Talking About The Who
A new podcast features yours truly, discussing that Dear Boy, Keith Moon.
Thursday January 16 (which is tomorrow as I type this), the Crossed Channels podcast will return from a brief holiday lull with a brand new episode on arguably the greatest of British bands, The Kinks.
Wednesday January 15, 2025 however (today as I type this), is dedicated to unarguably the Greatest of British Bands. It was 60 Years Ago Today that The Who released their debut single, “I Can’t Explain,” and it still sounds incredible today. I could happily talk about it all the way through it. Indeed, if there is one thing I like more than writing about The Who, it is talking about The Who, which makes it perhaps no surprise that I was invited to appear on the podcast of that name, said episode published this morning.
(Links to Apple and Spotify below. The episode is hosted from here.)
Podcast host Paul Bearman’s original intent was to feature “I Can’t Explain” producer Shel Talmy (who also produced most of The Kinks’ 1960s recordings) on the occasion of that single’s 60th Anniversary, and indeed Shel had agreed to an interview. Sadly, he passed away only three days before it was due to take place. It feels like a special hono(u)r to be included on an episode that has such historical resonance. Hopefully I prove worthy.
I was able to give it a listen during some exercise, and I think it might be the most “considered” interview I have given on the subject of my Keith Moon biography. This could be due to the passing of time, the accumulation of perspective and knowledge. It may also be because this was actually the second go-round with host Paul Bearman. Being new to the podcasting world, he had a technical error first time round – it happens to the best of us – and when I agreed to go again, he abandoned his earlier script of pre-ordained straightforward questions and instead had me talk first about the Rock Academy and The Who show I had recently finished directing, which felt like a much more comfortable way into the primary subject matter of Keith’s life and death.
As ever, the Universe moves in interesting ways, even if it does not care that I exist! Just four nights ago, I directed my final ever full show for the Rock Academy, my announcement of departure still being in the future back when I talked to Paul. As I shared on my social media a few weeks back, I should have my B.A. later this spring and whether or not I use that degree during the remaining years of whatever sort of career I claim, I see it as a perfect opportunity to move on and start another fresh chapter of life. (Other reasons also come into play.) In essence, I asked to “graduate” from the Academy as I “graduate” from college just as our students automatically graduate when they leave high school.
Those final shows last weekend were perfect, as beautiful a departure as possible, with one of the sweetest casts I’ve ever had in one of the best venues we’ve ever been afforded (the brand new Assembly in Kingston, an absolute joy). But they were emphatically not the music of The Who. So to get back to the subject at hand, on the podcast Talking About The Who, I reference how, hard as my penultimate season was to join together into a great show, the performance of “Won’t Get Fooled Again” at our Best of Season was as good as it gets, and having now uploaded the full video to YouTube, I am happy to share it out below.
I have been on many other podcasts and radio shows talking about The Who and Keith Moon, and you might enjoy this live video conversation I had with Jo Kendall in 2023 on the 25th Anniversary of the book’s publication by Omnibus Press, and this one on the Drum History Podcast. You will surely find others via a search on a podcast platform. But again, I feel extremely comfortable and happy with the discussion I had with Paul Bearman, and I hope you too get something from it should you listen. I thank him for also letting me talking about my band The Dear Boys, and about my memoir Boy About Town, which I will be republishing later this year under my own imprint, and hopefully as an audiobook too.
On Talking About The Who, Paul mentions the various archived interviews I’ve put up here at Substack relating to The Who/Dear Boy/Moon. They include Pete Townshend, John Entwistle, Larry Hagman, Oliver Reed, Jeff Beck, and Alice Cooper. This weekend, they will be joined by Dave Edmunds, who gave me a wonderful interview back in 1996 all about the experience of making the movies That’ll Be The Day and Stardust, the latter being where Larry Hagman enters the (big) picture, as a formative JR. They are wonderful rock’n’roll movies, and every bit as believable as the biopics dominating our silver screens of late.
These various Who-related interview transcripts, as per the Crossed Channels podcast, are exclusive to paid-up subscribers, who also get access to all the Wordsmith archives. (Home page here.) Additionally, those who support this Substack financially keep it going; I would not be able to put in the hours otherwise. Please join along if you can.
Finally, if listening to me waffle on doesn’t make you want to stop hearing me talk about bands I’ve written books on, and you live in the Hudson Valley/Catskills area, you may want to put Saturday March 1, 2-4pm in your calendar, as I will be returning to the Orpheum in Saugerties for another multi-media presentation/talk, this one celebrating the 40th Anniversary of The Smiths’ Meat Is Murder. That will also be the subject of a Crossed Channels podcast a couple of episodes down the line, as I just love making my partner-in-podcast-crime,
, endure listening to Manchester bands he dislikes! (Our James epic cast is here.) Fortunately, we both love The Kinks. Stay tuned.
One of my lifetime memories was listening to The Who “Live at Leeds” for the first time.
An amazing experience.
The music of The Who was part of my youth. The music is amazing. I still remember being blown away by the music and inventiveness of the movie Tommy. Good luck with the podcast.