Why I lost The Who

housequeer.blogspot.com my have gotten it more right, but I have to intellecualize it, so here goes.

Watching all the huge hype of the 'PantheonLegacyisness' of my favorite rock band has gotten me to thinking. The songs have worn thin on me. The current incarnation of the performing outfit just does not give me enough of a charge. That's the two main problems I have with the current product.

I find the story of The Who to still be interesting, so I'm still following the narrative. But the passion I felt for them is gone. All is not lost because the things the music gave me are still inside. Quadrophenia did save my life and I know that now more clearly than ever. I'm still living, so that alone is worth something.

And I really don't give two shits about the 'PantheonLegacy of The Who'. Their place in the world is of no interest to me at all. Frankly, I think the whole concept of musical legacy is silly.

Now the bad news about the performing outfit. As I'm tired of the old songs, and the newer ones do not reach me at all that leaves the performances themselves. There's just not enough there for me to make up for how worn the songs sound to me.

Zak Starkey is an amazing musician. Pete has figured out a new style of playing that involves much less volume and distortion that is interesting on a certain level. Simon is filling in the high vocals and some of the space vacated by John and the changes in Pete and Roger. Pino is filling in nicely for that bottom portion of John's sound. The main problem is Roger.

His voice has changed and he has not been able to find a way to perform with what is left of his chords. It is not just a matter of sound (though that is huge). It is a matter of attitude. Because the chords are a question mark, he has lost some of his balls. I hope he finds it. I don't know if it is a doctor he needs or a change in style that he needs to find. But I do hope he finds it.