Excuse the intrusion ;)

[xxinlovebutlazy]

This is my introduction post, I suppose. I'm xxinlovebutlazy, but go ahead and call me Serene, my real name. I'm a die-hard Beatles fan, practically a Beatle encyclopedia, and I don't listen to anything but classic rock. Aha, I'm a bit boring. But not all the times, I swear ;D

Comments

[dhampirophelia]

Haha, Pete's not gay. He's got three kids and has been dating a lovely lady named Rachel Fuller for ages. He's admitted to some experimentation in the 60's (but who didn't experiment in the 60's ;) but is heterosexual. He's just a snappy dresser. He has a great show called In the Attic that you can watch on youtube. Rachel and his brother Simon make frequent appearances. Also, once Martha Wainwright, barefoot and in horsey pajamas

[xxinlovebutlazy]

Thank you for your lovely response! That definitely clears up a few things- My dad told me about The Kids Are Alright. I'll have to check it out.

Thanks again :D

[nesmith]

Actually, John died in 2002.

To the OP, seconding the Kids are Alright, and definitely try An Ox's Tale if you want to know more about the sexy bass player. ;)

[cabbagewah]

I think Pete did (at one point, at least) admit to being bisexual, and has definitely admitted to "experimenting" in his youth. But he is definitely in a serious relationship with a woman at this time. So not exactly "openly gay."

I second watching "The Kids Are Alright."

[nerdork]

Yeah, this interview stands out in my mind as particularly uncomfortable in that regard. He seems upset about more than just the reference to bisexuality, but it's defensive nonetheless. There are other interviews where he has almost the opposite reaction, like when talking about the relevant songs on Empty Glass.

[xxinlovebutlazy]

Ah, alright- As you can probably tell by now, my Who knowledge is severely lacking. Thank you very much :D

[arenee1999]

You can start by reading the Wikipedia pages about them. Roger, Pete, John, Keith. I highly recommend Anyway Anyhow Anywhere: The Complete Chronicle of The Who by Andy Neill & Matt Kent. Watching any of their live concerts is also a good idea as well as The Kids are Alright and Amazing Journey.

[nerdork]

Welcome! I can relate to not really knowing much about one's favorite musicians, haha.

It's a tricky subject because I feel each fans' biases and preferences probably result in different senses of what the band members are like. The Who's interpersonal dynamics were tumultuous (more so than the Beatles', if you can believe that), which can be pretty polarizing.

Apart from reading interviews and whatnot, there are a couple films you could rent/watch if you want to form your own sense of the band. The Kids Are Alright is great just from a music standpoint, and there's a heavy focus on Keith's public persona (the whole "Moon the Loon" thing). You also get a sense of how Pete usually talks (thoughtful, cynical, self-contradicting...). Amazing Journey is a more straightforward documentary, which touches on the band's history from the beginning right up to a couple of years ago

[xxinlovebutlazy]

Thanks for the warm welcome- And your helping hand. John seems to be the one that confuses me the most. I've seen some videos of him standing there as if he was God, and in others, I've seen him do the oddest things.

[nerdork]

These might interest you, too. Mostly Pete-centric (as Who interviews tend to be), but all four members are represented to some extent.

[nesmith]

John mostly stood still because the others leaped and whirled so much that someone had to anchor everything lest they fly away. ;)

John's a hard one to figure out, for sure, but there is a wonderful dark sense of humor there and a man who I've learned was generous and giving and totally dedicated to his art, but who was often the instigator for some of Keith's mischief and who could be pretty wild himself when there were no cameras around. ;)

Oh, and if you ever happen upon an interview his second wife gave to the Daily Mirror, ignore it and don't even read it. It's a piece of crap with little to no truth to it.

[jennytork]

Keith's overdose was an accident. He was trying to get his life together and get off the drugs and booze. The night he died, he proposed to his girlfriend. From the timeline she and the investigators pieced together, his death was caused by a combination of a 'if two work ten work better' philosophy and a misreading of the clock, thinking it was time for his next dose. All the drugs he'd done over the years had given him epilepsy, but he was still trying to get clean.

As for insane, I doubt you'd call anyone with severe ADHD and impulse control problems insane, which Keith clearly had.

And I apologise if I come across as slightly angry, but I loved him and I do not like half-truths, so I am giving you the facts as I understand them.

And he didn't 'do' goldfish. He used them as a prop and if you'll notice that clip he NEVER hit the drum they're in.

[xxinlovebutlazy]

You don't come across as 'angry' at all- If anything, I'm glad you cleared that up for me. The reason I posted here is so I can get rid of any half-truths. And you seem to have helped me out very much.

As for the goldfish part, I apologize on not making that clearer- I do know he used them as a prop. I don't believe he would have done anything past that.

Thank you very much :)

[jennytork]

Thank you so much for understanding.

Keith is VERY dear to my heart, (though I do understand he was no angel and at the end of his life, before he had his huge wake-up call and started getting clean, he was not someone I would have liked to have known) and I come across as overly zealous sometimes in my defense of him.