The Who's Roger Daltrey tests his survival in 'Extreme History'

["Kevin O'Neal" <kevinandt@xxxxxxxxx>]

The Who's Roger Daltrey tests his survival in 'Extreme History'




By Ed Bark
The Dallas Morning News

    Millions know him as the long-standing lead singer for The Who. Millions
of their offspring might simply ask, "Who's he?"
    Roger Daltrey, one-time prince of power pop, is now old enough to be a
grandpop. But at age 59 he's still nimbly bouncing around. This time, though,
it's the Colorado River rapids, not a rock stage.
    Consider the History Channel thrilled to have a rock 'n' roll fossil throw
himself into its new "Extreme History" series (debuting Sunday at 8:30 p.m.).
Daltrey does so with enough exuberance and vitality to make this a winning,
instructive half-hour.
    Daltrey begins each episode by trumpeting, "This is 'Extreme History,'
where the first rule of survival is: Do anything to stay alive!"
    The first obstacle is the reasonably mighty Colorado, tamed in 1869 by
one-armed Civil War veteran John Wesley Powell and his nine-man crew. It took
them three months to navigate a then-uncharted 1,000-mile course, with four
men quitting along the way. Daltrey and river guides give viewers a taste of
what it was like. Their vessel is a clunky old wooden boat similar to those
that Powell and company used.
    "I just have this feeling of ominous doom," says a nonetheless jolly
Daltrey. His principal assignments are steering the boat, eating bread laced
with rancid bacon grease and climbing a rock formation with the one-armed
technique used by Powell.
    "You're a rock star," he's told. Good one.
    Daltrey in fact is a very good sport, and certainly no pantywaist. He
deftly fashions a new oar by trimming it with an ax. Back in the 1950s, he
used roughly the same tool to make his first guitar at age 12, Daltrey says.
    Next week's episode finds him surviving a mock buffalo hunt in the company
of Plains Indians who replicate the weapons and techniques used to kill the
lumbering animals for essential food, shelter and clothing. While learning how
to make an arrow, Daltrey inadvertently breaks wind. He laughs at himself,
makes a little joke and moves on. His total lack of pretension is admirable in
this entertaining little gem of an adventure series.
    Other upcoming episodes will find Daltrey surviving the Civil War, NASCAR,
West Texas of 1867 and life as a caveman. Bully for him. You can safely bet
that Elton John would never do this.

http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Oct/10042003/saturday/98511.asp

Kevin in VT