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Matt's Diary 29th June 2002 


One of the things I wanted to do on this tour was to
write a diary of the tour from my own perspective,
which I feel is fairly unique. Obviously the first
diary entry was planned for yesterday, when the band
was due to open in Las Vegas. Events of 48 hours ago
have changed all that. Im still going to go ahead
with writing about the tour though as best I can but
it is a difficult time for everyone involved in the
band from Pete and Roger, right down to the guy who
has tickets right in the very back row. So heres the
first. I must point out that my diary entries are
strictly my own opinion. They have not been pre-read,
sanctioned or edited by anyone in The Who or their
management. 

Diary 1. Los Angeles June 29 2002.

I started out this piece by saying that I hope to
provide a unique insight into the machinery that
goes into a tour like this. However, its 5 am on
Saturday morning and Im typing in my hotel bed
wondering what the hell to write  how very rock and
roll (not!). Thats not how it was planned. This was
meant to be a joyous look at the bands opening night
in Vegas. The Who a sure bet in Vegas the title
would probably have read. 

However, its not joyous and its not triumphant. If
anything itll probably be a story of a group of
normal people united in grief at losing someone they
love and just trying to get on with their jobs in the
face of such pain. 

This brings me neatly on to my own job and maybe I
should start by explaining why I think I have a unique
perspective here. Yeah, thats a good place to start
(still dont know where its going to finish though!).
Over the past few years many Who fans have asked me
directly (or via chatrooms) who I am and how come I
ended up with such a cushy number for a job (the term
luckiest man in the world is the latest one to be
bandied about). Usually they are met with my stock
reply  it doesnt really matter who I am, what
matters is the band. Im just doing a job. And that
really does sum up my view but, since I am setting
myself up to be shot down here, perhaps its time I
nailed my colours to the mast and laid our my
credentials. I am first and foremost a card carrying
Who fan, have been since first seeing the band in 1971
at the age of 12. And at this moment in time Ive
never been prouder to be a Who fan.