Re: After an album, what?

[Jeff House <jjthandmeh@juno.com>]

keets "Have they ever had an album that was an instant success, though?  I'm
sure anything they put out will totally mystify the world.  Everybody will
complain because it's not WHO'S NEXT, or QUAD.  They'll come to the shows
expecting Greatest Hits, and bitch and moan about strange material and then
slowly come around to understanding it.  I figure that's why The Who always
had to make such long tours."

Why can't we have our cake and eat it too?  If you look at the set lists
from '71-'72, they were gradually putting more Lifehouse songs into the mix
while shrinking the Tommy portion.  Why not trot out a half dozen new songs
for the next tour and cut back on the oldies a bit.  Some of the old stuff
will always have to be kept in, because the legacy of The Who is so great.

keets "It's interesting that The Who never seems to have altered their music
in search of a younger audience.  They're always trend setters, ahead of
current taste, rather than copying anything identifiable."

Except for the need to play their own old stuff in their old age.

keets "Pete is so ambivalent that I'm sure kids will find something to
identify with in the album, as well as fifty-somethings."

I'm not too sure about that.  I think their audience will always be
dominated by adults.

keets  "It seems to me that the older Pete gets, the more he looks backward.
I guess they're taking The Who one project at a time, but if they do another
album after the (possible) TKAA album, I'd expect another synthesis of past
and present--and more about the incredible journey!"

Now I'm on board with you here, but aren't you contradicting your
expectation that they will do something "trend setting"?

Jeff