is it in my head

When does a band cease to be a band as you know it? How many members have to quit, die or get the boot before a new name is required to press on? Many, many old bands still tour and/or record under their original names despite the fact that the founding members (or at least the ones that were part of the [arguably] most memorable lineup) aren’t all present and accounted for. Without getting into the details of The Beach Boys, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band and the many other groups cruising the state fair circuit late into their heydays, think about The Who.

They’re going to be featured at the VH1 Rock Honors event that will air tonight on the cable channel. The fact that they’re being billed as The Who is somewhat distressing to me because The Who that I know and love is no more. The entire rhythm section, the heavy-hitting one that rattled stages with its explosive power, speed and aplomb and made it okay to play ‘lead’ rhythm, is dead. The iconic drummer Keith Moon died in 1978 and the stoic bass player John Entwistle died in 2002. These two played just as big a role in the band as Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, helping to distinguish The Who’s sound and adding vital character to the group. After all, a band establishes its sonic identity by combining the respective elements that each player brings to the table and playing as a unit. This couldn’t have been more apparent than in the case of The Who. I’m not trying to say that Keith Moon was The Who or that The Who died along with him in ’78; I’m just saying that they never sounded the same afterward.

I actually saw them play in 2000 and instead of getting rocked, I got disappointed. It was sad to see these old guys churning out the hits, trying to reclaim their past glory and cash in on their legend. Maybe I went in with my hopes too high—I mean, what could I realistically expect? Certainly not The Who of 1968, not the maniacally thrashing unglued rock and roll behemoth of yesteryear. People get old; it’s a fact of life. If the guys want to keep playing, more power to them. I just wish they’d call themselves Townshed & Daltrey or something, kind of like Page & Plant after Led Zeppelin had run its course (and lost a drummer). Ah well, c’est la vie.