These kids weren't all right

Hollywood's done Cash, Dylan, Springsteen - why not The Who?

Psssst. Hollywood. You’re missing a great story. One with drama, excitement, history, drug abuse, sex, violence (smashed guitars, knockdowns in the studio, boots on the stage), conflicts, depression, breakdowns, craziness.

Yeah, it’s great that the movie business decided to do another Bob Dylan movie — remember “I’m Not There” by Todd Haynes? Lots of hype about “A Complete Unknown” that comes out on Christmas Day and there’s also a Bruce Springsteen movie on the way. “Walk The Line” was a pretty cool version of the Johnny Cash story, agreed. Who’s Next? (What a great album title!)

Hey, Hollywood: What about a movie about the ol' 'oo?

The films made from Who material — “Quadrophrenia” was terrific as was Sting (much more likeable as a hood) and “Tommy” not so much, though Eric Clapton looked very priestly and Roger Daltrey did an admirable job in the title role. I also loved “Rude Boy,” a film that featured a lot of The Clash in action. They were such a great band.

There’ve been so many attempts at rock on film that, looking back, were just OK. Led Zeppelin’s film titled “The Song Remains The Same” which also served as a review for the film, The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” which made you want to do just that and Dylan’s “Don’t Look Back” D.A. Pennebaker’s documentary that was so real, it seemed like a movie. U2 took a lot of heat for “Rattle and Hum” but it was fine by me. Does rock translate into film?

Part of the problem might be that The Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night” has never been — and will never be — surpassed as a film that captured the spirit of the band at precisely the right time. But what about the story of The Who themselves? Wouldn’t that be something worth seeing — if they did it right?

Sure, “The Kids Are All Right” — a collection of film clips and a couple of staged live performances was great but there’s a remarkable story to be told, isn’t there?

You start with Pete Townshend, such a complicated character, son of a jazz musician, failed visual artist, author, guitar smasher, substance abuser and the story of his arrest for his online explorations would be compelling. And he would certainly have plenty to say, he always has.

Roger Daltrey’s life, his transformation from sheet metal worker to rock god (If you think I’m exaggerating, watch the clips from Woodstock) could be an amazing tale, a young man discovering what talent he had that no one suspected. John Entwistle’s dark sense of humor, his groundbreaking bass playing and his Addams Family persona would be a lot of fun for some actor to play.

And let’s not forget Holiday Inn’s all-time favorite customer Keith Moon’s life could be a film in itself, though the actual artist behind the persona might actually surprise everyone. There are so many Keith Moon stories, some of them are even true. Wouldn’t it be fun to see some actor take on that role on? And think of what fun they’d have with the sets!

Think also about their dramatic appearance at Woodstock itself; Townshend hating every minute of it, the band bickering as usual, Townshend viciously booting Abbie Hoffman off the stage, yet, breaking into the most magical part of “Tommy” in the wee hours of the morning, just as the sun rises over the enormous Bethel crowd. The band’s inspiring, uplifting music truly shows the world what rock music COULD do in the perfect setting. Townshend has written about that, even tried to do a rock opera about it that failed (“Lifehouse”).

"The thing about "Lifehouse",” Townshend explained, “was there was a whole tract of thinking about the function of rock music. What was it for, what was it best at, what could it do that it hadn't done before? That was an underlying theme, it was a conversation, it was a discussion, or it invited those things.

“It challenged the whole concept of people coming to see a band, whoever that band was and... having an experience of some sort...and the main thing for me was that music had a spiritual function rather than a political function, rather than a function to change society, it was to change and communicate and uplift and solace and offer a spiritual connection to people in the audience.”

Townshend’s rock operas, “Tommy” and “Quadrophenia” have already lent themselves to cinematic renditions, but what Townshend was really aiming for with “Tommy” sure as hell wasn’t Ken Russell, Ann Margaret and baked beans. While “Quadrophenia” gave a realistic portrayal of the battles between the Mods and Rockers, there was so much more there if you really got into the lyrics and the motivations behind Townshend’s songs that captured a changing England so brilliantly and the youth culture that sprung up in spite of everything.

There’s lots and lots of footage of the band in action but the stories behind their appearances at Monterey Pop or Woodstock or Live Aid or that horrible night in Cincinnati when eleven Who fans were trampled when festival seating was anything but would make compelling viewing, a story that really hasn’t been told.

Whether historians, cultural critics or columnists want to admit it, rock music changed the world. And The Who, in my view, played a very important role. Their story is one that we only know snippets from, or apocryphal tales when there could be so much more than that. And that’s not even mentioning the dynamism of The Who on stage or their remarkable, enduring, uplifting music that still resonates in our ears.

While Hollywood is at it, The Who’s story is one that, I think, would lend itself beautifully to the silver screen. Who’s next? Why not The Who?