Re: a new album

["L. Bird" <pkeets@hotmail.com>]

>Pete's kind of on the fringe (as actually they all are, I suppose).  Pete 
>is a perpetual misfit, and I don't think any amount of camoflage will make 
>him into an ordinary establishment success.
>
>Actually, TED have been doing very well with the establishment just lately. 
>They're flirting with it, feeling it out, and may come up with some very 
>successful projects once things work out.

This is something that's interesting to watch.  How does a group that's 
always been very independent and fringe anti-establishment win friends and 
influence people to get what they want?

Broadway is too entrenched an entity to fight directly--as Paul Simon found 
out.  Theater is a strange genre, seemingly controlled by a group of fans 
that's rapidly aging.  Theater directors seem to be caught in a Catch-22 
where they have to play to the conservative audience they're got, but that 
programming drives away any possible new audience.  The big question is how 
to satisfy both groups, and I'm sure they're looking for shows that will do 
it.

Pete did very well with TOMMY by teaming with someone who knew the ropes, 
but Roger and John didn't like the result.  The next question is how they 
produce Broadway Who that will satisfy a younger, tougher audience but not 
run off the regular fans.  Roger (the producer) has been around to Broadway 
since then, checking out the audience, and did very well singing in a 
modified style.  The prediction is that QUAD will be more of a rock show 
than TOMMY was.

The Who is doing well in Hollywood just lately, too.  Roger seems to have 
worked his way through the deals necessary to get the Keith Moon movie in 
development, and Pete has apparently successfully pitched an idea or two, as 
well.  John produced a successful soundtrack, and ought to follow up with 
more Hollywood work--he's got a great voice for animation.

Everybody has had a tendency to downgrade Roger as an actor, but he may 
eventually end up with something of a presence.  He's always projected 
personality in spades singing on stage, but unfortunately didn't come across 
well on TV at all.  (Interestingly, Madonna seems to be having similar 
problems.)  Still, there were always flashes of personality that came 
across.  With all the recent practice at it, Roger seems to be ironing out 
the problems, and the eye-catching shots are getting to be more frequent.  
If he manages to snag a hit movie, then he may end up with some real clout 
as a producer.

So once they're in, what should they produce?  PD the movie?  Boris the 
Broadway/animated cartoon?  Then they're out of material.  Damn.  Pete 
better get to writing!  :)


keets

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