Re: Who Fans Mourn, But Band Plays On

["Scott Schrade" <schrade@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Pete shouldn't try to justify these things.  It's a nightmare.  They're
> doing the best thing they know how.  Pete said everything is his first
> post:  Pray for us.


Now, I don't want to justify their decision to continue - I'm trying to
be supportive, & yet I, too, have some reservations.

Yet the more I think about the decision, the less surprised I am.  Let's 
look at that checkered past:

1978 Moon's death - The band announces fairly soon after that they 
will continue on.

1979 Cincinnati tragedy - The band announces very quickly that the
tour will continue as scheduled.

The only time the band *didn't* continue was in the relative calm of
1983 when Pete decided that was the time to hang it up.

When faced with big-time tragedy, the band seems to have this knee-
jerk reaction that Rock & Roll, & The Who's music, is bigger than
any band member, & bigger than the audience, too.  It's the master
they serve.

Now, I don't know if that decision or mind-set is right, or moralistic, 
or what.  But when you consider The Who's history, it's not surprising.

Pete & Roger (& even John when he was alive) seem to have the at-
titude that Rock & Roll is there occupation.  It's not treated as a luxury,
it's their job.  And not a job that they begrudgingly perform; they're
happy in their jobs.  That's why The Who is a working man's (& wo-
man's) band.  Rightly or wrongly, they approach Rock & Roll with a 
certain work ethic.

Maybe they're confirming to us again the power of Rock & Roll.  The 
power of The Who's music.  The vastness of it.  The enormity of it.
Too big & too important to be diverted by individual suffering & trag-
edy.

Sounds cold, yes.  But not surprising.


- SCHRADE in Akron

"I *do* *my* job."   -  Pete Townshend