of sight in their best-known incarnation
(The Who). They're building up public awareness again right now, as they
seem to have settled their differences and found ways they can cooperate
rather than compete. I can't see any way that this would hurt their solo
careers. Everything The Who does seems to get Pete more recognition, as
it's mainly his music they play, and he can use the positive buzz to
leverage other solo opportunities. The benefits spill over into projects
that Roger and John want, as well.
keets
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