NOT TO BE TAKEN AWAY

WHO ARE YOU

In the interregnum between The Who By Numbers and the release of Who Are You, popular music trended toward lightweight, inconsequential fare programmed for the dance floor. With disco hijacking much of the precious needle-time that radio programmers had to spare, "Rock" began to morph into a soft shadow of its former self, complete with a complacent spare tire around the middle and nothing new on offer.

Safe, corporate-sponsored sludge coated the airwaves, though there was a movement in music that began to bubble up between the cracks that brought a different type of energy to the table.

Punk

Bashing away on their instruments, howling, cursing and spitting in the face of the mainstream, the messages of punk ranged from being overtly political in nature to downright blackly humorous and vulgar. Raw, sweaty and primitive rock 'n' roll was back, with a do-it-yourself attitude that excluded no one. These snotty young upstarts didn't give a fuck and had nothing to lose.

This made quite an impression on Pete Townshend.

In my imagination, I invented punk rock a thousand times...I'm sure that I invented it, yet it has left me behind. If anything was ever a refutation of time, my constant self-inflicted adolescence must be...I prayed for it, and yet it's too late for me to truly participate. I feel like an engineer. Just let me...watch.

Who Are You (the LP) had absolutely nothing to do with punk, though the arrival of this wonderful noise served to free Pete from his obsession with having to single-handedly, fly the flag of rock and roll. Seeing that these kids were more than just alright, Townshend looked to them to deliver the angst and explosions from stage. Something different was in order for The Who. His demo work in preparation for the sessions took up the synthesizer experiments that he had been working with during the early 70s. New ideas in hand, it was time to pull his band mates together to work them out in the studio.

One small detail remained: Townshend was not up for playing live or touring around this project. Annoyed, Roger and John were not on board with this. The fourth member in this equation could not have possibly hit the road in the shape that he was in. Since their last tour had ended in the fall of '76, Keith had fallen into a very ugly spiral of drink and substance abuse. Directionless without any group activity, his bad behavior continued unchecked. Not surprisingly, this took a heavy toll on his health and skills as a musician.

Reconvening after a long layoff, the challenge ahead was to tackle the new material. Stylistically, these compositions were miles away from what had come before. Tricky time signatures, jazz-like chord progressions and layered arrangements would amount to the most "Un-Who like" record they had ever made.

"New Song" announces the change in the works immediately. Message-wise, Pete reminds listeners of why he is shuffling the deck:

I write the same old song with a few new lines
And everybody wants to cheer it
I write the same old song you heard a good few times
Admit you really want to hear it

Dismissing out of hand the robotic thump so ubiquitous at that time, "Sister Disco" is saved by an inventive arrangement and Entwistle's lightning quick fingers. John contributes three of the nine tunes found here, going the extra mile with his performance on 8 string bass for "Trick of the Light", which is so forceful that it almost precludes the inclusion of another guitar. Both he and Townshend were featured on bass when they performed it live on the '79 tour, prefiguring (perhaps the inspiration for) Spinal Tap's jokey "Big Bottom".



Roger really takes hold of these songs, putting a snarly edge on the Gilbert and Sullivanesque "Guitar and Pen". His passionate delivery on "Music Must Change" also further elevates the piece, decorated by Townshend's jazz fingering. Moon could not get his head around the 6/8 time required here and his performance was excised from the final mix. Struggling to regain his touch, Keith was a shadow of his former self behind the kit. Glyn Johns struggled with this, at one point removing all of the drummer's cymbals so that he would not saturate the takes by riding them constantly. In the final stages, it was clear that Moon would soon be dropped from the band as he simply could not function. Tensions were high between Johns and Daltrey as the producer tried to push the singer toward a different way of phrasing. Glyn left the completion of the project in the hands of his assistant, Jon Astley, claiming a work commitment with Joan Armatrading. It was very likely that the atmosphere during the sessions left a bad taste.

Conceding to those fans that yearned for the expected from the Who, "Who Are You" closes with six minutes of the old "strum and drang". The lyric was derived from an infamous encounter that Pete had with Steve Jones and Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols. Mistaking one of them for Johnny Rotten, he cornered them, ranting about the state of music, drunk on only a couple of shots of whiskey. Having just come out of the last round of legal proceedings against the Who's former managers with a very sizable royalty cheque in his pocket, he ripped it up and spat upon it during his tirade. Exiting the bar, he slumped in a nearby doorway and passed out. Rudely prodded awake by a policeman's baton, Townshend was given the option to get up and stumble home to bed or be brought to jail.

Sound familiar?

Who Are You was well received, though its merits were overshadowed by the death of Keith Moon just weeks after it had hit the shelves. This is where the Who legend ends for me. He was their resident pranskster, heart and soul and percussive genius who powered the band's music with a style unlike anyone before him. Seemingly indestructible, he burned very brightly for a short time before flaming out.

Following his passing, they soldiered on for a few more years, though they lacked the unpredictable energy that he brought. In short, they were more of a pop band which the post-Moon efforts (Face Dances and It's Hard) bear out upon repeated spins.

Numerous farewell and "hello again!" tours have been undertaken over the last thirty years, much to the detriment of their legacy. Despite this, it is their output from the 60s and 70s which continues to win new converts.

DEEPSEAGREEN

VALSORDA

Keeping the flames from the hard rock temple, UK based DeepSeaGreen are unleashing Valsorda, an EP that features six weighty slabs of uncompromisingly heavy, original music. Coming just over a year after their self-titled debut, the band put down these tracks over a few days in Northern Italy in March 2011. Translating the excitement of live playing in a studio environment is generally a tall order, though they pull it off successfully with electricity crackling from every pore of the disc.

Brothers Jon and Daniel Jefford with Trent Halliday and Marco Menestrina have been honing their chops since 2008. Tight and precise, they steer each of these blues/rock workouts expertly, at times shifting gears in the manner of early Sabbath.

Highlights are "Soul, Stray Cats and the Cosmos" which boasts fantastic, multi-part riffs and the groovy closer, "Small Stones", though everything they do here is more than engaging. The key is that they have taken a refreshing approach to recording, which is to simply plug in, set up and put the songs across. Having taken the time to plan the arrangements and rehearse beforehand, they hit the studio floor running, capturing the energy in every take.

Good things come to those who rock.

Vaslorda is as close to fine as it gets. Check it out for yourself here

TRISTAN CLOPET-A CHAT WITH MY BRAIN

Tristan Clopet has just released "A Chat With My Brain", a taster single from his first full length disc (Name It What You Want) due out on May 31st.

Setting the bar quite high, this killer track combines a powerful hook with high-flying vocals, all masterfully blended by producer Raymond Richards.

Check out the video and be sure to purchase the song on iTunes



Crank it up and pass it on!

SONGS FOR JAPAN

SONGS FOR JAPAN

Help spread the word regarding this generous effort.

"Songs for Japan" Album on iTunes to Benefit Japan Disaster Relief

Proceeds from Star-Studded Album to Support Disaster Relief Efforts of Japanese Red Cross.

NEW YORK, March 25, 2011 -- In what stands as a major global music relief effort to benefit those affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, over 30 of the biggest names in contemporary music have joined together for the worldwide release of "Songs for Japan," an unprecedented compilation of 38 chart-topping hits and classic tracks, available worldwide on the iTunes Store for $9.99 starting today (www.itunes.com/songsforjapan). Proceeds from the album's sale will benefit the disaster relief efforts of the Japanese Red Cross Society.

The "Songs for Japan" track listing features an all-star lineup:
1. John Lennon "Imagine" (Remastered)
2. U2 "Walk On" (Radio Edit)
3. Bob Dylan "Shelter From The Storm"
4. Red Hot Chili Peppers "Around The World" (Live)
5. Lady Gaga "Born This Way" (Starsmith Remix)
6. Beyonce "Irreplaceable"
7. Bruno Mars "Talking To The Moon" (Acoustic Piano Version)
8. Katy Perry "Firework"
9. Rihanna "Only Girl (In The World)"
10. Justin Timberlake "Like I Love You"
11. Madonna "Miles Away" (Live)
12. David Guetta "When Love Takes Over" (feat. Kelly Rowland)
13. Eminem "Love The Way You Lie" (feat. Rihanna) [Clean Version}
14. Bruce Springsteen "Human Touch"
15. Josh Groban "Awake" (Live)
16. Keith Urban "Better Life"
17. Black Eyed Peas "One Tribe"
18. Pink "Sober"
19. Cee Lo Green "It's Ok"
20. Lady Antebellum "I Run To You"
21. Bon Jovi "What Do You Got?"
22. Foo Fighters "My Hero"
23. R.E.M. "Man On The Moon"
24. Nicki Minaj "Save Me" (Clean Version)
25. Sade "By Your Side"
26. Michael Buble "Hold On" (Radio Mix)
27. Justin Bieber "Pray" (Acoustic)
28. Adele "Make You Feel My Love"
29. Enya "If I Could Be Where You Are"
30. Elton John "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me"
31. John Mayer "Waiting On The World To Change"
32. Queen "Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)" [Remastered]
33. Kings Of Leon "Use Somebody"
34. Sting "Fragile" (Live In Berlin)
35. Leona Lewis "Better In Time"
36. Ne-Yo "One In A Million"
37. Shakira "Whenever, Wherever"
38. Norah Jones "Sunrise"

Proceeds from "Songs for Japan" will be directed to the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) to support its disaster relief efforts. The society will use the funds for the ongoing provision of immediate relief and for eventual recovery support to the affected population. The artists participating on "Songs for Japan," the music labels and music publishers have waived their royalties and proceeds from the worldwide sales of the album to ensure that the JRCS receives as much support as possible from this global initiative. iTunes will also donate its proceeds from the album's worldwide sales to the benefit of the JRCS, and has prominently featured the project throughout its stores worldwide.

THE NUMBERS GAME

THE WHO BY NUMBERS

Self-referential almost to a fault, the songs that Pete Townshend submitted for approval on "By Numbers" are tough to listen to. Keith Moon was upset to the point that he cried upon hearing the demos. True artistic ambition is realized when the soul of its creator is revealed. Here, every nerve is exposed.

Brutally honest expression wasn't exactly new to the rock scene. John Lennon's "Plastic Ono Band" and Joni Mitchell's "Blue" are works that painted pain in technicolor. This album has always been unfairly relegated to cut-out bin status in the Who catalog. It mines the same territory as the aforementioned LPs and is no less brilliant. That being said, it does not measure up to the grandeur of the work that came before.

What happens to the man who writes about dying before he gets old when he lives to tell the rest of the story?

1975 saw the creative force behind The Who turn thirty. Still a young man, though "old" for the position he held. Pete had driven himself relentlessly to push rock in a cerebral direction, without losing its power. Peering into his future, he came to realize that he could not continue to pour his heart and soul into leaping around the stage and playing the old favorites. Would he rest easy in this deceit?

Not a chance.

Self-loathing rears its head as the author refers to himself as a "faker", "a paper clown" in one instance and questions the validity of all his relationships elsewhere.
There is no mistaking titles like "However Much I Booze" and "How Many Friends" for happy, upbeat (brainless) music. Genius coming to grips with burning out under the weight of expectation is more like it.

Called his "suicide note" by the rock press at the time, "By Numbers" actually reflects the early onset of mid life crisis, though that in itself is no less serious. Disillusion even spills over into Entwistle's lone contribution, the excellent, but sarcasm-laced, "Success Story". Only the filthy silliness of "Squeeze Box" manages to break through the gloom.

Musicianship is of the usual high standard that the band had long set for themselves. Entwistle and Moon turn in exceptional performances while Daltrey convincingly conveys the emotion behind each lyric. His interpretive skills were often overshadowed by the blast wave that the other three created when playing live.

"Slip Kid" is the highlight.



Heartbreaking, given the context, is the Pete-on-ukulele "Blue, Red and Grey".

Glyn Johns produces, bringing the same clarity that made "Who's Next" such a devastating record., though the overall mood of the work is desultory. It still deserves your attention, standing as a pretty brave statement of insecurity from a candid artist, leading one of the most thrilling rock bands of all time.

Playing more like a Townshend solo disc, which is how this should really have been issued, there is a sharp 180 degree turn away from any attempt to create another long form piece. In the grips of a depressive episode, it would have been impossible for Pete to expend the type of energy required to power another monumental spectacular. Quadrophenia had proven to be his last big blast with The Who. Now, he would come around to the thinking of his band mates and settle into touring as a professional entertainer, without the weight of taking "Rock" to yet another level of expression. The band roared through the 75/76 shows, their playing on par with the intensity they had brought to the stage five years earlier. This period would, sadly, herald the final chapter of Keith Moon era Who.

Houston TX, first night of the US leg of the '75 tour.

FOUR FACES

QUADROPHENIA

I have to be careful not to breach/I can't pretend that I can teach/ And yet I've lived your future out by pounding stages like a clown

Peter Townshend, rock's most tireless supporter, had long been telling anyone within earshot that the music had to continuously evolve and challenge listeners. By 1973, there were a number of ambitious projects undertaken by artists of that era, though he walked the talk in delivering this two disc masterwork.

Quadrophenia is without equal in the entire Who catalog.

Consistent in its excitement factor, the music burns with incredible intensity ("The Real Me", "The Punk and the Godfather" "5:15", "Drowned"). The backdrop to Townshend's subject matter (the Mod movement) isn't exactly universal, though the emotions evoked by each piece certainly are. Far more successful than Tommy in framing a linear storyline which has a proper resolution, Quadrophenia also manages to retain an element of open-ended wonder with respect to its protagonist's future.

Claiming that he did most of the guitar work late at night, while "pissed out of his brain", Pete nonetheless complimented his tunes with top-notch lines. Roger turned in a number of heartfelt vocal performances that are right on target, Entwistle wrote out and dubbed on over 50 horn parts while contributing absolutely jaw-dropping basslines and Keith was in great form, though not quite his usual exceptional self. Moon's substance abuse had begun to erode his prodigious skills around this time. Publicly, he seemed to be indestructible, but his antics masked some very deep seated problems that would soon turn into very real headaches for the band and its management.



Ultimately, the theme involving Jimmy being a "Mod" is transcended by the fact that he is a misfit, who is gripped by the same self doubt and insecurity that extends its shadow over every human being at one time or another. Through the course of the album, his character is at odds with his parents, mates, co-workers and girlfriend. He goes to Brighton, a Who concert, battles rockers, scores pills, seeks and loses women, gets a job and loses that and contemplates the past, suicide and finally has the epiphany (through the employment of that trusty, age-old literary device: the cleansing power of water) that he will carry on.

This, of course, is mightily condensing the mad rush of images that are conveyed by the songs presented here. The prospective listener has to take up the liner notes, immerse themselves in the plot and find their own signposts to guide them.

Your engagement and full attention are required. What you will glean from the grooves of this disc is entirely subjective. For me, the music itself remains as the key driver to pulling a rush of different emotions to the surface whenever I play this record. There is a degree of solipsism involved in that last statement that could take this essay in a very dangerous direction. "Is It In My Head?" indeed. Suffice to say that Jimmy's inner struggles are expressed through a series of events that make perfect sense to him. Left unchecked, this character's behavior could have been written to take a mental trajectory that would be tough for anyone to follow. Townshend chose a path for Jimmy that was far easier to digest. Feeling misunderstood or out of sync with other human beings is something that many can relate to and it is by virtue of this fact that Quadrophenia escapes the gravity of inscrutability.

Townshend worked to ensure that the four shades of Jimmy Cooper were assigned to each band member, though no real room is created for them to take up different roles, the exception being Keith's vocal turn in "Bell Boy".

So you have the following:

* A tough guy, a helpless dancer. ("Helpless Dancer" - Roger Daltrey)
* A romantic, is it me for a moment? ("Is It Me?" - John Entwistle)
* A bloody lunatic, I'll even carry your bags. ("Bell Boy" - Keith Moon)
* A beggar, a hypocrite, love reign o'er me. ("Love Reign O'er Me" - Pete Townshend)



Beautifully crafted and executed, Pete himself described Quadrophenia aptly:

"The music is the best music that I've ever written, I think, and it's the best album that I will ever write."

No argument with that here.

If you have never encountered this record before now, here is a song by song synopsis of the story taken from an online post:

* "I Am the Sea/The Real Me" – The opera opens with Jimmy Cooper's introduction with his four personalities. The listener then gets a quick look at his visits to a psychiatrist, his mother and even the local vicar. Mental security is unfortunately not obtained by the protagonist.
* "Quadrophenia/Cut My Hair" – Jimmy recalls an argument with his parents that culminated in his leaving home. We also hear a news broadcast mentioning riots in Brighton between the Mods and the Rockers, events at which he was present the previous week.
* "The Punk and the Godfather" – Jimmy goes to a rock concert (Supposedly The Who themselves). He queues up, pays his money and then decides he is going to see the band backstage as they come out the stage door. Sadly, the group is rude to him. He realises that there is nothing really happening in rock and roll; it is just another thing in his life that has let him down.
* "I'm One" – Jimmy contemplates how he has not really got much going for him, but at least he has the Mod lifestyle.
* "The Dirty Jobs" – Suitably disenchanted with his former "religion", he gets a job as a dustman. Unfortunately, his extremely left-wing views are not appreciated by his workmates and he is forced to pass on to greater things.
* "Helpless Dancer/Is It in My Head?" – The listener gets a real look at where Jimmy's aggression comes from, as he switches into one of his multiple personalities (The Tough Guy). Jimmy has a conscience that bites fairly deep. His frustration with the world only makes him angrier than he already is. The listener sees that he also possesses self-doubt; he worries about his own part, and feels that his outlook is clouded by pessimism.
* "I've Had Enough" – Jimmy finally snaps when he sees the girl he likes with one of his friends. In a desperately self-destructive state, he smashes up his scooter and decides to go to Brighton where he had such a good time with his friends chasing Rockers the week before (as recited through the news broadcast earlier in the story).
* "5.15" – This song recites Jimmy's train journey down to Brighton, sandwiched between two city gents and notable for the rather absurd number of amphetamines he consumes in order to pass the time. He goes through a not entirely pleasant series of ups and downs as he contemplates the gaudier side of life as a teenager.
* "Sea and Sand/Drowned" – Arriving at Brighton, Jimmy's mood heightens. He talks about the rows at home and is a little sarcastic as he recalls the evening on the beach with his former girlfriend. The Mod scene is already falling apart and all he can do is stay in Brighton just to remember the days when the Mods came to Brighton; it was only three weeks ago, but he is already living in the past. It is here that Jimmy contemplates killing himself by drowning in the water.
* "Bell Boy" – He meets a former Ace Face who now holds the position as a bell boy at the very hotel the Mods tore up. He looks on Jimmy with a mixture of pity and contempt. The two argue, as Jimmy feels the Ace Face has "sold out". Jimmy is now feeling that everything—even the Mod lifestyle—has let him down.
* "Doctor Jimmy" – Jimmy begins to damage himself so badly on drugs and alcohol that he gets to the point where he is so desperate that he will take a closer look at himself. This part of the story shows the lunatic within him. The chorus line "Doctor Jimmy and Mr. Jim" is an ambiguous reference to "Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", which closely links to the multiple personality theme running through the story.
* "The Rock/Love, Reign O'er Me" – Jimmy steals a boat and takes it to a rock in the middle of the sea. Here, when he comes down off his high, he finds the boat has drifted away and that he is now stranded, alone and forgotten. As a storm rages around him, Jimmy has an epiphany. After all the different people he has been, he finally knows for sure who he is: himself.



Taking the album to the stage proved to be difficult. The Who failed to gel on the tour to support Quadrophenia, with considerable technical obstacles that presented themselves from the first dates. It would also be the last truly classic Who effort of the 1970s.

TEN LOVE SONGS?

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, many hopeless romantics are combing store shelves for a stuffed bear emblazoned with a heart or making reservations for the perfect night out.

Setting the atmosphere with the rightsoundtrack is a key ingredient.

Love, exciting and new! Come aboard, we're expecting you...

For some folks, the very idea of choosing a top ten list of favorite love songs is likely to conjure up sickly images of couples in matching sweaters, eyes locked, while listening to Air Supply.

It doesn't have to be this way.

Love is far more complex than this. Don't be fooled by the bubblegum version that has automatically written thousands of songs so horrific that even the worst hack at the Hallmark corporation wouldn't admit to penning them.

The following ten examples are "love songs" with a twist.

1) In My Life (Rubber Soul LP-1965)- What more can be said about this gem? The lyrics have their feet planted in both the past and present. Lennon deftly assumes the role of a person taking stock of those "people and places" that were dear to him, while also taking care to remind his present partner of her place at the top of the list. Clever and concise, without straying into maudlin territory.

2) For No One (Revolver LP-1966)-One of the most vivid portraits of love's "end game" ever committed to tape. The passion long departed, much imagery is conjured of two people with nothing left to say. One of McCartney's finest constructions, with nary a word wasted. It was a long journey from Love Me Do.

3) Waterloo Sunset (Something Else By the Kinks LP-1967)- Terry and Julie meet at Waterloo Station every Friday night, pass over a bridge across the Thames and the narrator reflects upon the couple with a lovely series of images. Pure poetry that has aged beautifully.

4) Days (Single release, 1968)- Set to a fetching melody, this is a song aimed at a departed lover without a tinge of regret. They don't come much better than this. Note that the word love does not appear in either of these tunes, further testament to the genius of Ray Davies, at the peak of his powers as a wordsmith.

5) The Last Time I Saw Richard (Blue LP-1970)-You must simply listen to this one as it defies description. It is the crowning achievement on an album that saw Joni Mitchell paint her relationship pain in a very naked fashion, yet without the self indulgence that may have reared its ugly head in the hands of a lesser talent.

6) 45 Years (Fogarty's Cove LP-1976)- Evoking emotions without resorting to cliche or overt sentimentality, this is a shining example of song craft that continues to inspire. If you haven't heard this, seek it out. A lovely refrain with every word and bar carefully considered. One of the late Stan Rogers' most touching compositions, it was dedicated to his wife.

7) You Better You Bet (Face Dances LP-1981)-Nothing like coming right out and just saying-nay, demanding it, albeit with a slew of free-wheeling lines involving everything from getting trashed while listening to old records (T-Rex and, with a wink, Who's Next) to showing up at your lover's place in the middle of the night, following consumption of the aforementioned adult beverages. It's a fine "love" song, dressed in the crappy clothes of anti-love. One of Pete Townshend's great, late period Who offerings.

Are you half-way through that heart-shaped box of chocolates yet?

8) Back on the Chain Gang (Learning to Crawl LP-1984)-Love and loss mingle with a nod to an old Sam Cooke tune in the chorus. Sheer emotion drips from every pore of this stunner. Chrissie Hynde's brush with perfection drew on some very significant events in her life at that time.

9) Up the Junction (Cool or Cats LP-1979)- This one will definitely choke you up. Difford and Tilbrook bring some heavy cards to the table, providing lines so perfect that the characters are positively three-dimensional. No happy endings for this couple, though such is often the case when you tell the rest of the story.

10) Only Love Can Break Your Heart (After the Gold Rush-1970)Neil Young took a quick look at the entire process of relationships and summed it all up with aching precision. Uncle Neil has always had a way with words and the message here is conveyed with grace.

There you have it.

So many other worthy contenders could have found their way onto this list. By no means do I believe that these choices are the final or definitive word when it comes to songs that pull on your heartstrings. I just wanted to take a walk down a different path. Feel free to bring your own "top ten" to the comment section.

NEXT

WHO'S NEXT

For those familiar with the series of events leading up to release of the Who's pristine fifth disc, there is a certainly a sense that the finished product could have been yet a notch higher in terms of excellence. Even a cursory look at the tracks from these sessions that didn't find a home on Who's Next is enough to give you a "one that got away" feeling about the project. ("Pure and Easy", "The Relay", "Let's See Action", "Join Together", "Slip Kid"...there are more as well)

Nevertheless, the album was a stunning exercise in technological and creative terms that was well ahead of its time upon issue in the summer of 1971. Townshend, aided and abetted by Glyn Johns, actually managed to top Tommy as opposed to merely following it up. In doing so, he worked himself to the brink of nervous collapse and was forced to abandon his original concept in the process.

LIFEHOUSE

Determined to push rock to greater heights, Pete intended for the Lifehouse project to be his magnum opus. In truth, the idea was another version of the Legend of the Lost Chord or the Universal Note which, when sounded, will restore humanity to its original state of harmony with the Creator.

Music and vibration are at the basis of all

Still, it was fairly heady stuff for that time.

Rather than go tumbling through the looking glass, recounting the Lifehouse saga here, I leave you to go to this link which offers a superb, concise synopsis of the story.

EPILOGUE

Assembling the band at the Old Vic Theater, the concerts that were to be filmed as a key to the plot didn't work as the audience would not play ball. They wanted the group to play "My Generation" and smash the shit out of their gear. The other members of the Who had no significant roles to play (or input) nor did they fully understand the storyline. This realization drove Townshend to the precipice of madness:

Every technical bridge that we came to was very hard to cross, because we were trying to do everything all at once: Trying to make the film, invent the new Who, make incredibly big strides in music, write a whole load of new numbers. I was trying to write a film script, we were trying to service a quadraphonic PA we were up to our ears in it and getting nowhere very fast. In the end, about halfway through the recording, I just phoned up Chris Stamp, our manager and said let's just knock it on the head and put out an album, otherwise I really will go crazy. And I would have done, no doubt about it. I'd be sitting in a room and everybody in the room would suddenly turn into frogs and the whole room would start to go. It was brought on by problems and none of them ever getting solved-not being able to see anything in the distance. Everybody was treating me as if I was some kind of loony, and I think for a while I lost touch with reality. The self control required to prevent my total nervous disintegration was absolutely unbelievable. I had the first nervous breakdown of my life.

WHAT'S NEXT?

There were many songs to sift through and remix/record. In March 1971, Kit Lambert made an attempt to do just that with the band in New York, though these sessions flopped miserably.

Enter Glyn Johns.

Offering his services for a week as a test, Johns stated that if it didn't work out then The Who would be free to carry on and they could keep the results without paying for a second of his time. Things went exceptionally well as Johns captured the band firing on all cylinders, utilizing the Stones' mobile recording unit in the process. Agreeing to move the operation to Olympic Studios in London, they went to work and laid down two records worth of material in just a few weeks. All that was left to do was mix and choose the tracks that would make the final master tape.

THE MONSTERS

Four of the LP's nine songs stand pretty tall and are virtual staples of classic rock playlists almost forty years after they first appeared.

"Baba O'Reilly" must have been an obvious choice to kick off this groundbreaking set. Opening with a wildly inventive pattern that was taken from Pete's nine minute demo version on ARP synthesizer, a tension of sorts is created by this patchwork quilt of electronic sound. Reportedly, Townshend translated Meher Baba's vital numerical statistics to the synth to achieve this hypnotic sequence. Bricklayers hands come down on the ivories to introduce those iconic three chords and Moon quickly joins in with a flourish on the kit. Entwistle and Daltrey enter the fray together and the building blocks of an anthem are nearly complete. The icing on the aural cake are those big power slashes on the electric, which arrive close to the two minute mark.

Don't cry, don't raise your eye, it's only teenage wasteland

Blasting back to the main riff temporarily, everything hangs in the air with a final scream from Daltrey and a series of punches. What follows is a wild violin solo from Dave Arbus that moves across this transition as the band goes from mock jig to wild abandon. Moon shifts to a scattershot snare roll that climbs to a ridiculous crescendo, sweeping everyone else into his madness, and the rush of beautiful noise ends abruptly.



All is presented with a clarity that had escaped their grasp in the studio up to this point.

"Bargain" is another stunner, cleverly employing the moog synth for the hook. The lyric ("I'd gladly lose me to find you") can be construed on several levels, though according to Pete, "This song is simply about 'losing' one's ego as a devotee of Meher Baba. I constantly try to lose myself, and find him. I'm not very successful I'm afraid, but this song expresses how much of a bargain it would be to lose everything in order to be one with God."

Moon and Entwistle are inspired throughout, both playing with their usual fire. Their recorded contributions now cut through powerfully, no longer strangled or off balance in the mix.

Moving ahead to the two monumental tracks that close out Who's Next, the electric thrill that pervades each performance is more than enough to send listeners back to repeat the experience over and over again. Beginning with delicate acoustic picking, "Behind Blue Eyes" was designed as a vehicle for a shady character named Jumbo in the scheme of Lifehouse. Outside that context, there does seem to be more than a hint of bile in the lyric ("I have hours only lonely/my love is vengeance/that's never free), though the melody is fantastic. After two cycles of muted rumination about how it feels to live behind those aforementioned eyes, the arrangement roars to life. It is almost as if Keith had been tied to a chair for the first bit and freed himself in time to turn in a series of rolls that amaze as Daltrey practically spat out the words:

When my fist clenches, crack it open
Before I use it and lose my cool
When I smile, tell me some bad news
Before I laugh and act like a fool

And if I swallow anything evil
Put your finger down my throat
If I shiver, please give me a blanket
Keep me warm, let me wear your coat

Power chords fly, bass runs blaze and drums tumble back to earth only to go quiet again as we are returned to where we began.

No time is allotted for recovery as the soft landing gives way to a quick shot of adrenaline. Another synthesizer envelope heralds "Won't Get Fooled Again", prefacing nearly nine minutes of this startling call to arms. Curiously, the use of the ARP to set up the final shot across bow serves to bookend the disc in grand style. Isn't this where we came in?

The subject matter also served to disabuse certain followers from any notion that The Who would lend their support to radical movements that sought societal change by revolutionary or violent means in that era.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss

Again the theme of change coming from within and not by following the lead of another crop of idiots in Harris tweed suits was expressed beautifully by one of rock's most eloquent spokesmen. The sheer power of these four songs alone could light several large cities for a year.

THE REST

Out of the remaining five tunes, there are very charming highlights. Entwistle's "My Wife" is hilarious, with nice changes and punchy brass parts that hit the spot. Similarly, "Love Ain't For Keeping" features immaculate acoustic work and very tasteful playing from the rhythm section. Daltrey should have let Townshend sing lead, though.

"Going Mobile" is one of my personal favorites out of the second string numbers. While the remaining two selections boast nice melodies and are certainly inoffensive, I would have left them off. Make no mistake, this is a top shelf piece of vinyl as it is, though allow me to tamper with the time machine a bit.

Baba O'Riley
Bargain
Love Ain't For Keeping
My Wife
Let's See Action

Pure And Easy
Going Mobile
The Relay
Behind Blue Eyes
Won't Get Fooled Again

Easily five out of five lobsters...

This is work that anyone would be proud of. With Townshend's creativity at a peak and the focus that Glyn Johns brought to the table, The Who pulled themselves back from the abyss. They were now able to put the Walker boy aside for awhile to follow their own act with grace. Surviving the sixties, which had wrought its share of casualties and wreckage, the band now took a step ahead of the pack as the seventies began.

The next act would see them looking to the past for inspiration.

A LIVE ONE

LIVE AT LEEDS

While the deaf, dumb and blind kid more than kept the band in the public imagination throughout the remainder of 1969 and into the new decade, The Who rode the crest of this monstrous wave on tour. Their relentless schedule served to sharpen their already brilliant live act, bringing them to a virtually unrivaled playing peak. Few groups of the time combined harmony, melody and yet still managed an all out assault on the audience in terms of decibel levels. Dynamic, tight and breathtaking on stage, they brought Tommy to the Metropolitan Opera house in New York and played a very memorable set at Woodstock, setting every venue on fire with their intensity.

Pushing into 1970, they had decided to review tapes of North American gigs to see what might be deemed worthy of releasing. Townshend was disappointed by what he had heard, claiming to have tossed the whole pile of recorded shows in a bonfire. Back in 1968, they had similarly considered putting out a document of a concert that they did at the Filmore East. This did not materialize, though the show has long circulated on bootleg in excellent sound quality.

So it happened that they decided to allow their February 1970 stops at Leeds University and Hull to be captured for posterity. Due to technical deficiencies, the Hull tapes didn't make the grade. Leeds yielded a winner, resulting in one of the finest live albums of the era, often cited as the greatest of all time, bar none.

The six songs that were issued from this date were just a fraction of the full set, though all carried the impact of a sledgehammer brought down on a box of cupcakes.

With pink frosting.

Mose Alison's "Young Man Blues" was chosen as the lead-off track as the trio burned behind Daltrey's blustering vocal. Moon made it seem like ten people were playing, his hands a mere blur and he kept up a furious pace, pinwheeling across the skins at the speed of a dentist's drill. Keep in mind that he would sustain this momentum for two hours plus.

This version was filmed in July 1970



Roaring through old Who favorites ("Substitute", "My Generation") as well as rock and roll covers ("Summertime Blues", "Shakin' All Over"), the original record culminated in an absolutely devastating "Magic Bus".

Any self-respecting rock fan should have a copy of this in their collection.

The cover was stamped in the manner of a bootleg release and was seen at the time to be somewhat of a stop gap measure (albeit an excellent one) that would keep their fans satiated until the follow up to Tommy materialized.

Speaking of pirate recordings, the complete show at Leeds made the rounds for years, warts and all. In the mid-90s, with the advent of far more advanced audio-post technology, the imperfections that wrote off many of the performances on the master tape were fixed. This paved the way for an expanded Leeds disc to hit the market. Great news for fans, though the die-hards knew that a full performance of Tommy was still in the vault. This officially saw the light of day in 2001 when the "Deluxe Edition" came out, thereby delivering the entire package for hard core collectors.

Or did they?

As of fall 2010, the lost Hull show was cleaned up and boxed with the Leeds sets. Apparently, the group had long thought that the Hull gig was far superior to that of Leeds and so the 40th anniversary edition was unveiled.

According to legend, Entwistle's bass signal was "lost" on pretty much all of the Hull recording. Seems like it was "found" just in time to mark another milestone. As with the live tapes that supposedly found their way into the pyre, it's very likely that this was an apocryphal tale.

THE BRAIN OPERA

TOMMY

For all of the invention of Pete Townshend's compositions through the 1965-67 period, there was to be a retreat of sorts during 1968 while he worked tirelessly on the next song cycle. Though they were a force to be reckoned with on stage and were well respected by their peers, The Who had not yet delivered the "monster hit album" prior to 1969.

The Walker boy would change everything.

Eight months of planning, discussion, recording, re-recording and mixing culminated in the breakthrough release that would make them superstars.

Given the amount of scrutiny that this record has been subjected to in a search for some higher "message" or "meaning" in its construction, there is little point in adding to the scrapheap of scribblings by armchair analysts. Pete has said that Meher Baba's teachings greatly influenced him during this time (and still do). Freshly inspired, he then distilled and subtly worked these philosophies into the framework of many of the songs that made the final cut.

That being said, the impetus for creating Tommy came directly from Kit Lambert, who really did not care much for rock music and pushed Pete to delve into something much more substantial. Lambert and Townshend kicked around ideas (Kit had actually typed up a manuscript) with multiple approaches. The song "Glow Girl", recorded during the Sessions for Sell Out contained bits that would be incorporated into the larger piece. (Rael has a section from which the main chord sequence for the "Underture" was taken and expanded upon)

Did Pete have The Lemon Pipers in mind when he was cranking out a certain section of the Overture?

Think about it.

On second thought, don't.

Very deft, impressive acoustic playing is the engine that drives much of the material, along with Moon and Entwistle who excel, as usual. Daltrey comes into his own, as he becomes Tommy, carving out a distinct position for himself in the group and projecting an iconic, onstage persona that would remain in place through the following decade.

There is a lightness of touch present on this record that the band would never quite return to. Yes, Moon still manages impossible flourishes across the kit and Entwistle's rollercoaster bassmanship is prominent, though the live attack that each instrumentalist was capable of was not in evidence.

I have no reason to be over optimistic/but somehow when you smile, I can brave bad weather

Some of finest melodies in the Townshend catalog grace these grooves ("1921", "Pinball Wizard", "Christmas", "Amazing Journey" "I'm Free" "Sensation" all stand out in this category) though for all of the brilliance that is obvious here, the story itself is somewhat disjointed and weaves all over the road, narrowly avoiding the ditch as the curtain comes down amidst the "listening to you" refrain.

Having discovered this record in childhood, I got lost in both the sounds and the illustrations in the booklet that came with it. Without any conception of a deeper message, I only knew it was first class all the way. "Amazing Journey" was a far better summation of the disc as a whole (for a 12 year old at least). The plot line of Tommy has been hacked to bits and stitched back together in many different formats for the stage and film. None of these incarnations improves upon the original. (The 1975 movie is unintentionally hilarious) Plus, Townshend had done his usual job of talking himself into a corner before the album came out and was stuck with certain elements of the story that he could have easily pruned away to make it slightly more lucid.

It is to the credit of all involved that Lambert's suggestion of overdubbing an orchestra was vetoed. Entwistle's decorative horn parts and Pete's keyboards are the only augmentation and are quite tasteful, at that.

Again, all of this is trivial in light of the accomplishment itself. Tommy really gained strength as a stage piece and The Who owned every single note. It was a masterful performance that brought the audience to its collective feet every night (always at the same point as Pete recalled) and held them in powerful sway until the end. Encores were regularly called for.

Townshend created an almost impossible act for himself to follow. He would spend the next few years trying to do just that, attempting to raise the bar with each new project.

In terms of impact, it was so overwhelming that many thought Tommy to be the name of the band. The Who quickly became internationally known and all four were freshly minted millionaires almost overnight. Along with critical plaudits came the endless symposiums on what label actually belonged on this ambitious work: Was it a Rock Opera? A Cantata? An Oratorio?

I'd call it great rock record.

Listen and decide for yourself. After all, the whole point of this magnificent exercise is simply to realize that the "answers" to life's great mysteries (that we all ponder occasionally) can only be found within ourselves.

Cast of characters:

Tommy: Main character
Father: "Captain Walker", who is presumed missing in battle but returns home unannounced and unscathed
Mother: Mrs Walker
The Lover: A romantic partner of Tommy's mother, killed by Captain walker upon his return
Uncle Ernie: Tommy's 'wicked uncle', a paedophile who molests him.
Cousin Kevin: Tommy's cousin who brutalises him when the two are left alone.
The Hawker: A pimp for prostitute the Acid Queen, who peddles her services.
The Gypsy: A prostitute who deals in acid and exposes Tommy to the drug in an attempt to heal him.
The Local Lad: Reigning champion of the game of pinball, until Tommy beats him.
The Doctor: Attempts to heal Tommy and realizes that his disabilities are psychological rather than physical.
Sally Simpson: A minor character, who tries to climb on stage to touch Tommy at one of his appearances in his newfound messianic role and falls, cutting her head.

MERRY CRIMBLE UND FROHE WEIHNACHTEN!

Enjoy the holidays with four failed comedians.

THE BEATLES CHRISTMAS!

LENNON

JL

One of the last interviews with the late John Lennon, conducted two days before his death. This is part one of a long piece. His voice is familiar to me as that of a family member. Without a doubt, many of you feel the same way.



It is hard to believe that 30 years have passed. I was 12 at that time and was shocked upon hearing the news the morning after. The rest of that week was simply surreal.

On a more upbeat note, here he is in his element, working on a track ("Oh My Love") for the Imagine LP.

TIMOTHEOS

HIEROSOLYMA

Described as a musical meditation on Jerusalem, the listener is presented with ten ambient soundscapes, expertly conceived and executed on guitar and synths by Timotheos. In addition to the musical component, there is also a visual bonus with this disc as the elaborate artwork on the outer and inner sleeve was crafted by the artist himself. Combining the two streams provides a small feast for the senses as the most successful concepts allow for the audience to lose themselves in the images that accompany the music.

Taken as a whole, this is the sound of introspection and deep silence. Many of the pieces build in a subtle fashion, gently washing over the stereo pan quite like the ebb and flow of the tides.

Best appreciated in headphones

Relaxing and multi-layered, Hierosolyma bears repeated listening as you will discover nuances that may not be evident on the first pass.

Investigate for yourself and learn more about the artist here

Hierosolyma is available for purchase here

SELLING OUT

THE WHO SELL OUT

Townshend: "It wasn't just the Who that were made by pirate radio, it was pirate radio that made the music scene in this country. It made the Beatles, it made the Stones, it made lots and lots of people that were around at the time."

Unlike the USA, which boasted countless stations with tunes on tap across the dial, Mother BBC was the only game in town when it came to radio in the UK, pre-1964. Very little airtime was granted to pop music. This situation turned around when Radio Caroline became a floating (and illegal) transmitter of rock and roll.

Pirate radio brought a wealth of fantastic music to Britons in the mid sixties.

The passing of the Marine Broadcasting Act in 1967 would mark the beginning of the end for these pioneers. The few ships that remained to send out their signals would soon cease and desist. Truly disappointed by this turn of events, Pete hit upon an intriguing concept for the next record. He envisioned a fulsome tribute to both the pirate and American top 40 formats, complete with linking jingles and commercials. There was even talk of selling ad space on the disc to large corporations (in the end, Coke was the only taker). There could be no greater contrast to the ideals that were espoused by the burgeoning hippie movement of that era than casting your lot in with the ultra-capitalistic "establishment", offering up a piece of your art to the highest bidder.

What's for tea, darling?

To my ear, Sell Out is to the Who what Their Satanic Majesties Request represented for the Stones in that they haven't done anything even remotely like it, before or since. Climbing aboard that train of thought, let’s look at the elements that make this markedly different from the other entries in the Who discography.

1) With one or two exceptions, Keith Moon’s drumming is subtly muted for many of the tracks. His usual frenetic playing is pared down considerably to simply keeping time.

2) Rich, Beach Boys style, block harmonies pervade most every selection (the beginning of "Rael" would have sat comfortably alongside anything on Pet Sounds).

3) Melodies are to the fore, with the grittier side of the group's raucous stage personality toned way down.

A minor point gets deducted here for some unfinished business. The continuous run of great music interpolated with quirky, mock adverts is quite engrossing until the second song in on side two, where the listener experiences "concept interuptus".

Why wasn't this approach carried through to the end of the project?

The most likely reasons involve a combination of the heavy price of additional studio time and the hectic touring schedule that the band sorely needed to tackle mounting debt. Despite this fact, Sell Out stands one of the three best discs that they ever issued. Pete Townshend's genius as a composer had been glimpsed prior to this. Now it flowered in ways that amazed. There is a bounty of truly exceptional material, from the masterful "I Can See For Miles" to the increasing emphasis on narrative that makes "Tattoo" and "Odorono" so engaging.

Townshend: "When I write today, I feel that it has to tell a little story. Like Odorono, which I dug because it was a little story and although I thought it's a good song, it was about something groovy-underarm perspiration. He rushes backstage to congratulate her and it looks like she's all set, not only for stardom but also for true love. And then, underarm perspiration cuts the whole thing. And you know, without getting too serious about it, because it's supposed to be very light, that's life. That really is life."




Darling, I said what's for tea?

Throwing everyone off the plot, "Armenia City in the Sky" crashes in following the robotic "days of the week" snippet. Pounding along with dissonant swells of feedback guitar, the song was authored by one John "Speedy" Keene who also shared vocal duties with Roger on the track. The Who never really indulged in psychedelia, so the cloud of incense that hovers over the proceedings, while redolent of the sounds of 1967, is also slightly disingenuous. It proves to be a red herring as the selections that follow have little to do with the tie-dye, love me-love my dog philosophy that briefly ensnared some of the biggest acts of that era.

Keene would go on to find his feet with the excellent, albeit short-lived, Thunderclap Newman who wound up scoring a worldwide hit the following year with his tune "Something in the Air", produced by Townshend.

Pop intellectuals found themselves smugly nodding in appreciation at the nostalgic in-joke that was etched deeply into the grooves of this remarkable platter. Ivory tower elitism is never a great reason for liking something, nor should it be attached
to your appreciation of Sell Out.

Very well constructed music is what should (and will) reel you in.

Plus, Daltrey in the tub of beans is pretty messed up.

Owing to a predilection for tampering with the running order of great works in a revisionist effort to make them even better, I would have kicked off Entwistle's "Silas Stingy" and replaced it with "Pictures of Lily". This would have landed two tunes with a theme involving the handling of the male member for naughty purposes (or happy endings) on the same album. Speaking of which, "Mary Anne With the Shaky Hand" has an interesting, Latin-flavored acoustic break.

Heavy for its time (and a few steps ahead as well) was the single, "I Can See For Miles". Largely due to the idiosyncratic structure of this monster, it rarely featured in their live shows. Keith's scattershot snare pattern drives that perfectly harmonized chorus. This remains as one of their most dynamic creations, mixing the band bringing a raging assault with Daltrey delivering the lyric in an almost detached, yet vaguely threatening manner.

Very little filler is found on Sell Out. As previously mentioned, aside from the psychedelic poster that came with the original pressings, there is no great attempt to embrace that style. This is important, as most every major rock act of that period was straining to do "Sgt Pepper Part II", binging on acid and more often than not coming up with a load of pretentious garbage. (Dylan and the Kinks musically kept away from the "Summer of Love-In as well). The sensibilities of the individual members really helped to keep the Who from heading down that path. Moon actively hated hippies, while Roger and John took little notice of that movement. John and Keith spent a lot of time in the pubs, where they ultimately came up with most of the commercials, including the run-out groove joke response (Track Records jingle) to what the Beatles had done at the end of Sgt. Pepper. Only Townshend really got into LSD in any major way, though he would shortly back away from drug taking following a harrowing STP trip on the plane back to England after they played Monterey in June of 67. "Relax" has a slight echo (no pun intended) of Syd Barrett's work with Pink Floyd, but the rest do not bear the stamp of "flowers and beads".



Townshend's musical range was expanding. He learned to properly play piano as these songs took shape and he deftly handled most of the keyboard parts during the sessions by himself. The progressions in "Our Love Was" and "Sunrise" are an extension of his continuing education. The overall sound of this record is vastly superior to anything that they had done up to this point. Though there was some legal turbulence surrounding the use of some Radio London jingles, Sell Out was a tremendous success in terms of cohesion and strength in composition. Not yet superstars, a brief period of water treading would follow until Pete found the plot for their next odyssey which would bring far greater glories than anyone had imagined.

WHO TWO

A QUICK ONE

Image plays a significant role in putting a band across to the public. Like all good consumers, we hungrily devour a product when there is a brilliant marketing strategy behind it. The Who began as favorite sons of the Sheppard's Bush Mod scene. 1966 would see them emerge from that chrysalis as brightly colored purveyors of pop art. A cursory glance at the eye-catching cover of their second album would tell you as much. Inside the wrapper was a rather disparate collection which featured contributions from each member of the group.

Wasn't Pete supposed to be the main supplier of original material?

He certainly was, though a band that trashes its gear on a regular basis has a tendency to bleed cash. Performance fees disappeared quickly on repairs and replacement instruments.

Manager Kit Lambert, in an attempt to draw much needed funds, signed the quartet to a songwriting pact with Essex Music. The proviso? Receipt of 500 pounds per man was assured if each wrote two songs for the new LP. The deal really didn't make a great deal of sense, considering that Townshend seemed to be the only one with any real inclination (not to mention aptitude) for composing. Plus, they had just slogged through an internal battle over what artistic course to pursue.

These developments could have spelled disaster.

Fortuitously, the end result produced a solid second writer within the fold who turned out a veritable Who classic.

John Entwistle, enter and sign in please.

Keith and Roger managed only three songs between them, none of which would be mistaken for substantial works. Henceforth, Pete would handle the bulk of the songwriting duties, with Entwistle chipping in one or two per disc.



A Quick One has moments where it soars ("So Sad About Us", "Boris the Spider" "Run Run Run" and the title track) but the lesser cuts really drag down the proceedings. The inclusion of "Substitute", "I'm a Boy" and "Disguises" would have made this one of the top long players of 1966.

"Cobwebs and Strange" is a perfect example of a one note joke that was taken too far. Ripped directly from a track called "Eastern Journey" on Tony Crombie's 1960 soundtrack to the U.K. television series Man From Interpol, how Keith was able to claim authorship of the tune is questionable. The saving grace is Moon's vicious assault on the drums as the pace accelerates, punctuated only by his exuberant yelling.

Elsewhere, the power pop of "So Sad About Us" would serve to inspire a slew of cover versions, not to mention stylistic imitations. "Boris the Spider" was ground out under duress following Entwistle's bluff answer when asked if he had a second song ready to fill his quota for the album (and secure his publishing money). This inventive, chromatic romp up the fretboard was born out of a night out, getting pissed with fellow bassist Bill Wyman. Their discussion about why people were afraid of spiders triggered the lyric, which saw the hapless arachnid get squished in the end. The falsetto "creepy-crawlies" contrasted sharply with the "cookie monster" vocal treatment found in the chorus. It's a startling creation for that time and it would remain in their set list for years.



Dig that guitar sound in "Run Run Run"

"A Quick One While he's Away" owed it's very existence to a suggestion from Kit Lambert that Townshend write a ten minute suite to flesh out the running time of the LP. Objecting at first, he then took up the challenge and created what Lambert termed as a mini-opera (or "Tommy's parents" as he joked in announcing the song at Leeds four years later). This first stab at the form was quite an ambitious piece of writing from a musical standpoint, but dealt with a fairly mundane lyrical theme.

The plot: A young lady pines for her boyfriend, who has been gone for nearly a year, crying over the distance that separates them. She takes comfort in the arms of Ivor the engine driver. Upon her lover's return, she confesses to her tryst with Ivor and all is forgiven.

Curtain.

OK, so the story is a bit short weight.

Musically, it showcases everyone to great effect. The six distinct themes allow plenty of room to stretch out for each instrumentalist and the close harmonies that open the proceedings are in evidence throughout each cycle. Everyone, save for Keith, plays a character in the framework of the narrative and they sharpened their live performance of this gem to a fine point. The most well-known footage is their legendary rip through this in December 1968 as part of the Rolling Stones' Rock and Roll Circus film, though the Monterey Pop version is more of a "warts and all" live example.



Impeccable playing majestically lifts even the slightest material found here, which makes things a bit more palpable. Despite the critical praise that gets heaped on this record, I really wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it to anyone that was curious about delving into The Who's work. There are far better starting points in their discography to choose from. Once again, the US release came months after it appeared in the UK. Re-titled Happy Jack for the North American market, it also included this song which was only available as a single in Britain in 1967.

Their next full length project would be a huge stride forward for the band, proving the idiom regarding the third time being the charm.

WHO'S FIRST

MY GENERATION

Even after being presented with the sheer significance of this record, the jaded contemporary listener may still stifle a yawn and wonder what all the fuss is about. After all, even casual music fans have had a taste of grunge, punk, death metal, hardcore rap and other genres where volume and violence win the day. So what's the big deal?

Here punk, shake hands with the Godfather.

Landing on the scene with a force equal to several megaton bombs, The Who's debut set contained elements that were without precedent in 1965. Pete Townshend's forays into feedback, John Entwistle's astonishing bass chops and an eight-armed, teenage dervish named Keith Moon who attacked his drum kit with an intensity unmatched in rock, drove the songs on this remarkable album to greater heights.

Roger Daltrey wasn't bad, either.

Occupying a very curious position in the pecking order of the truly great rock bands that emerged from the UK in the early sixties, The Who managed to both insult and influence their contemporaries all at once.



Getting to the point where they were ready to record their first LP was an arduous process. Their set list was, for the most part, made up of R & B/Motown covers alongside rock standards with the occasional detour into surf music. By 1965, The Beatles had established new rules of engagement for groups going into the studio. If you weren't crafting your own material, your fate was left in the hands of outside songwriters. When that well dried up, so did your career.

Roger liked the status quo, playing songs that people knew and reacted favorably to. The Who needed to grow a writer if they were to progress. With much encouragement from their manager (Kit Lambert) Townshend stepped into this role, though Daltrey was not on board with doing original material at first. There was a power play involving his leadership, as Roger was the one who put things together in the first place. Doing Pete's tunes meant losing part of that power, though it was the only sure way to garner notice from someone who was established in the business.

Roger conceded.

Enter Shel Talmy.

Townshend had written a song that was intentionally similar in structure to the hits that Talmy had produced for The Kinks. Designed to grab Talmy's ear, he heard it over the phone and was impressed enough to bring the quartet into the studio to lay it down. Management made an extremely lopsided deal with Talmy in exchange for him shopping the disc to his contacts at various record companies.

Remarkably energetic, "I Can't Explain" put The Who on the map in the UK.



Keith Moon provided the band with a built in hydrogen furnace. His gun shot smacks on the snare in the break before the chorus and inventive rolls provide the fire, pushing the rest of the band to play harder. The follow up single ("Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere") was greater still, with early guitar pyrotechnics courtesy of Townshend's growing bag of tricks.

Rehearsals for the sessions that would produce My Generation kicked off in the fall of 1965. Captured in mono, the sound is aggressive, with most every song aiming to tear your head off. In many respects, the Who engine was likely far too powerful for the studio frame of that time. VU meters are buried well into the red, unwittingly creating the "indie" style well before its time. Leading the attack is Moon, who shreds all rock drumming conventions and proceeds to set new skin-bashing standards on each track. There is a small concession to Roger as the three covers offer a glimpse of the band's "Maximum R & B" personality. Hindsight being what it is, it's quite easy to see that the Who would have had very slim prospects for success had they not forged their own musical identity. These performances are alright, though they represent the most dispensable portion of the LP.

There is a cockiness that pervades here, drop-kicking convention over the ledge from twenty floors up, watching it smash to bits on the ground. This exact energy went into the execution of the title track, which destroyed everything in its path in 1965. Leaping out of the speakers today, it is no less compelling. Moon beats the living shit out of his kit, Townshend and Entwistle ride the crest of his madness as they hug those power chords and Daltrey spits out the lyric with a contempt that's palpable 45 years away.

Topped by four "fuck you" bass solos from Mars

Entwistle ripped the strings off of three Danelectros (he had to buy a new instrument for each pass as it was the only way to get the strings that came with it) before completing his mission and sealing his position as one of the most innovative rock bassists of all time.

Ratcheting up the tension with a key change, the end game comes with anarchic feedback as Moon flies over every tom, empty paint can and anything else within striking distance. There was nothing to touch this in its time. In the intervening years, Townshend has talked himself down a long hallway, past the ice machine, through a fire exit and up his own arse trying to explain away that infamous line. No matter, as it doesn't detract one iota from this ridiculously inspired performance.



Sure enough, the runner up in the pack is "The Kids Are Alright" which makes use of the poppy, close harmony driven style of some of their contemporaries, though they bring it home with enough of an edge that it avoids being cute. Both Moon and Townshend have solo moments that soar (you can't miss them). Townshend's writing style was definitely unique from the beginning and he would continue to flower in astounding fashion. "A Legal Matter" pounds along, aided and abetted by the imaginative keyboard work of Nicky Hopkins who battles it out with Moon over a droning chordal structure. (Hopkins provides the glue that centers several cuts.) The riff creeps in occasionally to tie the whole thing together, though the lyrics touch on unconventional, quirky subject matter for the time. Sort of an anti-love, not going to be happy together forever thing happening. "The Good's Gone" shares the same cynical lyrical mood and the work is quite mature given the tender age of its creator at that point.

Special mention goes to "The Ox" an instrumental which showcases Moon, Entwistle, Townshend and Hopkins performing a mixture of anarchic noise and a British interpretation of "Wipeout", although any lines previously drawn in the surf are crossed here by 100 miles. It is one hell of a performance.

The Keith Moon show was officially in full swing, as it is his drumming that stands out on one of the most ear-catching debuts in rock history.

Of course, the band publicly disowned the album shortly after it was released, citing the fact that it was a rush job.

In the US, the disc was issued in early 1966 with a different cover, title and did not include "I'm a Man", which was replaced by "Circles". It would be another year before the group started to develop a following in North America.



The Who singing My Generation? Much too polite. Slaying their generation by inspiring them out of their skulls is more like it.

THE WHO

MAXIMUM R & B

One of the most exciting bands to come out of the UK in the mid sixties, bar none. Their influence was far reaching in terms of musicianship and presentation, especially when you look at the stage acts of their contemporaries. Equipment suffered, audiences were shocked (initially) and the group went deep into debt as many of their early shows culminated in a wave of instrument destruction. They would not be consigned to the garbage heap of gimmicky, one trick ponies in the fickle world of rock, though.

Peter Townshend, John Entwistle, Keith Moon and Roger Daltrey produced a string of the most powerful, imaginative discs of the 20th century. I am going to tackle all output recorded by the original line-up, from their 1965 debut through to their last release prior to the death of Keith Moon in 1978.

Stay Tuned!

RED'S CONCERT REVIEWS

Great live music is always best enjoyed with good friends and adult beverages. Should you miss out on a concert event, it's always a bonus when you read a review of the show that was written by:

a) A person who actually likes the band/artist in question.

b) Someone who can convey the excitement of the gig and inject humor into the piece all at once.

Too often, when you open your local paper to see what the latest act that blew through town was all about, it is a huge disappointment. Usually, you get a few poorly scribbled lines from someone who didn't want to be there in the first place.

Red's Concert Reviews totally changes the game.

Red Curtis writes in a very descriptive, conversational style that is always entertaining and makes you feel like you are one of his buddies, beer in hand, watching a great rock show as it's happening.

We have seen quite a few concerts together and his summaries are always spot on.

Check out his blog, as it comes highly recommended and is an excellent read.

BUCKET AND CO. (DAVE COLWELL)

GUITARS, BEERS & TEARS

Following years of providing stellar fretwork for iconic groups such as Humble Pie and Bad Company, Dave "Bucket" Colwell has stepped out to showcase his talents as a world class writer/guitarist with a rock solid, debut solo disc. Colwell has enlisted quite a cast of heavy friends to contribute to his record, including IRON MAIDEN's Adrian Smith, Edwin McCain, Steve Conte from the NEW YORK DOLLS, THE QUIREBOYS' Spike, Danny Bowes from THUNDER, Bekka Bramlett and BAD COMPANY's Robert Hart.

For listeners who have bemoaned the lack of visceral, contemporary hard rock with a melodic edge, Bucket and Co. are coming to the rescue with Guitars, Beers and Tears.

This is a fantastic set.

Opening with a brief, swelling keyboard line that gives a nod to the salad days of Deep Purple and Uriah Heep, the title track wastes no time getting to business. Kicking in with salvos of scorched earth policy riffing, the tone is set perfectly. Guitars and beers often go hand in glove, though the only tears here will be those of joy as this marks the beginning of a banquet laden with fist-pumping anthems interspersed with very pleasant surprises.

Despite the presence of multiple lead vocalists, Colwell's vision of a big, unashamed rock record remains intact and not one iota of continuity or momentum is lost. His personality shines through in the writing and is never submerged at any point in the proceedings. Formidable skills in the guitar department allow him to light up each cut, with impeccable and tasteful playing being the rule rather than the exception.

Graciously, he chooses to shine the spotlight on his guests as much as possible. The presence of Adrian Smith is strongly felt, with a brilliant recasting of "Reach Out" (which was the flip side to Maiden's "Wasted Years" single). Smith acquits himself quite well in the role of lead vocalist, while the band burns behind him. Very much a highlight of the pack. Speaking of which, my personal favorite here is "Life" which is built on a strong hook, features great changes and is topped by a passionate vocal from Danny Bowes. Running a close second is "Hey Mr. Nobody" which is the lone tune that features Bucket himself singing lead. It's a pity that he didn't take the opportunity for more mic time as he turns in a great performance.

Harking back to a time when the music sold itself, without recourse to artificial spectacle, Bucket and Co. put craftsmanship ahead of all other consideration to great effect.

All of the components that make a successful end product are present on Guitars, Beers and Tears, with top class production being the icing on a very satisfying, layered cake. Listeners will feel compelled to give the volume a healthy nudge toward the sky (as I did) and revel in the pleasure of one spectacular rock record.

Find out more about the artist and grab yourself a copy of the CD here

Let's now give credit where it's due:

THE BAND

Dave ‘Bucket’ Colwell Guitars/Vocals
Jaz Lochrie Bass/Vocals
Gary ‘Harry’ James Drums

Guitars, Beers & Tears (Colwell)
Vocals - Chris Ousey

Girl of My Dreams (Colwell)
Vocals - Spike (The Quireboys) Keyboards - Mark Read (A1)

Make Up Your Mind (Colwell/Adrian Smith)
Guitar/Vocals - Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden)

Somebody To Love (Colwell/Tommy Lee James)
Vocals - Robert Hart (Bad Company)

Why You Call (Colwell)
Vocals - Edwin McCain Sax - Andy Hamilton Keyboards - Mark Read

If You Need Me (Colwell)
Guitar/Vocals - Steve Conte (NY Dolls)

Reach Out (Cowell)
Vocals - Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden)

I’d Lie To You (Frankie Miller)
Vocals - Spike (The Quireboys) Backing Vocals - Bekka Bramlett

Survive (Colwell)
Vocals - Edwin McCain Harmonica - Judd Lander

Life (Colwell/J. Leo)
Vocals - Danny Bowes (Thunder) Keyboards - Mark Read

Why Can’t It Be (Colwell)
Vocals - Seth Romano

Mr. Nobody (Colwell)
Vocals - Dave Colwell Backing Vocals - Lauren Harris