A Conversation between..........

[AnEnglishBoy <campbell@fix.net>]

.......ring......ring..ring...........rinnnnngggggggggg..............

Pete answers: 'allo?

A voice: Pete?

Pete: Townshend 'ere!

A voice: It's Rog!

Pete: 'allo Rog! All the 'elps off t'day and the family's gone off on
'oliday, so I'm 'ere all alone, and 'aft 'ta answer the tele meself.

Roger: 'ave you got a min., Pete? We need to talk about
TheOooo->!

Pete sighs, thinking to himself (...oh God, here we go again!)

Pete: Well Rog, I *-was-* composing on the Steinway, y'know,
some -serious- music. But if we *must.* Olllright, Rog, wot's on
yer mind?

Roger: Pete, we've _got_ to talk. Not just about another tour, but
about **recording** a new LP by the bleedin' Ooooo->!!! Now,
you know that I've got some songs, and John has several, so why
can't you pop-off some trax with the Ooooo-> in mind, instead of
trying to become the 21st Century's next Beethoven or Mozart?
Then we'll record the bloody thing and have something to promote
the tour with? Even another "Squeeze Box" or "You Better You Bet,"
will do. After the concert for New York City, the fans are begging
for it.

Jesus, Pete! Some of us *need* money, and soon!! Besides,
not all of TheWho-> can sit around reaping in the shillings
from songs we wrote 20 years ago.....or 30 years ago like
you can......!!

Shit Pete, you're still gettin' rich  from songs you wrote while
blocked on blues when we called ourselves the "High Numbers!",
even "The Detours."

The Oooo-> need to -go- somewhere! We need to progress!
I can't take anymore of your bloody "tortured artist syndrome" act,
Pete! Let's get fucking on with it all!!

Pete (rolling his eyes): Well, Roger, just _how_ do you plan
on doing *that?* I've got no bloody songs suited for the God
Damned Oooo->, because, frankly Rog, I don't spend much
effort thinking about The Oooo->'s future. *You* and the *fans*
do plenty of that for me!

For bollocks sake Roger, I've got me website, me merchandising
site, me little boy to think of, me *causes* that I actively participate

in, me solo career, me sex life, and me fucking garden to tend.

All that I really took pleasure in from the last tour was me videos
from the stage, and me daily diaries posted to me website.

Shit, Rog, I have a life, a family, and a career **without**
THE FUCKING WHO-> breathing down my neck and
pressuring me to produce...produce...produce material for
a band that, quite frankly, Rog, I've evolved beyond.

The Oooo-> remains stuck in the mire and bog of what it
once was, and you continue to try to make them be.

I fucking enjoy being the tortured artist, Rog!

I enjoy it!!

Roger: Alright Pete, alriggghhhhhhttttttt!! I'll give it up and let you
take the chick with the violin on this tour for the Baba O' ending,
put me harmonica in the attic, lay low and play the puppy dog,
if you'll just resurrect "Eminence Front" and let me play some
electric guitar!!

But another thing's been botherin' me, Pete!

Ooo-> the 'ell is this "AnEnglishBoy" bloke that is
crawling up me ass all over the internet, and on
-your- discussion lists too???? Some folks this
it's *you!!*

Pete: Wot??????