Greg: maybe Yuck, but how many of us get 100 million to watch us play, and its too bad that 99 million don't know it sucked!
Last Edited by on Feb 07, 2010 5:12 PM
Well, it was actually pretty good compared to Daltry's harmonica playing on some of the other live renditions of this tune that I've heard. Of course, that's not setting the bar very high.....
1) Is it still appropriate for a 60 some odd year old dude to still be singing the words "teenage wasteland"?
2) Pure "I'm a singer and band front man, so I MUST also be able to play harp" attitude going on there.
3) Can not a very successful and rich aging band frontman afford decent harmonica lessons?
4) At least he was able to bend a note. That's one up on Bob Dylan.
5) Did any of you guy's notice how many "shadow musicians" were lurking in the wings? They were quite obviously playing the majority of the music.
6) I liked the drummers clear drums. Now I want clear harps. Can anyone say clear acrylic combs and clear turbolids? Can we make reedplates out of some clear material too?
7) If I were a Hohner exec, I'd be shitting my pants for pure joy. Tomorrow there will be $5 million in sales.
I'm sorry, but I completely disagree. He did what was needed. Listen to the original track. The harp sounded like the violin, which is the point; the point wasn't to blow us away with harmonica skills.
I saw the Who play in 75, from 5 rows back, and Daltry played harmonica the same way then as now, as far as I can remember.
I think it is good to see something other than guitars, drums, and synthesizers in popular music with wide distribution. Could it have been better? of course. Would it have been better with no harp at all? I think not.
I thought it was cool, but also noticed how there were a lot of guys on stage not getting face time...like one of the best bass players in the world... ---------- Mike Fugazzi http://www.myspace.com/niterailband http://www.youtube.com/user/NiteRail http://www.twitter.com/NiteRail http://www.facebook.com/mike.fugazzi
Harp, I think it's kind of because they want to feature the remaining members of The Who. Those guys get paid to deal with not being seen. Plus, the best bass player died, sadly. Well, the best for The Who, anyways.
I think the drums are probably Ludwig Vistalite, which were very popular in the 70's and have been reissued too. They came in many colour schemes. BTW, John Bonham played them as you can see in The Song Remains The Same.
@walterharp
I totally agree with your last statement.
Last Edited by on Feb 07, 2010 7:36 PM
imo, if any of us from this group went to see any other member of this group play, and that harp playing was what was presented, we probably would walk out. My feeling at the time was that it was quite amateurish for a professional. The tone was poor and the end when he was speeding up he couldn't keep on the beat, and/or the harp filled with spittle.. or Super Poligrip.
"am i the only one who didnt watch the superbowl? " - jonsparrow
Actually, I was watching other stuff (Sunday is my day for PBS cooking shows). I happened just to flip around during the intermission of two of my shows and saw that part of the half time show... It held my interest for about 5 minutes, and then i turned it back to "New Scandinavian Cooking".... Back home in California, I would have gone surfing. Super bowl sunday is the only time you can surf popular breaks i the middle of the day without having to put up with a bunch of a-holes... ---------- ------------------ The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
I was just happy to see a Harp being blown at 1/2 time during the Superbowl!! Coincidentally,MMy drummer has that same set of drums.He bought them new in the early eighties,then they sat in his sisters attic for 20+ years.he got them out because his boig set was in a studio in Baltomore.Anyways new heads, and he loves them all over again!
Being a Brit, I was totally embarassed. I thought it was absolutely awful. With all the technology that was used staging the event, lasers etc I would have thought the sound would have been much, much better than what it was. I found it thin, lacking depth and very amateurish. I'm certain the Superbowl fans deserved much better than that. Sorry USA. ----------
Forget The Who-remember the WHO DAT! New Orleans, my home, is a SuperBowl Champion City! WooHoo! If nothing else, I guarantee there will be several new harp players today after seeing that halftime show. ---------- Todd L. Greene, V.P.
Last Edited by on Feb 08, 2010 5:31 AM
To Issacullah post, The lurking musicians off stage....Watching the drummer play I thought I heard other beats not associated with him as with some of the guitar playing. I focused too much on this and it made for a disconcerning set of music. I met a guy at a jam in Sarasota once. Brilliant player but had terrible hair and complextion (like me) but was a gifted talented player. He told me he toured with REO Speewagon and some other band (ACDC/Foreigner) sitting backstage and playing all the guitar parts. I have seen this with the Stones and Hanson, just to name two diverse bands who employ "backstage players."
As for the harp playing, the great part is I know there is someone in the billion people that watched that and said to themselves, "Hey, I can do that" and is now on their way to being a superstar. That's rocknroll.
I thought the entire quick paced five minute highlites of past hits show was ridiculous...including the pyrotechnics. Several times Townsend sounded off key both singing and playing.I would rather have seen a full college marching band from any of the Historically Black Colleges. Now thats a halftime show.
I'm not even a "The Who" Fan but they created alot of music that has sold widely, do we still want to see them live? No, I've seen the Stones perform I like their music mostly and they sucked. I think our expectations of Harp playing is at at a very high standard, sometimes rockin' music is just that and live is live. The average Joe Rocker wants to head bop toe tap and dance. ----------
The Original Downtown Philadelphia Fatman... Accept No substitutes!
I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who doesn't give a flyin' rat's whisker about football (or any sport, really).
I don't know how much harp was played at the show, but I found this on YouTube. The harp is at 3:55 or so. It obviously isn't great harp, but it works good enough...maybe. Well, it gets by. I guess. ;)
Yes, Todd. I am nursing an extremely fat head today.
By the way, the drummer for the Who was Ringo's progeny, Zack Starkey. Who (pardon the pun) was schooled at a very young age by both his father and Moon (a godfather of sorts, although he could have been Uncle Ernie). Very cool.
@blluzdude: "No, I've seen the Stones perform I like their music mostly and they sucked"
DITTO!
These days, guy's liek the Who and the Stones are just phoning it in for a big check. Not that I blame them for doing that. I'm sure it was a HUGE check. And I'm sure that lot's of people enjoyed it. I'm not knocking those folks either, there was certainly some entertainment value there.
Personally I did not dig it at all, but the only thing I would really complain about is that there are so many current bands that could have filled that slot, done a much better job, and would have made it so much cooler than that kind of sad parading of aging rock stars. The Kings Of Leon, The Killers, Weezer, etc. would all have been much better choices, IMO. ---------- ------------------ The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
Hey, at least we got REAL musicians that were actually performing some REAL music. Could just as easily have been , hiphop, rap, or Britney lip syncing.
@Elwood-LMAO!! I love the Who,but without Moon and now Entwhistle what are they? BTW who is the bass player? As far as the harp,I guess he fit the song,but it certainly wasn't good playing. After 30 years of noodling the damn thing,you'd think he'd get better.
Of the recent Superbowl halftime shows, I enjoyed Prince's magnificent guitar playing three years ago most of all. How many people did like me and grabbed a harp and started working out a swinging version of "When The Saints Go Marching In"? The song lends itself very well to the harp.
@ bluz-I had my gear at the SuperBowl party last night, and after Sean Peyton's post-game interview, I ripped into When the Saints Go Marching In, and then right into Second Line...It went over well. ---------- Todd L. Greene, V.P.
A big part in bringing in "The Two" is the $$$ demographics of the football audience. Those type of shows rarely bring much entertainment for anyone marginally familiar with the music biz. Probably what was meant by New Orleans - "Who Dat!" I guess I'll just get on that Magic Bus.......
i came in from the super bowl smoke break away from the kids,And heard a harp solo and asked my brother who that was,i firgured it might be a famous harp player,like well one you guys, lol,my brother said it was a famous harp player the dude from the Who.But i did think it was kinda so so heard some ruff spots in it but hey WHO am i
Last Edited by on Feb 08, 2010 2:29 PM
so thats what the big fuss is about huh. well not as bad as yall made it sound. ya it was bad but better then dylan. he at least sounded like he was trying. dylan just dosnt even sound like he tries. ----------
Hmmm, yeah I think most of us could play that better then they did. Either way they get the last laugh, I guess. He made more money playing that harmonica for that moment then we probably ever will.
---------- ~Ryan
"I play the harmonica. The only way I can play is if I get my car going really fast, and stick it out the window." - Stephen Wright
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
Yeah, it was not the best harp playing, but it was cool to see a harmonica center stage at a Superbowl half time show. Never saw it before. May never see it again.
