Won't Get Webcast Again

Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey are divided over the value of their ongoing webcasts.

Townshend has been funding webcasts of the band’s performances, with the $10 a pop for signing up earmarked for charity.

But in a posting on his online diary Townshend says Daltrey "seems to be unconvinced that the Web has any real contribution to make to our career." The webcasts will end after their final European show in Spain.

He said that the purpose of the webcast was to showcase their new material since The Who have been having trouble meeting their recording deadlines. Daltrey put the kybosh on the webcasts.

What is stranger, though, is Townshend’s comments about their working relationship.
He states that "Roger is my partner in the Who” and goes on to say “He is not my partner in anything else. We love each other but we are not regular social buddies like Bono and Edge, we do not discuss or share ideas, and we have no unified joint vision or strategy for the Who or for creative projects in general."

It seems odd that while being partners in the band, they have no creative vision for The Who.

All I can say is that Roger has taken something that was cutting edge in the provision of live music via the web and trashed it because I guess he does not understand the value of the world wide web. Foolish man!!

Pete has asked anyone with an opinion on this should address it to this address which has been set up specifically for Roger. thegreatevilweb@hotmail.com

Pete's Diary entries can be accessed at
http://www.petetownshend.co.uk/diary/index.cfm?zone=diary

This is the latest posting on Pete's diary:-

"This address is now full. I don't think I need any more opinions. Of the 250 Mb of emails only two were negative about getting 'free stuff'. One complained about tickets costing $250 - I think there are cheaper tickets available. The other was from a music publisher who pointed out they already owned all our music and we had no right to give any of it away.

I will take a selection of these and print them up for Rog so we can discuss this.

There is some concern expressed that the www.thewho.com is coming down for good. I am just removing it from inside www.petetownshend.com. I'm not sure what will happen to it, but Roger and I will need to agree on some course of action.

I suppose I should have expected some discourse in Who chatrooms and Blogs about my recent diary postings, but NME, Billboard and Rolling Stone?

It's Lebanon and Israel who are "at war" - not Roger and Pete.

Roger and I are in full accord about our lack of accord. Always have been. One matter we will agree on.

Tonight we played the best show of our entire NEW career, our first ever show in Spain, at the Olympic Hall in Madrid. The crowd were spectacular. Beyond that, they were the most familiar with our music of any crowd we have ever played to.

This is not the old Who. We never said it would be. It is something else. It matters. The music came alive tonight in the actions and voices of the audience.

I can't wait to come back to Madrid and play again. I think on this too Roger and I will agree."