Pete Townshend plans new musical "Floss"

Reuters ^ | Tue Aug 25, 2009 | Mike Collett-White

[a fool in paradise]

The Who guitarist Pete Townshend, behind rock operas "Tommy" and "Quadrophenia", is writing a new musical "Floss", about getting old.

"As a 19-year-old, with 'My Generation', I wrote the most explicitly ageist song in rock," Townshend wrote on his band's website... The 1965 hit song includes the line "I hope I die before I get old".

"At 64, I now want to take on aging and mortality, using the powerfully angry context of rock'n'roll."

Floss will be designed for outdoor performance and arenas and Townshend expects it to be ready for a concert premiere in 2011, probably in New York.

Some of the more "conventional" songs from the musical will appear on a The Who album set for release next year, he added.

"Floss is an ambitious new project for me, in the style of Tommy and Quadrophenia," he wrote. "In this case the songs are interspersed with surround-sound 'soundscapes' featuring complex sound-effects and musical montages."

The story centers around a married couple whose relationship runs into difficulties.

Walter, a pub rock musician, finds sudden wealth when one of his songs is used in advertisements for a car company, but life turns sour when he returns to music after a 15-year break...

[a fool in paradise]

[the invisib1e hand]

floss never looked so good.

Rock on Mr. Townsend. Hope you don't dissapoint your fans. You've got some pretty big shoes to fill -- your own.

[HerrBlucher]

LOL!

Talkin bout my degeneration.

[WayneS]

So I guess he’s saving the title “PowerChair” for the “rock opera” he’ll be writing and performing to celebrate his 70th birthday?

[PureSolace]

When I saw “Musical Floss” I thought it was a new invention... like musical road ways, or musical lollipops. Groove the floss just right so when you run it between the teeth it plays music. I’d buy that.

[bigbob]

WHO fans should go to Youtube and check out the cover band “Who2”. Excellent.

[cripplecreek]

Picking up ideas from kids shows now?

While sitting at my sister’s house a year or so back I was watching TV with one of my neices and on the show they were putting on a musical called “Floss”.

[SeeSharp]

Already planning to celebrate a big success before he’s even written the song.

[Bean Counter]

I might be movin' to Montana soon
Just to raise me up a crop of Dental Floss
Raisin' it up
Waxen it down
In a little white box
I can sell uptown
By myself I wouldn't
Have no boss,
But I'd be raisin' my lonely
Dental Floss
Raisin' my lonely Dental Floss
Well I just might grow me some bees
But I'd leave the sweet stuff
For somebody else...
but then, on the other hand
I'd Keep the wax N'
melt it down
Pluck some Floss N'
swish it aroun'
I'd have me a crop
An' it'd be on top

(that's why I'M movin' to Montana)

Movin' to Montana soon
Gonna be a Dental Floss tycoon
(yes I am)
Movin' to Montana soon
Gonna be a mennil-toss flykune
I'm pluckin' the ol' Dennil Floss
That's growin' on the prairie
Pluckin' the floss!
I plucked all day an' all nite an' all Afternoon...
I'm ridin' a small tiny hoss
(His name is MIGHTY LITTLE)
He's a good hoss
Even though He's a bit dinky to strap a big saddle or
Blanket on anyway
He's a bit dinky to strap a big saddle or
Blanket on anyway
Any way I'm pluckin' the ol' Dennil Floss
Even if you think it is a little silly, folks
I don't care if you think it's silly, folks
I don't care if you think it's silly, folks

I'm gonna find me a horse
Just about this big
An' ride him all along the border line
With a Pair of heavy-duty
Zircon-encrusted tweezers in my hand
Every other wrangler would say
I was mighty grand
By myself I wouldn't
Have no boss
But I'd be raisin' my lonely Dental Floss

Raisin' my lonely Dental Floss
Raisin' my lonely Dental Floss

Well I might Ride along the border
With my tweezers gleamin'
In the moon-lighty night
And then I'd Get a cuppa cawfee
N' give my foot a push...
Just me 'n the pymgy pony
Over the Dennil Floss Bush
N' then I might just Jumb back on
An' ride Like a cowboy
Into the dawn to Montana

Movin' to Montana soon
Gonna be a dentil Floss tycoon

(Yippy-Ty-O-Ty-Ay)

Movin' to Montana soon

http://www.lyricsdepot.com/frank-zappa/montana.html

[TigersEye]

When you write and record something like Quadrophenia at age 19 you can afford to be pretty self confident. When I say ‘record’ I mean Townshend played and recorded all the instruments and vocals before the other band members ever heard it. As he did with many albums.

[J40000]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T62a7Xgnljk

[J40000]

He didn’t do Quadrophenia (1973) til he was 27-28.

Pete was born in 1945. He was 19 in 1964 when he wrote “My Generation”.

[TigersEye]

Oops! Misread the article. I should have known that.

He still has plenty to back up his confidence though.

[J40000]

Yes, you’re right. Sorry for jumping on that. Or making it seem like it... :-)

[TigersEye]

No, I needed correcting. The WHO has been my favorite band since about '73.
What a dumb mistake that was. ;-)

[Mr_Moonlight]

What a dumb mistake that was. ;-)

Ahhh, not to worry ... just call it a 'slip', kid :)

[TigersEye]

That's the second generation of replies I caused. ;^)

I guess I was outta my brain on the 5:15.

[Mr_Moonlight]

That's the second generation of replies I caused. ;^)

Have you *had enough* yet?

I guess I was outta my brain on the 5:15.

Well, its *one* of the *dirty jobs*, but you won't get fooled again ........

[TigersEye]

WHO are you?!?