"Come on the amazing journey
And learn all you should know."
© Pete Townshend
My life is enriched thanks to the contributions of many musicians, writers, and artists. Many artists have influenced who I am as a person, and this web page will introduce you to a few of the more "important" ones. At the top of my list are the musicians, because music is as important to me as air... water... food... life... and love...(or so it seems)! I can be totally swept away by intense, beautiful music... be it rock and roll, classical, new age... When I am painting, I love to listen to music because the passions inherent in the sound help me to create something from deep within me.
Pete Townshend's music feeds my soul, spirit, mind, body and emotions. It's the pinnacle of musical sensationalism and excitement. His music is aggressive yet spiritual, intense and worldly, yet introspective. All the anomalies that make up who I am are reflected in the music and lyrics of Pete Townshend.
One of the other reasons that Pete is so important to me is that he has made himself so accessible to those of us who feel close to him. He communicates to us in a wide variety of ways; through music, lyrics, numerous and extensive interviews, he has even written a book of short stories entitled "Horse's Neck," and in 1999 he started a web site (see link below). He is intellectual, witty, insightful and stimulating. And, his music is the best! Driving down the road, with the convertible top down, there is nothing better than listening to Pete's/ The Who's music cranked up loud and powerful... songs like "A Little is Enough," "Sparks," "And I Moved," "Crashing By Design," "It's Hard," and "The Rock," (just to name a few) sound especially great this way! What a rush!! ("...Shivers down my back bone...I got the shakes in my knee bones...")
I was fortunate enough to have seen The Who for my first time at Monterey Pop Festival (1967). I was already a Beatles fan, so music was an important part of my life... but when I saw The Who... WOW! Incredible... Sensational! Phenomenal! I couldn't get over how exciting they were to watch on stage. I was hooked! Since that time I've seen them perform many, many times - mostly in the San Francisco Bay Area (but also New York City, Philadelphia, and Orlando). I've met Pete a few times and I've received several letters from him, so, I am (and will remain)a loyal and dedicated fan and friend.
"Let me flow into the ocean, Let me get back to the sea.© Pete Townshend, from "Drowned"
Let me be stormy and let me be calm, Let the tide in, and set me free."
Speaking of being fortunate, I also got to see The Beatles perform three times, (in San Francisco - 1964,1965,1966) and it was indeed quite an experience. Pure bedlam, pure fun, pure insanity!
It's hard to say anything new about The Beatles. So much has been said about them. Their music and ideas were so influential for the people who loved their sound and loved them as people... their message was full of love, passion, harmony, understanding, tolerance, creativity, exploration, and fun. I have The Beatles to thank for getting me interested (at a pretty young age) in many things that have continued to be important in my life.
I love all the Beatles, but John Lennon was my favorite. I love their collective sense of humor, their irreverent spirit, their ability to rock hard, yet also be vulnerable, sensitive and poetic. And they always seemed so manly...that appealed to me too!
"There's nothing you can do that can't be done,© John Lennon and Paul McCartney, from "All You Need Is Love"
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung
Nowhere you can be that isn't where you are meant to be - It's easy!
All you need is love, All you need is love, love - love is all you need."