yes well never was a big fan of the who except for one song
magic bus - live at leeds - guitars and amps ramped up to the max
but nothing beats a good bio-pic - more so music related so it's on
there's a white-haired chap on screen talking about the 1960's
bright shirt and tie, sounding very english - chris stamp it is
half of the subject of the film and talking about the other half
kit lambert spoken of in the past tense so he obviously deceased
and a bit of a surprise - actor terence stamp also says a few words
brother of chris and a sense of his presence adding some credibility
admittedly 'lambert and stamp' is a partnership i had not heard of
and a suspicion this film more about hype than history but let's see
some screen time spent explaining how the partnership came about
kit lambert the son of a famous classical composer and conductor
but wanting to make his own mark on the world as a film director
footage shown of him on a risky adventure on the amazon river
the death of one of his companions leads to kit hitting the news
soon after a chance encounter with film fan chris stamp in a pub
a decision on that day for them to work together on a feature film
and the subject already determined - the making of a rock group
so next - let's find a suitable band already formed and available
the high numbers are spotted and seem to have the components
a small but loyal following, skill and most imporantly - presence
they also ambitious though naive so agree to the duo as managers
naivety all around really with no-one with any prior experience
first - change of name - the band now the who maximum r&b
but too much of a mouthful and abbreviated to simply the who
pete townshend now seen talking fondly about the good old days
and with that an obvious respect for his bandmates and managers
particularly with the duo funding the band for their formative years
and kit lambert housing pete townshend in his luxury earls court home
success eventually with hit songs for the who and with that cash flow
lambert and stamp then confidently moving on to start a record label
track records - the first independent label not associated with a major
and the hits keep coming - arthur brown, hendrix, thunderclap newman
the lads have hit the big time - there's even a track records helicopter
but no sign of the film as originally intended - and an unhappy band
pete townshend in particular voicing his feelings of abandonment
but still musically motivated enough to produce the tommy opera
a huge commercial step up for the who despite management issues
kit lambert has relocated to vienna where he was conceived he thinks
some interesting footage of that city at that time - then off to the usa
he is drawn to hollywood and all that goes with it - hard drugs mainly
keith moon also relocated there and some time spent on his untimely death
the film now concentrating on the price of fame and fortune for them all
roger daltry also popping up in a few interviews with pete townshend
he surprisingly low-key and townshend cutting him lots of slack
all kind of interesting but i'm thinking it's all a beat-up really
lambert and stamp - they are not exactly a household name
riding on the coattails of success of the band they pushed
this film of more interest about the band than them
maybe that is the point - milk it for all it's worth
still - glad to have seen it to plug a few gaps...
