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Does a great guitarist lose talent over time? I don't know. Who gives a shit what he's wearing, though? It's Pete Townshend. A guy his age trying too hard to look cool? This is a man who used to wear a white body suit on stage....

 

Boiler Suit

 

John Bonham did also. That was due to A Clockwork Orange.

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Guest Speed Racer

Who gives a shit what he's wearing, though?

 

I know! I find a hard time believing Mick Jagger's striped jumpsuits were that much more in style than his current get-up.

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Does a great guitarist lose talent over time? I don't know. Who gives a shit what he's wearing, though? It's Pete Townshend. A guy his age trying too hard to look cool? This is a man who used to wear a white body suit on stage....

 

 

I admit a lot of this is superficial for me, but it is part of the whole package. I'll be upfront that image, album art etc play a role in how much I dig someone, with the music being first and foremost and primary. So for me it matters a little and I respect those who can look past it.

 

As far as the music, I do think the talent erodes over time for most musicians. No one can argue that vocally last night was short of good. I think Roger Daltry sounded decent, but Pete's voice was shot or is shot. As far as the chops on the instrument, I think Pete can replicate past glory in a technical manner, but I would assume his creativity tank is empty. If we just look at music alone, how many of these aging acts are getting close to past creative peaks. And I personally won't agree with the Bob Dylan arguement if it is posed as an example. I think Dylan gets a free pass with critics and no matter how good recent albums have been they pale by miles to Blonde on Blonde for example

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Petty was the best.

 

I actually missed his, so I can't say for myself. I should check it out somewhere. I like Petty.

Sidenote - I happened upon Petty and his wife shopping (them, not me) on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills about 8 years back. I'm proud I had the presence of mind to point and say "Hey, Charlie T. Jnr!" as we crossed paths, but he was not interested in me at all.

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I just can't think of him as anything but a parody of himself. I can't stand any of his solo work, and I can barely stomach what he did with Wings. The live stuff I've seen has had abysmal arrangements, and I just find the whole thing to be a cross between lackluster and just silly.

Fair enough.

 

Though, I'm never quite sure what the meaning of "parody of himself" means - that particular phrase seems like a cop-out and has become a cliche.

 

When I think of a parody of McCartney, all I can think of is this Spitting Image sketch:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5zA-EogJMc

 

McCartney seems too earnest to me to be projecting any image but himself, aged. He's never been hip or edgy, and he's always had those always-arched, surprised-look eyebrows. I'm not the biggest Paul-solo fan myself, and I would admit that my enjoyment of his show is influenced by my worship of the Beatles.

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Guest Speed Racer

Though, I'm never quite sure what the meaning of "parody of himself" means - that particular phrase seems like a cop-out and has become a cliche.

 

I personally mean it in regards to the fact that I think he honestly believes his solo work continues to advance his career - I don't think he gets that if he played a show of post-Flaming Pie material only, it would be worse than a lot of mediocre bands today and likely have huge troubles selling out arenas if advertised as such. I don't really have any problem with older bands continuing to tour solely based on their old material, but when they think their new material is worth a fart, then I think they're just lying to themselves.

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I personally mean it in regards to the fact that I think he honestly believes his solo work continues to advance his career - I don't think he gets that if he played a show of post-Flaming Pie material only, it would be worse than a lot of mediocre bands today and likely have huge troubles selling out arenas if advertised as such. I don't really have any problem with older bands continuing to tour solely based on their old material, but when they think their new material is worth a fart, then I think they're just lying to themselves.

 

So he believes it, or he doesn't?

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I'd rather see a musician honestly believe their new stuff is worthwhile than to play it on stage and give off an "I only released this to get a paycheck" vibe. Even if they're way off, and the new stuff sucks, the enthusiasm is good to see. I don't see how you can hold an artist's excitement about their new wrk against them. It's only natural, really.

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I personally mean it in regards to the fact that I think he honestly believes his solo work continues to advance his career - I don't think he gets that if he played a show of post-Flaming Pie material only, it would be worse than a lot of mediocre bands today and likely have huge troubles selling out arenas if advertised as such. I don't really have any problem with older bands continuing to tour solely based on their old material, but when they think their new material is worth a fart, then I think they're just lying to themselves.

Well that's the balance that every artist has to strike, no? They know they're being counted on to play the HITS, even if the artist is only interested in the newer material. They know it's the hits that pays the bills.

 

Scorsese once said something about this - saying that because he has to work with the studios, he has to kowtow to them every once in a while, so that they'll loosen the reigns and give him artistic freedom. He says he tries to alternate with every other movie: one for "them" and one for himself.

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Since when are lies something people tell themselves to NOT believe them? I don't see anything inconsistent with my remarks.

 

Yeah me neither actually, upon rereading. Man, and all that energy I used up with bolding & resizing the font. :hmm

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Guest Speed Racer

Yeah me neither actually, upon rereading. Man, and all that energy I used up with bolding & resizing the font. :hmm

 

Don't worry - about an hour after I originally posted my reply, I realized I had written, "I don't see anything consistent with my remarks." :lol

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I thought The Who were pretty awful last night. I wanted to turn the tv off halfway through and make everyone watch this video:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cmUDN3coFc

 

I am not sure how much of it was the sound, which was pretty shoddy, but compared to their Concert for New York set six years ago (let alone The Who's phenomenal shows in their prime) it fell very flat for me. We started making Spinal Tap jokes almost immediately. It did set my grandmother up for a great quip: (Pete Townsend on the television): "Who's that guy? He needs a shave and a bath."

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I wouldn't rate it up there with the best performances of The Who. I gave it the ratings I gave it taking into consideration their age/rustiness (they don't exactly tour constantly) and the medley factor. For what it was, I thought they pulled it off quite well.

 

I'm thinking Mellencamp is going to be getting a shot. People tend to forget how big Jack and Diane was. :lol

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I think that song-writing is definitely a youngster's game. I can't think of any major artists whose later-life song writing is on par with what they wrote when younger.

 

meet Robert Pollard

 

unique in pop music because his best stuff now - in his 50s - is every bit as good as guided by voices' best stuff from back in the day

 

i've never seen anything like it ... the guy has released something like 200 records and is still putting out some of the best music of his life

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