Title: Thanks a Lot, Mr. Kibblewhite Pdf My Story
In this audiobook, the frontman of one of the greatest bands of all time tells the story of his rise from nothing to rock 'n' roll megastar, and his wild journey as the voice of The Who.
"It's taken me three years to unpack the events of my life, to remember who did what when and why, to separate the myths from the reality, to unravel what really happened at the Holiday Inn on Keith Moon's 21st birthday," says Roger Daltrey, the powerhouse vocalist of The Who.
The result of this introspection is a remarkable memoir, instantly captivating, funny and frank, chock-full of well-earned wisdom and one-of-kind anecdotes from a raucous life that spans a tumultuous time of change in Britain and America. Born during the air bombing of London in 1944, Daltrey fought his way (literally) through school and poverty and began to assemble the band that would become The Who while working at a sheet metal factory in 1961.
In Daltrey's voice, the familiar stories - how they got into smashing up their kit, the infighting, Keith Moon's antics - take on a new, intimate life. Also here is the creative journey through the unforgettable hits including "My Generation", "Substitute", and "Pinball Wizard" and the great albums Who's Next, Tommy, and Quadrophenia.
Amidst all the music and mayhem, the drugs, the premature deaths, the ruined hotel rooms, Roger is our perfect narrator, remaining sober (relatively) and observant and determined to make The Who bigger and bigger. Not only his personal story, this is the definitive biography of The Who.
The most important member of the Who Roger Daltrey’s importance to the Who has long been the subject of debate and question. After all, he was just the singer who rarely played instruments and almost never wrote songs. Roger wasn't a genre changing musician, like Keith Moon or John Entwistle. Roger wasn't a genre changing songwriter, like Pete Townshend. I suppose a lot of people might think Roger was the most replaceable of the original four members. But I think the opposite is true: Roger was the only irreplaceable member of the Who and his wonderful, very readable new book, “Thanks A Lot Mr. Kibblewhite,” more than adequately adjudicates that point.The Who were Roger's band. Period. He formed it (before it was called the Who). He was the leader. He called the shots. And initially he was the lead guitarist. Roger invited John to join as bassist and then, on John's recommendation, let Pete join as rhythm guitarist. After Roger decided to be the lead singer, he let Pete play lead guitar. Moon, as most Who fans probably know, famously showed up at a gig in early '64 and said he was better than the band's current drummer. Moon always thought he was never officially invited to join the band, he felt the other guys simply never told him to leave. But that's a whole other issue.The Who’s instrumentation was as powerful as it was unique. Everyone was an aggressive player but they also developed a dynamic that turned music upside down. The bass was a lead instrument. The drums rarely kept time and instead embellished and punctuated the vocals and guitar. The so-called lead guitarist was often relegated to keeping time, because no one else was bothering to do so. “What’s the difference between the Rolling Stones and the Who?” I’ve often asked other music lovers. “Easy,” I always say. “In the Stones, everyone played rhythm. In the Who, everyone played lead.” That stunning, amazing, dynamic didn’t happen from day one and it certainly wasn’t the result of foresight and planning. Instead, that dynamic develop and flourished solely and entirely because of the one person who didn’t play an instrument: Roger Harry Daltrey.Roger was the driving force of the Who, especially in their early days. Without his persistence, leadership, and organizational and logistical skills, the Who never would have taken off. And without his discipline, often delivered in the form of a knuckle sandwich, the Who most certainly would have sputtered and failed. Roger rounded up the three idiots and literally dragged them to gigs. Roger drove the van. Roger kept them in line. The other three were alternately indifferent, lazy, immature, and irresponsible. The Who never would have achieved even a modicum of success if not for resolve and tenacity of Roger Daltrey.Mr. Kibblewhite, Roger’s grammar school headmaster, famously expelled Roger for being a hellion. In what I imagine was a moment of anger and frustration, that headmaster delivered a parting shot to Roger by telling him that he’d never amount to anything. That cutting comment, perhaps cruel but also honest, stuck in Roger’s head and motivated Roger to prove his old headmaster wrong. Roger’s optimism, determination, and desire to be successful clearly becomes evident throughout the entirety of the book. And we all have Mr. Kibblewhite to thank for that.Roger didn’t come from means and like most people of his generation, he went without while growing up in post-war Britain. That frugal, careful nature never left him. While he instantly understood the marketing possibilities of the band’s penchant to destroy equipment on stage, he also inherently disliked the wanton destruction. It was wasteful to him. And while he laughed at the destructive hotel antics of the other members, he also regretted the messes they left for the hotel staff to clean up. Far from being a jaded, indifferent rock star, Roger never forgot his humble roots.Roger’s leadership role within the Who never really left. Yes, things changed as Pete developed into an incredible songwriter and the "three dwarfs" Roger hired to be his backup band eventually eclipsed him as musicians. Then again, John, Keith, and Pete eclipsed all other pop musicians of the day (in my opinion). Roger never had a chance. Roger and Pete famously battled each other in the press and in person (fights always won by Roger, of course) and at an early gig Roger was so incensed at his band-mates' sloppy, drug infused performance that he flushed Keith's stash down the toilet. When Keith complained, Roger knocked him out. Roger was kicked out of the band for a few weeks and only allowed to rejoin -- rejoin his own band, mind you -- when he agreed to stop fighting. He was able to put aside his anger and frustration because he was driven to be a success. He didn’t want to return to the sheet metal factory. Roger felt he had no other viable options but to continue to strive and climb.When Keith died, Roger was the one who kept things together. When Pete went off the drug deep end a few years later, Roger was the one who kept things together. When John died, Roger was the one who kept things together. And when Pete stupidly accessed an illegal porn site and was pilloried in the press, who do you think was Pete's staunchest defender? You guessed it, Roger.When I think of the personalities and roles of the original four members, I always consider Pete to be the brain. That's obvious. He wrote the vast majority of the material and was the one who came up with the grandiose themes. John, with his incredible bass playing, his amazing creativity and unmatched musicianship, was the heart of the band. Keith, with his antics and out-sized personality and wildly improvisational drumming, was the soul. I always puzzled over Roger's role. He was just the singer, of course. Just a mere singer in a band with three of the most amazing players in the history of rock'n'roll. Then it hit me. When I thought about Roger's role in starting, maintaining, and protecting the band, his role was obvious to me: Roger was the backbone. He was the spine. He was the firmness and support that allowed the other three to flourish. He was the mettle and grit and sheer determination that fostered the creation of an amazing collective of musicians. The fact that he was also an incredible singer and performer is almost secondary. Roger was the backbone of the Who and the most indispensable of the original four members.If you are a fan of the Who, and even if you already know many of their legendary stories, you will love this book. Roger writes in a simple, straightforward, very readable, but surprisingly engaging style. Even if you are unfamiliar with the Who, you will enjoy this book. I started reading it and couldn’t put it down until I finished it. Five stars.Honest memoir from "just a singer"... A real page-turner; breezy, humorous and reflective. I've read a lot "about" Roger Daltry, but nothing actually from him until he released this living memoir beginning with his birth in bomb-raided England, through the '50's '60's, '70's, the rise of The Who and their incredible success, all of the infamous infighting, Keith Moon's death, his perspective on "what really happened" in many of the Who's stories that have become embellished and journalized through the years. Daltry is also a great writer - his style is a 'straight from my heart to yours' kind of voice - just as is his singing, always bringing you into his heart and soul, and there is a lot of it here. I like Pete Townsend's recent biography too, but where Pete ultra-analyses everything to death, Roger just seems to have a way of speaking to the reader as though he had invited you over for a cup of strong tea for a visit. I highly recommend this biography from one of the legends of Rock and Blues.Awesome book from a true rock superstar I'm only a quarter through and am enjoying this book immensely. I've had a crush on him since Jr.high school. That beautiful hair, smile and VOICE. I've read a couple of rockers bio's that we're nothing but pity parties or self promotion. Not this guy. He's stayed true to himself and his fans. The mere fact that he never got caught up in the drug scene speaks volumes to his character and the fact that he's a bit of scrapper, makes him all the more lovable! If you love the Who, you will not be disappointed!!
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