Opinion Poll

So most of us kind of know that the whole Who blogsphere is a titter with the fact that thewho.com and perhaps Pete's blog will be charged a subscription fee of 50 US Dollars for a yearly rate. The "talk" seems to be around whether fans who have dedicated themselves to the various blogs and sites over the years should now be entitled to pay. So I am thinking....what does everybody else think? Does it include or exclude? Is it fair to charge - because let's face it - Pete has given us so much out of his own goodwill and perhaps, this is a way of "giving back" to a good platform. Or is the whole thought of it unnecessary and creates a divide between what the internet and blogs represent - freedom of information - and therefore somewhat unfair in this regard?

I Never Wanted To Say Goodbye (Original Song)

Check out Gary Stockton's new song!

Special request from Rob...

Hey everyone:
Hope you are all doing well tonight.
I have a special request from Rob to post a link to this very cool myspace page that he has discovered. Rob asks and Rob shall receive. It is a cool site with very thorough coverage and cool photos.

Click on the blogpost title to go there...

and by the way...
here is a special photo for my bud Aaron.
He says this is one of his faves, mine too.
I have it in my living room, get lots of questions about it but I always call it the photo that was in Fast Times At Ridgemont High.


ROCK ON!!!
-Lin

Executive Producer of Iron

My son had his 10th birthday last week, and one of the gifts I got for him was the animated movie, The Iron Giant (1999). Though it jumped right out at me from a grocery store rack, honestly, when I picked it up, I didn't make the connection right away but suspected it was the same story as The Iron Man (coz ... where've I been all these years? I missed it when it first came out somehow. But as you'll see below, my son says he remembers seeing the movie a few years ago.) Anyway, sure enough, I looked on the back and saw PT, Exec Producer. Cool, I thought. For sure I'm buying it. (My son loves robots and transformers, so... it was sure to be a hit with him too, I thought, smiling to myself).

Here's what my son had to say about getting the DVD for his birthday (he addresses this directly to PT; I told him this isn't Pete's blog, just a fan blog, but he wanted to speak to PT anyway):

"When I first looked at the back of The Iron Giant DVD that I got for my birthday, the biggest coincidence happened to me. I couldn't believe that you were the producer of The Iron Giant. I had seen the movie a few years ago but I didn't even know about you then so I wasn't that surprised back then."

(part of the reason my son was so thrilled is because he wants to be a "movie producer" when he grows up ... wants to go to "film school"... the other reason is, I think he's slowly becoming "a fan"... :-) And yes, it put a huge grin on my son's face to see PT's name on the back of the box. I have to say I was amazed.)

Anyway, he and I watched the movie together. I was surprised how little of a connection I was able to make to PT. The only apparent link to him at all is his name in little letters on the back of the box, under Executive Producer. Otherwise, you'd never know. Needless to say, I was a teeny bit disappointed. Wasn't there going to be some Pete music on this?? The soundtrack music was fine, but a bit soporific. (No PT.) As was the pace of the movie, at least till about 3/4 through. Very cute film though... and nice addition to the PT collection .. of sorts.

Isn't there ANOTHER Iron person film? (I know there's the musical, but is there another film? I've seen a YouTube video of what looks like a clip from a markedly different film (for the song, "A Friend is a Friend") - or was that just a one-off promo video for the song?

I could look all this up, and will continue to be as ignorant as I feel, but it's more fun to make it a group effort. :-)

(p.s. it wasn't my idea to post to this blog -- my son wanted me to do this for him.)

and what would you ask Pete next.. about Rachel??

:P

what would you ask...

So, let's say you are a reporter for Rolling Stone...
and someone says you have a chance to interview Pete and you get all excited.
You get all spiffed up, manicure, pedicure, enema (just jokin') and you buy a new suit or dress, whatever floats your boat. You get a new hairdo and your teeth cleaned. You get a facial. a new recording device and a pencil and paper for backup in case it fails (like it did to some reporter in 2006 and he had to lend him his device). You shine up your camera. You show up at the interview...

What's the one question that has been buggin' you for aeons and you just need to ask?

You are a clever lot and I am sure there are things you want to ask PDBT.

Discuss...

-Lin

The blog gods have spoken!

This site shall remain open for the duration of all time!!

Or until everyone here picks up their ball and goes home for good! This blog is unfolding just as I hoped it would, each of you contributing things for all of us to comment on, with no one person feeling pressured to keep it going. I personally am absent for chunks of time and have great faith that all who have stepped up to be blogger team members will carry on with competence and kindness. The contributions have been great, the friendship among those here very apparent. I'd only ask that we all continue to watch about copyright violation, both for ourselves and anyone who comes along and comments, and keep remembering a few words once written by our man PT-

A friend is a friend
Nothing can change that
Arguments, squabbles
Can't break the contract
That each of you makes
To the death, to the end
Deliver your future
Into the hands of your friend

Blog on!!

The Future

So what do we 'ones' do when Pete's Wire goes live.....are we closing up the doors and turning off the lights here until Pete goes into hiding again?

Pete's new blog

Check out Rachel's blog...she brings clarity to the blog issue. Pete's going to have a new one.

"We were never friends!" (m-my t-t-translation....)

(fresh as a daisy!)


Wir waren niemals Freunde!

Nov. 3, 2006

Stern
Online






Surviving members of The Who: Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend


It's been 24 years since there's been a new album by the legendary rock band The Who, a band that used to destroy their instruments onstage and who created a new yardstick with their rock opera, Tommy. In this Stern interview, Pete Townshend sums up his life.

Mr. Townshend, who's your favorite musical artist these days?
Joni Mitchell, her album Travellogue, that's the record with the orchestra songs.

Why do you think it was easier in the 60s to become a rock star?
There were no rules, apart from those of our parents. We were unknowns, but we had our dreams. We lived in a denial caused by the trauma of war that our parents had suffered through. We borrowed the blues, classical music, country, western, 50s pop, and created our own style of music. It wasn't so much about being young, as it was about separating ourselves from the views of our parents.

What's been the high point in your life?
Completing my book, The Boy Who Heard Music. That led to my composing the music for the album, Wire and Glass (EP, published July 2006 as a teaser for the forthcoming Who album). As soon as I finished the book, I knew that I'd found something that would inspire me for a second life with The Who. It wasn't necessarily something that I'd wanted, but it was clear to me that this was a second chance.

And your low point?
The death of John Entwistle (bassist for the Who, died 2002). And the death of two adults who had been sexually abused in their childhood. I wanted to help them, in that I wanted to pay for their therapy.

Is there a song you wish you'd written?
"Three Steps to Heaven" by Eddie Cochran. If I had to choose just one song, then it would be, "People are All the Same" by The Sugababes.

Does it bother you that your audience doesn't want to hear anything but old classic Who songs?
That's not true! They listen to everything as long we play the classics too. But for 24 years we didn't have any new songs. Now we play 8 or 9 new songs at our shows, and people are happy.

You're 61 years old. What would you still like to do?
Write my autobiography -- hopefully before I turn 64, so that I can publish it when I'm 65. Other than that, I'd like to expand my knowledge of German. And have all the important sailing certificates (?) under my belt. I'm an experienced seeman, but my qualifications are modest. And I'd like to be a granddad one day.

If you could have given yourself some advice 20 years ago, how would it have sounded?
You're doing everything great, Pete! Don't worry about anything. Twenty years ago I had just released my solo album, White City. Aside from that, I was working on writing the stage musical, Iron Man, by Ted Hughes. I worked on many different things which were all fun for me. But in spite of all this, I was still somehow unfulfilled. It had to do with needing to bring my therapy to an end. When I finally completed it, I was satisfied. I still sometimes go for therapy, when I feel the need for it.

Are you and Roger Daltrey still friends -- or more like business partners?
We were never friends! But we've been creative partners for many years. Today we're closer than ever before, because we only have each other. (Who drummer K.M died in 1978, bassist John Entwistle in 2002)

How will people remember The Who 50 years from now?
People will remember My Generation. The way we destroyed guitars and hotel rooms. But our music will also be remembered seriously. We had social relevance. But we weren't responsible for this, our audience was.


Interview: Hannes Roß / translated by Lucy D.


Sidebar: The Who's last studio album "It's Hard" appeared in 1982. It was an appropriate name for the album, which came at the end of the career of a legendary but uninspired rockband. This new album, Endless Wire (released Nov. 3, 2006) hints once again at their great success.

Oh Baby

Mikey and Rene are expecting a Baby!!!!!!!!!!

November 5th

Check out the new Who website......looks like November 5th will be a big day!

http://www.thewho.com/?module=news_item&news_item_id=6

Pete's 1989 appearance on Letterman (A Friend is a Friend) (in dedication to all blogger friends, including Suesjoy)

Really cool interview from 1989, though it would probably embarrass Pete today! God, it's funny! (but not surprising)

Townshend on Letterman (1989)

If anyone can figure out how to embed this video into the blog, let me know! I tried, and all I get is a blank screen with a play button that does nothing.

Letterman mentions that Pete was on his show "about 4 or 5 years ago" as well. Has anyone seen that one?! I'd love to. I've seen some later shows, which were also a riot.

Pete: you're a riot. (He may find it very difficult to have fun, but he sure knows how to give fun to others!) Thanks, Pete.

CS-T 1982 article final bit

OK, I posted the last bit. It's hardly worth looking, but just...

Go see.

Chicago Sun-Times Oct. 3-4, 1982 article

Sorry I didn't get the last pic of Roger scanned... too much trouble! (just picture it!)

A day at the guitar festival

Hi Everyone,Just wanted to let you guys know I went to a guitar show and had 2 clinics to better my guitar playing. While I was there I got to jam onstage with Stu Hamm. We played 2 WHO songs pinball wizard and cant explain. I sang in front of about 100 people and Stu and I rocked the house. He is a phenominal bass player. I just wanted to share with you guys because we played some WHO songs

Just when I thought I had seen it all...

I found this cool Pete picture online today by accident. I thought I had seen every PT photo under the sun and this has eluded me until now. I think it is quite thought provoking, kinda like the guitar finally broke him, for once, and I really like it. I thought others might want to right click on it and save it... perhaps yes, perhaps no. Either way, there you have it.

ROCK ON, my Who friends!

-Lin

Perhaps this would make an excellent jacket or cover photo for the autobio, whenever it comes out? I don't know who created this but I am inrtuiged by it...

The Rolling Stone Photo so cute!!!

Don't forget, everyone, to visit Rachel's Ebay store where she is selling some of Pete's personally owned items for charity!!! Very cool and this is one of the things I love about being so 'in touch' with R&P online, getting info like this first hand. How special are we as fans???

www.stores.ebay.com/towsers-treasures

ROCK ON!!!
-Lin

Crashing the Attic

Well what will those crazy bloggers do next!?!

Crashing the Attic


Blog on!

Pete to appear with Led Zeppelin

http://www.pollstar.com/tour/searchall.pl?AN=Y&By=Artist&Content=PETTOW&PSKey=Y

Chicago Sun-Times October 3-4, 1982

Well, here it is! But....

1) why did I think it was the Chicago Tribune? Bad memory, I guess.

2) sorry so late (you don't know what I had to go through to get these scanned today!) (a lot of spousal arm-twisting! ;-))

3) sorry so illegible and inadequately large (esp. from part II, Oct. 4) (get out your magnifying glasses!)

4) sorry the last page (p. 62) is missing. I found it in my stack AFTER all the scanning had finally been completed. I'll just fill it in the old-fashioned way later... (check back). Actually it's really short, so have hope! But you'll be missing out on another pic of Roger.

5) Re: correcting #3 and #4, see #2... so don't hope for too much! But a big thanks to my husband anyway, for being so patient with me (it only took a month!) (I should be happy I got this much! ;-)) (I don't think I have the strength for more arm-twisting).


This was actually a color page (above) ... pinkish and very garish.




Love that Pete pic up top, in stripes. :-)



sorry about the right side being lopped off a bit up there! bad photocopying job on my part, I guess!


OK, now it gets really small....... so sorry. (It's a great article!)



why's there such a big gap up there? bad scan job, I guess!


but where's page 62?? (watch this space!!) (literally!) (OK, go ahead... you can blink)

OK... here's the final bit. For what it's worth ... (I'm a completist...)

[p. 62] Chicago Sun-Times, Wednesday, October 6, 1982 (cont'd from p. 45)

... It's a healthy sign that he was a little mad, with a little chip ... on his shoulder. Even on the last tour, the Who still care.

OPENING FOR THE WHO was T-Bone Burnett, whose set waged a largely unsuccessful battle against tinny sound, audience indifference, and the other problems that so often plague warm-up acts at the arena-rock level.

Although Burnett, best-known through his association with Bob Dylan and the Alpha Band, is one of the most intriguing songwriters on the contemporary scene, the wit, melodicism and taut dynamism of his material were largely lost within the cavernous Horizon.

Coming across best were propulsive Tex-Mex rockers such as "Like a Boomerang" and "Hold on Tight," powered by the guitar work of ex-David Bowie sideman Mick Ronson. ^{[profile pic of Roger at the Rosement Horizon in a light colored suit jacket holding mic to mouth in his usual up-ended elbow fashion]}