Re: subjectivity

["Schrade, Scott" <sschrade@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

OK, I'm fresh out of sarcasm so let's get serious here.

> What the hell am I saying here?  Hmmmm...I'm not sure.  Maybe I 
> just hope you will enjoy the sweet memories that you've got of 
> some rip-roaring Whogasms and not let any sober analysis color 
> that memory.

Do you see what you're doing, Jeff?  You're assuming that because
Mark & I are being critical about some facets of the 2002 incarna-
tion of The Who we must be having some sort of internal crisis, 
shaking the very foundation of our Who fandom.

And while I can't speak for Mark (that court injunction from 2001
prevents me from doing that), I can honestly say, that's not the case
with me at all.  There's no crisis.  We got no crisis.  This is true.

What you call "sober analysis" is really just us listening to the 
music & commenting on it.  That's all.

I'm sure as hell not worriedly pacing around my apartment, wringing my
hands, wondering what has happened to my glorious Who of yesteryear.

It seems you think we are going through some kind of moral dilemma
or soul-searching just because we've been honest in our opinions.  You
seem to think there must be something we're blocking or just not under-
standing that is preventing us from seeing the light, so to speak. 

Why can't we express our opinions without being looked upon as traitors?
Why can't we speak our mind without being seen as losing the faith?
Why can't we impart our grievances without being seen as stubborn or
uncaring?  Why can't we relate our feelings without being seen as cold &
judgmental?

And you seem to think it's unfair to compare the Who of today with the
Who of yesterday.  But is it?  If the Who of yesterday is the Who that
sparked our interest in their music, then how can comparisons *not*
be made?

It would seem more sinful to me to blindly accept every incarnation
& shift in their music as wonderful & without fault.  Why shouldn't Pino
be held in comparison to Entwistle?  He's on stage with the band.

Why shouldn't we compare how Daltrey's voice sounded in 1975 with how
it sounds today?  What are we here for?  Why did we invest so much time 
& energy loving this band if we're not allowed to view their current
output of beautiful noise with their gloried past?  

It's our band, too.  It's your band.  It's my band.  And it's Mark's band.
We're in it up to our freaking eyeballs!  Anyone can have an opinion.
Anyone can join in & jump.

Saying Roger's voice sounds ragged or that Pino doesn't fill out the
bottom end like Entwistle isn't some sort of treason or loss of faith;
or refusal to accept the present, face the facts, or anything like that.

We each love our splendid Who in different & unique ways.  Let us love
it, study it, revel in it, disregard it, worship it, scoff at it, &
ponder it how we each see fit.

We're all on the same team.  Nobody's refusing to face up to anything.
There's no crisis.  We got no crisis.  


- SCHRADE in Akron