Ex-Who Guitarist calles Michael Moore a "bully"

[Vanhalen 0]

The Who's guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend has accused film-maker Michael Moore of being a "bully" in a letter posted on his website.

Moore had wanted to use Townshend's song Won't Get Fooled Again on the soundtrack to his anti-Iraq war film Fahrenheit 9/11.

 

After Townshend refused, the guitarist, 59, claims Moore accused him of being in favour of the war.

 

Townshend said he resented the comments made by the documentary maker.

 

"I have nothing against Michael Moore personally... but I greatly resent being bullied and slurred by him in interviews just because he didn't get what he wanted from me," said Townshend.

 

"It seems to me that this aspect of his nature is not unlike that of the powerful and wilful man at the centre of his new documentary.

 

"He says that I refused to allow him to use my song Won't Get Fooled Again in his latest film, because I support the war, and that at the last minute I recanted, but he turned me down.

 

"I have never hidden the fact that at the beginning of the war in Iraq I was a supporter. But now, like millions of others, I am less sure we did the right thing."

 

Townshend added that his publishers originally refused the request to use the song as film producers Miramax offered "well below" the usual rate for music used in a film.

 

But despite offers to increase the rate, Townshend said he refused to let the Oscar-winning director use the song, because he was "not convinced" by the director's previous film Bowling For Columbine.

 

Townshend added: "I wish him all the best with the movie, which I know is popular, and which I still haven't seen.

 

"But he'll have to work very, very hard to convince me that a man with a camera is going to change the world more effectively than a man with a guitar."

 

Moore was reported on music website MTV.com as suggesting that some of Townshend's anger stemmed from when Moore turned down a request to make a film about The Who.

[Guest MikeSC]

But...but...but Moore fights for truth! No WAY he'd smear a guy! No WAY! I REFUSE to believe it.

-=Mike

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Mikey is for the little guy, which in his case, is just about everyone on the planet.

 

So THAT'S why all those Dems attended Mikey's film in D.C. -- they didn't want Mikey saying they were for Bush...

[Vyce 0]

But...but...but Moore fights for truth! No WAY he'd smear a guy! No WAY! I REFUSE to believe it.

-=Mike

Oh Mike, you're so full of it.

 

It doesn't matter if Moore is a bully or not. What's important is the MESSAGE. So maybe the guy's a little pushy - the MESSAGE that the dirty warmonger Pete Townshend wouldn't let him use the song, that's what's important.

 

We should be thankful that someone had the courage and - yes - PATRIOTISM to bring forth this message. I mean, after reading those remarks by Moore, I don't really see how anyone can still support Pete Townshend, and if people were on the fence before about buying Pete Townshend music, I don't see how they could buy it after what's been said.

[Guest MikeSC]

Besides, isn't Townsend a Brit? He probably thinks Tony Blair is good and didn't make up stuff about poor ol' Saddam.

-=Mike

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Wasn't Pete that guy who had the dirty pics of kids on his computer, or am I thinking about another old rock star?...

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

This isn't news.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Booo -- moving it to the Music Folder...

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Pete Townshend is the principal figure in the article, he's a musician, therefore the music folder. Plus I want to see all of you CE folder dweebs jizz all over the Huey Lewis thread.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Move this back to CE; I don't want to see all these tools in here. This folder has enough of them as it is.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I want to see all of you CE folder dweebs jizz all over the Huey Lewis thread.

Did they also refuse to have their music in a Mikey Moore film, too?

 

And I already put in my two cents regarding that thread.

 

<{ of Rock 'n Roll baby.

 

Although when I was a kid I tried that trick Huey did to wake up in "I want a new drug" by filling a sink with cold water and ice and sticking my face in it. It works...

[godthedog 0]

never thought i'd see the day when a michael moore thread ended up in the music folder. now if we can just find a way to get him into "wrestling polls and lists," the spreading will almost be complete.

 

After Townshend refused, the guitarist, 59, claims Moore accused him of being in favour of the war.

this sounds exactly like something moore would do.

But despite offers to increase the rate, Townshend said he refused to let the Oscar-winning director use the song, because he was "not convinced" by the director's previous film Bowling For Columbine.

fair enough, but what the hell was so compelling about 'CSI miami' that convinced him to let THEM use the exact same song?

"But he'll have to work very, very hard to convince me that a man with a camera is going to change the world more effectively than a man with a guitar."

dylan's song about the hurricane didn't help get the hurricane acquitted.

 

'the thin blue line' did get the case reopened for a man on death row, who was acquitted thereafter.

[nl5xsk1 0]

But despite offers to increase the rate, Townshend said he refused to let the Oscar-winning director use the song, because he was "not convinced" by the director's previous film Bowling For Columbine.

fair enough, but what the hell was so compelling about 'CSI miami' that convinced him to let THEM use the exact same song?

Probably offered enough cash to satisfy Townsend's doubts.

 

And also probably didn't try to threaten or bully him about the rights to using his song.

[elite 0]

Wasn't Pete that guy who had the dirty pics of kids on his computer, or am I thinking about another old rock star?...

Sorta. He was under investigation for it, but didn't end up getting charged. It was some kind of misunderstanding or whatever, at least that's what I recall.

 

That nutjob, Gary Glitter, was the one who did time for enjoying the kiddie porn.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I seem to remember hearing the defense of "I was studying child porn for a book" or something, but I got the right guy after all...

[godthedog 0]

yes, that was him. townshend was a victim of abuse in his childhood, and from what i understand, regularly donates to charities of that sort.

[Guest Vitamin X]

"But he'll have to work very, very hard to convince me that a man with a camera is going to change the world more effectively than a man with a guitar."

 

My personal opinion, but motion pictures, especially ones distributed widely, have a far more reaching impact because of the visual as well as audal impact that music does. Also take into effect movies also get much more advertising and marketing whereas music is practically all word-of-mouth, minus MTV/VH1/Viacom in general.

[Guest Metallica]

Besides, isn't Townsend a Brit? He probably thinks Tony Blair is good and didn't make up stuff about poor ol' Saddam.

-=Mike

Yeah because Tony Blair is Mr Popular these days in England..

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

And speaking of Mikey Moore, this is gold.

 

Link...

 

Aladdin President Bill Timmins ordered security guards to escort pop diva Linda Ronstadt off the property following a concert Saturday night during which she expressed support for controversial documentary filmmaker Michael Moore.

 

Timmins, who was among the almost 5,000 fans in the audience at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts, had Ronstadt escorted to her tour bus and her belongings from her hotel room sent to her. Timmins also sent word to Ronstadt that she was no longer welcome at the property for future performances, according Aladdin spokeswoman Tyri Squyres.

 

How much weight that carries is debatable, since the bankrupt Aladdin is in the process of being sold to a group headed by Planet Hollywood International Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive Robert Earl.

 

Near the close of her performance, Ronstadt dedicated the Eagles hit "Desperado" to Moore, producer of "Fahrenheit 9/11," and the room erupted into equal parts boos and cheers.

 

She said Moore "is someone who cares about this country deeply and is trying to help."

 

Ronstadt has been making the dedication at each of her engagements since she began a national tour earlier this summer, but it has never sparked such a reaction.

 

Hundreds of angry fans streamed from the theater as Ronstadt sang. Some of them reportedly defaced posters of her in the lobby, writing comments and tossing drinks on her pictures.

 

Timmins told Las Vegas Sun gossip columnist Timothy McDarrah: "We live in a city where people come from all over the world to be entertained. We hired Ms. Ronstadt as an entertainer, not as a political activist.

 

"Whether you are politically on the left or on the right is not the point. She went up in front of the stage and just let it out. This was not the correct forum for that."

 

Timmins said she was wrong to bring her politics to the stage.

 

"Our first and only priority is the enjoyment of our customers," he said. "I made the decision to ask Miss Ronstadt to leave the hotel. A situation like that can easily turn ugly and I didn't want anything more to come out of it. There were a lot of angry people there after she started talking.

 

"If she wants to talk about her views to a newspaper or in a magazine article, she is free to do so. But in a stage in front of four and a half thousand people is not the place for it."

 

Squyres said half the audience walked out, an estimate that might have been high. But the number was substantial, nevertheless.

 

"The hotel's policy is that we hired her to entertain guests, not to express her political views," Squyres said.

 

According to Squyres, the 58-year-old singer did not create a scene as she was escorted out of the hotel and to her tour bus.

 

"She wasn't happy, but she was cooperative," Squyres said.

 

Attempts to reach Ronstadt and her manager were unsuccessful Sunday and this morning.

 

Squyres said a number of ticket holders had asked for their money back after an article appeared in a local newspaper last week quoting her making disparaging remarks about Las Vegas.

 

"She said Vegas isn't the best place to perform anyway," Squyres said.

 

Other fans asked for their money back shortly after the Saturday night show got underway, when Ronstadt informed the audience that ads publicizing the concert were incorrect. The advertisements called it her "Greatest Hits Tour."

 

Ronstadt started the evening with her 1983 hit "What's New?" and then set her fans straight about what they might expect during the concert.

 

"In case you are wondering what I'm going to do," she said, "Driving into town I saw this big billboard up there with my picture on it saying 'The Greatest Hits Tour.'

 

"That was news to us. We didn't know it was 'The Greatest Hits Tour.' "

 

Squyres said Ronstadt was wrong.

 

"Her management gave us the information and approved the ad," she said.

 

According to Squyres, Ronstadt lopped off about 20 minutes from the show, walking away from an encore portion of the concert, which I attended as the reviewer for the Sun.

 

The incident capped a generally lackluster, unenthusiastic performance by one of the top singers of the '70s and '80s.

 

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra opened the concert. The highlight of the 30-minute segment was a rendition of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," featuring pianist Terrance Wilson.

 

Ronstadt began with several songs from the 1920s, '30s and '40s she and arranger Nelson Riddle recorded, among them "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," "Someone to Watch Over Me" and "Straighten Up and Fly Right."

 

She performed Cole Porter's "Get Out of Town," Frank Loesser's "Never Will I Marry" and jazz great Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life."

 

And then she gave fans some of what they came for, several of her hits from the '70s and '80s, including "Just One Look" (1979), "Ooh Baby, Baby" (1978) and "Somewhere Out There" (1987).

 

Although she still has that powerful, distinctive voice, Ronstadt was merely going through the motions.

 

The only song she had trouble with was "Blue Bayou." She stumbled over the lyrics, seemed to gasp for breath at one point and ended the song in Spanish, screaming the words rather than singing them.

 

Her performance was uninspired and generally flat. She lacked stage presence, doing little more than sleepwalk from song to song.

 

The fiasco at the end was the most exciting part of the show.

[converge241 0]

The song that ended up being used is far better anyway so it all worked out for the best