Who Cares?

Who Cares?



The Register left the question mark out of the headline.

It's not the Who playing in Des Moines tonight. Not as long as The Ox and Moonie are still dead. I saw 3/4 of the Who. On their "farewell" tour. 24 years ago.

Tne I saw them AGAIN on ANOTHER "farewell" tour. 17 years ago.

When DID the Who jump the shark?

When Keith Moon died?

The 1982 farewell tour, one of the first big corporate sponsorship gigs ("Schlitz Rocks America")? While Townsend was simultaneously touting his alcoholoism recovery?

It may not be a graceful way to end the Who's career, but it's hard to imagine a better testament to why it was time for the band to come to an end.

The SECOND farewell tour in 1989? With Pete windmilling on ACOUSTIC guitar?

Bloated with horns, backing vocals, keyboards, and extra guitarists -- it sounds like a house band for a talk show, while the Who at its prime sounded like a small army on the rampage.

Tommy on Broadway? Tommy the movie? Symphonic Tommy?

"Hope I die before I get old" at 40? 50?? 60?!?

"Bargain," "Love Reign O'er Me" and the Tommy Overture in ads?

"Isn't that the guys who do the CSI song?"

No, my vote for All Time Worst Who Moment was when John Entwistle died and Pete and Roger continued with the tour - FIVE DAYS LATER. The Who Sell Out, indeed.

The sad thing is the music, at its best, kicks the ass of the overrated Doors. I mean, it wouldn't matter if I didn't CARE so much. Pete Townsend on a good day - and he had a lot of good days - was in a league with Dylan, Jagger-Richards, and Lennon-McCartney. They, too, have had some lame senior moments (save, sadly for Lennon) but none seem to have crashed and burned as badly as the Who.

Save the money ($48 - $178!) on the ticket. Buy or download Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy (the best of the bajillion greatest hits sets), Who's Next and Quadrophenia. Maybe Tommy too.