Re: Half A Who Fan

[AnEnglishBoy <campbell@fix.net>]

L. Bird wrote:





> There does seem to be a split within Who fandom.  We discussed the periods
> before, and I was in favor of breaking it down as Early, Middle and Late.  I
> think there are a number of UK fans who still prefer the Early period.



Well, recording wise, I prefer, as stated a week or so ago:

Quadrophenia
My Generation (British Brunswick version)
TheWho->SellOut
Tommy
TheWho->ByNumbers

which would, when measured by years, be 4 early and one
middle period album.

Live, having seen them first in "dippity doo '67, and last
in August 2000, I'd say that NOTHING compares to
the live Who-> experience I witnessed in 67/68/69/70
and the "Fallout Shelter Tour" in '73.

Many things changed the live Who-> experience in my view,
and not all was the material or sophisticated arrangements that
evolved, but, I believe it was the ever increasing popularity that
came in the wake of "Thomas/Leeds/Next" and the different
types of folk who began attending concerts because it was
"*the* thing to do."

Much like on this list, and most others I haunt, the increased numbers
wreak havoc and hostility with what was once peaceful, and
similar to the fighting at the front of the stage at Anaheim Stadium
in March of '76, and the tragedy in Cincy later that decade, it all
turns to shit after a while.

So, I quit going to large scale concerts by big name bands for
some 20 years to avoid the unpleasant atmosphere. I did not
see TheWho-> from the Los Angeles Sports Arena show in
summer 1980 until August 2000 for the very reasons already
stated. I did not want to be stuck in a crowd of 20,000
drunken, stoned assholes screaming for "Teenage Wasteland'
with them having no concept of the true meaning of the term,
puking on their shoes, and mine, fighting, etc..

I've got to admit to being spoiled by seeing TheWho-> in
67/68 when they could not fill a 2000 seat theatre, had to
cancel the early show, combine the ticket buyers from the
early and late show just to fill the first 15 rows.

And talk about the debut in CA of "Thomas" at the
Hollywood Paladium in summer '69!!

Yeah, so gimme the early days, up to 1970, with a
dose (that kind too) of "Quadrophenia '73," thank you.

AnEnglishBoy~