# Pete townsend at super bowl **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 25, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554 "2009-12-25T16:36:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/21 "2009-12-26T18:04:09Z")
Did I miss something? Because all I see is the band playing music with a bunch of fans on the field. I don’t see any pageantry, choreography and costumes for most acts. BTW, the fans on the field don’t have tickets to the game. They just get in to see the halftime and then they must leave. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/22 "2009-12-26T18:18:09Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Well into the 80s is not 100% right, they had albums out in 81 and 82. Their next album came out in 2006. Townshend put solo albums out in the late 80s and early 90s. Townshend announced they are putting out another Who concept album in 2010. “Worthwhile music” isn’t 100% right, either. Anybody who thinks _It’s Hard_ is a decent album is too blinded by fandom to be objective. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/23 "2009-12-26T18:22:32Z")
Not that this means a lot, but I recall Rolling Stone hated Face Dances but gave It’s Hard 5 stars - said it was one of their best albums. I think most Who fans liked It’s Hard but were mixed on Face Dances. I think both those albums are good but not as good as the albums before that. ---
**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/24 "2009-12-26T19:20:50Z")
> [@koufax](#): > > Here is another point. > > How can “The Who” be performing when TWO out of the four members are no longer alive? > > I can see calling themselves “The Who” when Keith Moon died, but without Entwistle shouldn’t they be called “Halfa- Who” or “HalfAssWho”? > > Seriously, when Townshend dies, will Daltrey still perform with new musicians as “The Who”? > > And when he dies, will those new musicians get to keep the name? Well, they could always follow the lead of the Count Basie Orchestra… But I agree - for me, the appeal of The Who was always that they had the best drummer/bass rhythm section in rock & roll, and in my opinion whoever was in second place didn’t even come close. But with those guys gone, I can’t fathom why I’d want to watch a couple of over the hill old farts keep trotting out their 30-40 year old hits. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/25 "2009-12-26T19:41:58Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > My objection comes from the fact that The Who sucks, … Well, you are entitled to your personal opinion, but the general consensus is that The Who are among the greats. > [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Townshend’s CP bust amounted to a single visit to a homepage which he claimed he’d looked at for research (and Townhend had been active against child sex abuse cases before this incident). The one page he accessed did not actually contain any illegal images, IIRC, and he did not visit any other pages on the site. > > Pete Townshend is the one person "I’ve ever found credible with the “research” defense, largely because he didn’t actually possess any CP, but had only accessed one page of one website on one occasion. People mock me for being too shrill about child abuse stuff, but even I need more than what they had on Pete Townshend to call somebody a pedophile. > > I also think he’ll give a fine Superbowl performance. I’d much rather see him than some drivel like Taylor Swift or Carrie Underwood. > > ETA, Townshend was CLEARED of the CP charges. by the way. Just FYI. I was unaware that Pete Townshend was innocent of the charges, thank you for enlightening me. I might add that Michael Jackson was found not guilty at his trial largely because the child in question told several different versions of what happened. ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/26 "2009-12-26T21:22:02Z")
Townshend is an example of out of control law enforcement. The CP issues makes otherwise rational people believe arrest == conviction. There are more than a few high profile cases out there of someone with no criminal history and did nothing other than download a large torrent full of legal porn which had a couple CP images inserted into it without their knowledge, going to prison or pleading guilty. Its really incredible how aggressive law enforcement is in these cases. Its becoming a common thing and because CP is so toxic dont expect the ACLU or anyone to help them. [http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/abgjw/i\_got\_convicted\_for\_possession\_of\_child/](http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/abgjw/i_got_convicted_for_possession_of_child/) [http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/abpve/iama\_guy\_who\_was\_arrested\_for\_possession\_of\_child/](http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/abpve/iama_guy_who_was_arrested_for_possession_of_child/) Did you click on those links to research the issue? Guess what? You just did what Townshend did. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/27 "2009-12-27T00:20:01Z")
> [@koufax](#): > > Seriously, when Townshend dies, will Daltrey still perform with new musicians as “The Who”? Roger just finished a well received/reviewed solo tour. The bulk of his setlist consisited of Who songs–no surprise there–he also sang material from his solo albums and covers of Creedence, Johnny Cash, Taj Mahal and The Chieftans, and Little Feat. The only other member of the current “Who” band was Pete’s brother Simon on guitar. Roger wouldn’t tour by himself under The Who’s name, of that I am sure. And Pete wouldn’t tour without Roger under The Who’s banner either. At this point in his life, he would be content never to get up on stage again. ---
**Author:** ![tattman40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/db5fbb/32.png) [@tattman40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tattman40)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/28 "2009-12-27T01:14:54Z")
They should be called “Who’s Left”. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/29 "2009-12-27T01:38:52Z")
> [@zoog](#): > > … for me, the appeal of The Who was always that they had the best drummer/bass rhythm section in rock & roll, and in my opinion whoever was in second place didn’t even come close. But with those guys gone, I can’t fathom why I’d want to watch a couple of over the hill old farts keep trotting out their 30-40 year old hits. Exactly. Keith and Roger were the stellar musicians who made Pete’s music interesting; Pete and Roger weren’t. And by the way, I’m not sure that Pete and Roger aren’t “nearly twice as old as the players on the field”; seems to me they’re nearly three times. . ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/30 "2009-12-27T02:56:11Z")
\>Exactly. Keith and Roger were the stellar musicians who made Pete’s music interesting; Pete and Roger weren’t. Err, Pete wrote singles like My Generation and invented the rock opera with Tommy and pioneered the concept album with Quadrophenia . He has written several multi-platinum records. For a period of almost 10 years he was a prodigious writing force and just pounded out great song after great song. He plays several guitar styles and his guitar work at Live at Leeds and Woodstock is legendary. If anything, he carried the other guys. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/31 "2009-12-27T05:23:43Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Exactly. Keith and Roger were the stellar musicians who made Pete’s music interesting; Pete and Roger weren’t. Oh, bollocks. Ask any hard rock guitarist if Pete Townshend influenced them. That said, Daltrey really ought to hang up his microphone. He sounds… well, not awful, but not anything like he used to. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/32 "2009-12-27T06:09:16Z")
FTR, I was glad that I ran Win98 while I researched the availability of kiddie porn for a friend. At the time Townsend had a better “excuse” than I did, but not much. It was surprising back then what a casual interest could find quite easily and how little malware was written for Win98. For research purposes (please note: I prefer women more my age), I’ve recently tried the same searches and the illegal stuff is hidden behind…well, I don’t know what. The minefields of malware and website loops that brought one back to the same few Russian sites made searching for “worse” both boring and annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Super\_Kapowzler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Super\_Kapowzler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Kapowzler)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/33 "2009-12-27T06:34:51Z")
I’d rather they give the spot to an American artist. ---
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/34 "2009-12-28T15:27:52Z")
the plot thickens: [http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/parenting/whos-townshend-may-have-to-register-as-a-sex-offender-in-florida-557944/](http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/parenting/whos-townshend-may-have-to-register-as-a-sex-offender-in-florida-557944/) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/35 "2009-12-28T15:36:49Z")
> [@Super\_Kapowzler](#): > > I’d rather they give the spot to an American artist. Why? ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/36 "2009-12-29T05:02:10Z")
They advertise freaking BEER during the superbowl. Won’t someone think of the children? ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/37 "2009-12-29T07:45:50Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Did I miss something? Because all I see is the band playing music with a bunch of fans on the field. I don’t see any pageantry, choreography and costumes for most acts. Yeah, I think you did miss something. Usually it’s a pretty big production with all sorts of bells and whistles. Or it has been this century anyway. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/38 "2009-12-29T11:21:32Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Really? Let’s look at the half time acts for the past decade, not counting 2010. Courtesy of Wikipedia. > > 2009 - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band > 2008 - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers > 2007 - Prince and the Florida University A&M Band > 2006 - The Rolling Stones > 2005 - Paul McCartney > 2004 - Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Jessica Simpson, Nelly, P. Diddy, Kid Rock > 2003 - Shania Twain, No Doubt, Sting > 2002 - U2 > 2001 - Aerosmith, 'N Sync, Britney Spears, Nelly, Mary J. Blige > 2000 - Phil Collins, Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias, Toni Braxton > 1999 - Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Savion Glover Well, I hated 1999, 2000, most of 2001, most of 2003, and 2004. And I’m in my late 20s. Considering that halftime is just the break of what is hopefully an interesting football game, I’d much rather listen to an older rock group than what was generally being played from 1999 to 2004. Seriously, it’s a halftime show. If you aren’t interested, don’t watch it. It’s still got to be better than Up with People. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/39 "2009-12-29T18:30:13Z")
I actually wish they wouldn’t have a halftime show at all. It’s the most tedious part of the Superbowl. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/40 "2009-12-29T18:31:55Z")
Isn’t it on Fox this year? Just port over the Lingerie Bowl. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554.md?page=3)