len writes...

>Bert Bailey, in a moment of indiscretion, writes:
>
>>For all the huge fun they gave us and their undeniable talent, as Pete
>>Townshend once said: "The Beatles rate in rock music right beside Herman's
>>Hermits" ...or words to that effect.
>
>For all that I respect Townshend's own work, he's really off base on this
>one.  The Beatles' complete output is far more distingushed than that of
>Herman's Hermits.

Not only that but the Beatle's music will outlive the Who's by centuries
{"Tommy" being the possible exception.) Townshend was a fine guitarist but
I see in that statement, the same envy, and elitism, that is so pervasive
in the course of human events.  Surely he was ribbing them.  I will defend
some of the Beatle's music as being as great as any music ever written by
anybody, including the great masters.  The greatness of some of their music
is easily defendable on its melodies, harmonies, rhythms, and the way the
lyrics so effectively describe the human condition.  What belongs behind
Herman's Hermits is the song "Talking about my generation".

Bill Pirkle