From RS Mag: New Who Album

[Jaimoe]

I'm one of the biggest Who fans on this site and I'm pretty skeptical about this news. The Who without their original rhythm section can hardly be called The Who in my eyes... and I love current drummer Zak Starkey. I'm pleased that Pete wants to write Who-like rock songs again, but to call the band The Who is unfair to Who fans everywhere. Still, I can overlook all the future debates and controversy if Pete and company make a good album with killer Townshend chops.

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Pete's Resolution: Who Album

Townshend dedicating himself to his old band

Pete Townshend has made a New Year's resolution: to write and record a new Who studio album in 2003. The album would be the band's first in more than twenty years, and the first without bassist John Entwistle, who died of a heart attack on June 27th, the night before the original kickoff date for the Who's summer tour.

Although he's committed to the project, Townshend remains ambivalent about the results. "I believe it is a tough time to write new music," he posts. "If I write fifteen good pieces, and ten of them make it to a new CD, we will probably find that only two or three of them will stand comparison on stage with our old hits."

Townshend is also determined to make the effort a collaborative one, and the guitarist recently met with singer Roger Daltrey. "I am very keen to see Roger find some creative outlet on this future Who recording," Townshend continues. "He is full of ideas, passion and energy -- he bears quite a disturbed and serious view of the world at the moment."

Still inspired from the Who's 2002 tour, Townshend also says that the band may pop up at select charity events and festivals: "We are enjoying the more honest lure of having such a great band to call on whenever we feel like playing." JOHN LUERSSEN

(December 26, 2002)

[hamilton]

quote:

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Originally posted by Jaimoe:

I'm one of the biggest Who fans on this site and I'm pretty skeptical about this news. The Who without their original rhythm section can hardly be called The Who in my eyes... and I love current drummer Zak Starkey. I'm pleased that Pete wants to write Who-like rock songs again, but to call the band The Who is unfair to Who fans everywhere. Still, I can overlook all the future debates and controversy if Pete and company make a good album with killer Townshend chops.

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I agree - it's a little tasteless to still call yourselves The Who when half of the band is dead. I'm sure that they could released the new album under the name "Townsend/Daltrey" (or some combination thereof) without affecting sales...

Brian.

[Booche]

Woozle Wazzle?

That aint right..................the should call themselves The Other Ones.

[Jaimoe]

Hey Booche, I forgot my Mule cds at your place. I would have loved listening to them on the way to T.O. today.

I understand ( I think ) why Pete and Roger called themselves The Who on their last tour ( with a great concert in Toronto too ), but when they record this new album, they'll have to make Zak a full-time member. If not, they should call themselves Pete Townshend of The Who, with Roger Daltrey on vocals.

[Mr. Musicface]

quote:

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I understand ( I think ) why Pete and Roger called themselves The Who on their last tour ( with a great concert in Toronto too ), but when they record this new album, they'll have to make Zak a full-time member. If not, they should call themselves Pete Townshend of The Who, with Roger Daltrey on vocals.

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Yo Jaimoe!

To play devil's advocate on this one, you could argue that Daltrey and Townshend doing an album now is an extension of the last tour, so why shouldn't they call themselves the Who? It's a little different than Page & Plant getting together 15 years after the fact and suddenly calling themselves Led Zep, or worse if Paul and Ringo started trying to make a new Beatles album! But if they called themselves the Who for the tour and that was okay, why is this different?

(For the record, personally I thought they should have cancelled the tour when Entwistle died, but having gone ahead with that, why is this in any worse taste?)

Peace,

Mr. M.

[Jaimoe]

Hey Mr. Musicface. I think that because of Entwistle's death on the day before the start of their tour, Townshend had to make a choice - either cancel the tour and break-up the band and it's extended family, or call themselves The Who for one last time - and make lots of money doing it, and ideally, make their die-hard fans happy too.

Since they have never made Zak Starkey or Rabbit Bundrick full-time members ( and in the case of Bundrick, they could have made him an official Who member given they amount of work he's done with them over the years ), it's hard for me to call Pete and Roger The Who - I always loved snow-blower Entwistle and speed-freak Moonie almost as much as Townshend. Still, the non-prolific songwriter Townshend is my rock hero, and for me to get news that he's writing Who-like songs again is exciting.

I can certainly understand all arguements regarding The Who as tasteless, touring-only, money-grabbers. But with Townshend and Daltery collaborating and recording new material again excites me more than any new album by Phil & Friends, Ratdog, Phish, TOO, Allman Brothers minus Dickie etc... and I love all of those bands.

I think this album is for die-hard fans of the band only - and there are lots. It'll be interesting to hear what it sounds like. One thing is for certain: the rhythm section ( the one usually led by Entwistle ) won't be able to drive Townshend to new and great sonic heights.