The Who
The Who |
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Formed 1964, London, England
Originally a straightforward R&B band that played for England's short-lived mod subculture, the Who gradually developed a creative and forceful style that led the British Invasion's second wave and gave them lasting fame. Chief songwriter Townshend, an angry young Brit with a big nose and an inferiority complex, spontaneously began smashing his electric guitar at London's Marquee Club; Moon, who joined the band after vaulting on stage and announcing he could best the Who's original drummer, Doug Sandom, followed Townshend's cue and regularly destroyed his drum kits. Daltrey and Entwistle, the band's talented role players, watched the smoke and violence with bemusement. songs--always with Moon's barely controlled percussion explosions in the background--to more lofty artistic ventures. He wrote Tommy, a rock opera, then followed it with the failed spiritual project Lifehouse, whose remnants eventually became the classic album Who's Next. As the Who's live show grew legendary and lured stadium crowds, Townshend's maturity overcame him; he tried to sing about growing up, spirituality and his personal drug and drinking problems. Some of this inspiration produced great rock 'n' roll, but after Moon died of a drug overdose in 1978, his vibrancy dwindled away.
After several uninspired tours with ex-Faces drummer Kenney Jones, the Who broke up in 1982, then did a bloated reunion tour full of professional backup musicians in 1989. Townshend still puts out solo albums and has turned his attention to the theater; he recreated Tommy as a Broadway musical in 1994. And in 1996 The Who were set to reunite for a special performance of its other rock opera, Quadrophenia in England.
Source: MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide
Personnel
| Peter Townshend, guitar, vocals | |
| Roger Daltrey, vocals | |
| John Entwistle, bass, vocals | |
| Keith Moon, drums (1964-1978) (d. September 7, 1978) | |
| Kenney Jones, drums (1979-82) | |
| Simon Phillips, drums (1989) |
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THE WHO SINGS MY GENERATIONOrder from: |
1. Out In
The Street |
The Who: Roger Daltrey (vocals); Pete Townshend (guitar, background vocals; lead vocals on "A Legal Matter"); John Entwistle (bass, background vocals); Keith Moon (drums). Originally released on Decca (74664) in April 1966. "Ours is a group with built-in hate." Pete Townshend said that in 1965, around the time that THE WHO SING MY GENERATION came out. That hate--or, more accurately, angst--jumps out of the grooves on the album. Although the line between righteous anger and self-centered bitchiness occasionally wears thin, there is no denying that the Who were truly revolutionary. The arresting teenage anthem "My Generation," the shaky solidarity of "The Kids Are Alright," the dizzy confusion of "Instant Party (Circles)"--never had pop music expressed such raw emotions in such an uncompromising manner (the Shangri-Las withstanding). At the same time, Townshend, despite his bluster, could not escape the fact that underneath his rage lay a melodist worthy of the Brill Building. On tracks such as the crystalline, harmony-laden "Much Too Much," he proved that he didn't need power to create a powerful pop song. In other words, you don't have to be Mod to enjoy this album. But it helps. |
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A QUICK ONEOrder from: |
1. Run Run
Run |
The Who: Roger Daltrey (vocals, trombone); Pete Townshend (vocals, guitar, cello, penny whistle); John Entwistle (vocals, trumpet, bass); Keith Moon (drums). Reissue producer: Jon Astley. Principally recorded at IBC Studios, Pye Studios and Regent Sound, London, England in 1966. Tracks 1-10 originally released in the U.K. in 1966 as A QUICK ONE on Reaction (593002). Tracks 11-14 originally released in the U.K. in 1966 on the EP READY STEADY WHO! on Reaction (592001). Includes liner notes by Chris Stamp, the original release liner notes from READY STEADY WHO! by Francis Hitching and the original release liner notes from the U.S. album HAPPY JACK by Nick Jones. This 1995 reissue of A QUICK ONE includes the original British album along with four songs from the EP READY STEADY WHO!, three B-sides ("Doctor, Doctor," "I've Been Away" and "In The City") and three previously unreleased tracks. A QUICK ONE was first released in the U.S. in 1967 under the title HAPPY JACK, with the single "Happy Jack" replacing the British album track "Heatwave." This reissue includes an acoustic version of "Happy Jack" but not the single version. A pivotal album in the early career of The Who, A QUICK ONE is the bridge between the band's original incarnation as a hard rockin' mod pop group and its subsequent, more ambitious, experimental phase. The album is also notable because it's centerpiece, "A Quick One, While He's Away," represents Pete Townshend's first attempt at "rock opera," a form which he and The Who would later perfect on TOMMY and QUADROPHENIA. The ten-minute track contains all the elements of the trademark Who style--complex arrangements and vocal harmonies, alternating heavy electric and light acoustic passages and a preoccupation with issues of morality and sexuality. Also interesting is the fact that A QUICK ONE includes, in addition to several Townshend masterpieces, one Roger Daltrey tune and two excellent songs each from both John Entwistle and Keith Moon. The Entwistle-penned tracks ("Whiskey Man" and "Boris the Spider") are among his best and introduced fans for the first time to the virtuoso bassist's dark, twisted sense of humor. Although prior to A QUICK ONE's release The Who had several hit singles, it was this album that put the music world on notice that Townshend and crew were far more than simply a high energy rock & roll band. |
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THE WHO SELL OUTOrder from: |
1. Armenia
City In The Sky |
The Who: Roger Daltrey (vocals); Pete Townshend (vocals, guitar, piano); John Entwistle (vocals, bass); Keith Moon (drums). Additional personnel: Al Kooper (organ). Producer: Kit Lambert. Reissue producer: Jon Astley. Recorded in 1967 and 1968. Originally released on Track (612002/613002). Released in the U.S. on Decca (4950/74950) in 1968. Includes liner notes by Dave Marsh. All songs written or co-written by members of the Who except "Armenia City In The Sky" (John Keene) and "Hall Of The Mountain King" (Edvard Grieg). Produced to sound like a British off-shore "pirate" radio station, THE WHO SELL OUT includes commercial parodies and actual pirate-radio jingles. This 1995 reissue includes several additional songs and jingles and alternate versions. "Odorono (Final Chorus)" is a chorus from "Odorono" that was edited out of the originally released version. Only three albums into its recording career, the Who had already begun to distance itself from its proletarian R&B beginnings. Here, songwriter Pete Townshend follows up on the rock-opera idea he had introduced on A QUICK ONE, with the extended, multi-part composition "Rael." The band had also begun exploring the form of the concept album. The songs are connected by bits of fake radio commercials and brass fanfares, and there's a bit of everything thrown into the mix. All-out rockers like the vengeful "I Can See For Miles" vie with the romantic declarations of "Our Love Was" and the soft, folky "Maryanne With The Shaky Hand" for the listener's attention on this impressively eclectic album. |
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TOMMY (1969 Original Concept Album)Order from: |
1. Overture |
The Who: Roger Daltrey (vocals); Pete Townshend (guitar, keyboards, vocals); John Entwistle (bass, French horn, vocals); Keith Moon (drums, vocals). Reissue producer: Jon Astley. Originally released as a 2 LP set on Decca (7205). All tracks have been digitally remastered. The definitive rock opera, TOMMY liberated the Who from a "singles band" stigma, and made them an international attraction. Composer Pete Townshend had flirted with the genre on two previous releases; here his vision was spread over two ambitious albums that played to his group's main strengths. Memorable songs were matched by pulsating musicianship, which emphasized the Who's internal kineticism, while the cast of characters unleashed revealed an unconventional imagination. Townshend even incorporates "Eyesight To The Blind," first recorded by Sonny Boy Williamson, as part of his fable about the "deaf, dumb and blind kid," a rare but successful reference to the past in what is a forward-looking achievement. |
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LIVE AT LEEDSOrder from: |
1. Heaven
And Hell - (previously unreleased) |
MCA's deluxe remastered reissue of LIVE AT LEEDS includes 8 previously unreleased live tracks, plus expanded versions of "Shakin' All Over" and "Magic Bus." The Who: Roger Daltrey (vocals, harmonica); Pete Townshend (guitar, vocals); John Entwistle (bass, vocals); Keith Moon (drums). Reissue producer: Jon Astley. Recorded live at Leeds University, Leeds, England on February 14, 1970. Includes liner notes by Chris Charlesworth. Originally released on Decca (79175) in May 1970. All songs written by members of The Who except "Fortune Teller" (Naomi Neville), "Young Man Blues" (Mose Allison), "Summertime Blues" (Eddie Cochran/Jerry Capehart) and "Shakin' All Over" (Johnny Kidd). Considered one of rock's finest live albums, LIVE AT LEEDS presents The Who at their incendiary best. The Who's concerts were loud, emotional and full of theatrical gestures (such as Townshend's nihilistic guitar-bashing and Moon's primeval, rhythmic thrashing). LIVE AT LEEDS features freer, more expansive renditions of their hits "My Generation" and "Substitute," and a swift, crunching take on Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues" that has become the definitive cover version in the minds of many listeners. |
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WHO'S NEXTOrder from: |
1. Baba
O'Riley |
The Who: Roger Daltrey (vocals); Pete Townshend (guitar, piano, organ, ARP synthesizer, vocals); John Entwistle (bass, French horn, vocals, piano); Keith Moon (drums, percussion). Additional personnel: Leslie West (guitar); Dave Arbus (violin); Nicky Hopkins (piano); Al Kooper (organ). Producers: The Who, Kit Lambert. Reissue producer: Jon Astley. Principally recorded at Olympic Studios, England in 1971. Originally released on Decca (79182). Includes liner notes by Pete Townshend and John Atkins. The follow-up to Tommy would always provide Pete Townshend with an artistic dilemma, and two years passed before the Who unleashed their next studio album. The wait proved worthwhile and taking the best from the aborted Lifehouse project, Townshend added a handful of urgent new songs to create one of his group's finest releases. Synthesizer obbligatos and acoustic guitars provide occasional counterpoints to the quartet's accustomed power, a contrast emphasizing their sense of dynamics. "Won't Get Fooled Again," "Behind Blue Eyes" and "Baba O'Riley" were each destined to become integral parts of the Who's 70s lexicon, as vital as "My Generation" had proved from the previous decade. WHO'S NEXT set a hard rock standard that even its creators struggled to emulate. |
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QUADROPHENIAOrder from: |
Disc:
1 Disc: 2 |
The 1996 digitally remastered reissue of QUADROPHENIA contains remixed versions of "The Real Me," "Quadrophenia," "Dr. Jimmy" and "The Rock." It comes with a 52-page booklet. The Who: Roger Daltrey (vocals); Pete Townshend (guitar, keyboards, vocals); John Entwistle (bass, horns, vocals); Keith Moon (percussion, vocals). Additional personnel: John Curle (spoken vocals); Chris Stainton (piano). Reissue producer: Jon Astley. Engineers: Ron Nevison, Ron Houison, Pete Townshend, Glyn Johns. Recorded at The Kitchen, Thessally Road, Battersea, England. Originally released on MCA (10004) on November 3, 1973. To write and record one successful "rock opera" is an achievement but to attempt it all over again and succeed is credit to Pete Townshend's determination and deep talent. TOMMY was a naive storyline compared to this, a story of a frustrated and angry mod in 1964. The band play blindingly good throughout and the remastered version in 1996 is outstanding. The fact that there is a storyline is almost irrelevant on a double album of excellent songs. "5:15" was the lone hit single, a sign that the pop charts were no longer a priority for Townshend; he wanted to be an artist. The subsequent film with Phil Daniels merely reinforced Townshend's vision. |
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THE WHO BY NUMBERSOrder from: |
1. Slip Kid |
The 1996 reissue of THE WHO BY NUMBERS contains three live bonus tracks that weren't on the original LP. "Squeeze Box," "Behind Blue Eyes" and "Dreaming From The Waist" were recorded live in Swansea, Wales in 1976. The Who: Roger Daltrey (vocals); Pete Townshend (vocals, guitar, keyboards); John Entwistle (vocals, brass, bass); Keith Moon (drums). Reissue producers: Jon Astley, Andy Macpherson. Recorded in 1975-76. Originally released on MCA (2161) in October 1975. Includes liner notes by Penny Valentine and John Swenson. Arguably the most underrated of the Who's albums, THE WHO BY NUMBERS represents a return to a more straight-ahead rock & roll sound after the extensive orchestration of QUADROPHENIA. It includes a pair of certified classics in "Slip Kid' and "Squeeze Box," as well as two of Townshend's prettiest ballads, "Imagine a Man" and "Blue Red and Grey." Released at a time when the man who wrote "I hope I die before I get old" was turning 30, many of the songs on WHO BY NUMBERS seem to be Townshend's way of dealing with the hardships of life as a hard-living, quickly aging rock star. Melancholy, world-weary and nostalgic, WHO BY NUMBERS is a far cry from the youthful playfulness of early albums like THE WHO SELL OUT. The album was evidently the product of four exhausted musicians, as the next Who album did not appear until three years later. Although not as bombastically exciting as WHO'S NEXT or LIVE AT LEEDS, THE WHO BY NUMBERS does include standout ensemble work from everyone involved (especially bassist John Entwistle) and serves as a fascinating mid-'70s snapshot of rock gods turning pensive at the height of their fame. |
TOMMY (1975 Film)Order from: |
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Disc: 1
Disc: 2
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Performers include: Eric Clapton, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle, Elton John, Pete Townshend, Tina Turner, The Who. Composed by Pete Townshend. |
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WHO ARE YOUOrder from: |
1. New Song |
The 1996 reissue of WHO ARE YOU contains 5 previously-unreleased bonus tracks. The Who: Roger Daltrey (vocals); Pete Townshend (vocals, guitar, piano, synthesizer, bass, drums); John Entwistle (vocals, synthesizer, bass); Keith Moon (drums, percussion). Additional personnel: Rod Argent (piano, synthesizer); Andy Fairweather-Low (background vocals). Reissue producers: John Astley, Andy MacPherson. Originally released on MCA (3050) on August 25, 1978. Includes liner notes by Matt Resnicoff. All tracks have been digitally remastered. By the end of the '70s, the original version of the Who was reaching the end of its tether (Keith Moon was nearing the end of his life). WHO ARE YOU can be seen as something of a swan song for the spirit that ignited the rock & roll juggernaut that was the Who in its prime. The increased prominence of synthesizers here (the electronic flavoring of the title track recalls "Baba O'Riley") points towards the direction the post-Moon '80s version of the band would take. Instead of casting aspersions on socio-political ills, Townshend was casting glances askance at current musical trends ("Sister Disco") and his own occupation ("Guitar and Pen"). Entwistle's bass still rumbles melodically through the tunes in the grand style, and Daltrey's wounded-beast roar is at its most impassioned on such songs as "Had Enough." The end of an era was just around the corner, but the band blazed away regardless, making WHO ARE YOU the last must-have Who album. |
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THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHTOrder from: |
1. My
Generation |
The Who: Roger Daltrey (vocals); Pete Townshend (guitar, keyboards, vocals); John Entwistle (bass, horns, vocals); Keith Moon (drums, vocals). Originally released on MCA (11005) in June 1979. 2 LPs on 1 CD with "Join Together," "Roadrunner" and "My Generation Blues" omitted. THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT is the double-length soundtrack to the film of the same name, which chronicled the rise of the Who from their early days as the High Numbers to their evolution into the innovative, influential and wildly successful rock band they became. Many of these songs are heretofore-unreleased recordings taken from live performances, a setting in which the Who were at their explosive best. The record features many of the band's greatest songs, either the original versions of early hits like "I Can See for Miles," "I Can't Explain," and "Magic Bus" or live versions that capture the magic of the originals as well as the excitement of the Who's live act. The band's irreverent exuberance is well-documented here, from their off-the-cuff cheekiness on the Smothers Brothers show (followed by a searing performance of "My Generation" that ends with Keith Moon's erupting drum kit) to their performance of proto rock opera "A Quick One" at the Rolling Stones' Rock & Roll Circus. Another highlight is their incendiary convert rave-up of Mose Allison's "Young Man's Blues." |
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QUADROPHENIA: SONGS FROM THE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACKOrder from: |
1. I'm The
Face - The High Numbers |
The Who: Roger Daltrey (vocals), Pete Townshend (guitar, keyboards, vocals), John Entwistle (bass, horns, vocals), Keith Moon (percussion, vocals). This edition of the original motion picture soundtrack of QUADROPHENIA was mixed by John Entwistle especially for the 1979 2-LP set. The set features three previously unreleased Who songs - "Get Out And Stay Out," "Four Faces," and "Joker James" - as well as The Who's first two recordings, recorded when they were still known as the High Numbers, "I'm The Face" and "Zoot Suit." |
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30 YEARS OF MAXIMUM R&BOrder from: |
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Disc: 1
Disc: 2
Disc: 3
Disc: 4
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The Who: Roger Daltrey (vocals); Pete Townshend (guitar, vocals); John Entwistle (bass); Keith Moon, Kenney Jones (drums). The compilers of MAXIMUM R&B deserve credit for squeezing the collected works of the Who onto these four CDs. The Who's transition from singles band to something more ambitious is well chronicled on disc one. It contains early singles like "Zoot Suit" and "I'm the Face," classics like "My Generation" and "I Can't Explain," near-classics like "I'm a Boy" and early rarities like their take on the Stones' "The Last Time." The second disc charts the band's transition toward conceptual rock and opera, beginning with a selection from THE WHO SELL OUT and moving into their seminal rock opera "TOMMY." The band is also captured at their blistering best in cuts from legendary LIVE AT LEEDS. Disc three covers the early '70s, when the band was at a creative peak, turning out state-of-the-art rock with QUADROPHENIA and WHO'S NEXT. Songs like "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" still explode like Thor's hammer. The final disc has a little of everything, rare live versions, radio-only oddities, and the best of their late-'70s and early-'80s output. The later works demonstrate that the Who continued make great music even in the twilight of their career. |
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MY GENERATION: THE VERY BEST OF THE WHOOrder from: |
1. I Can't
Explain |
The Who: Roger Daltrey (vocals); Pete Townshend (guitar, synthesizer, piano, vocals); John Entwistle (bass, horns, vocals); Keith Moon, Kenney Jones (drums). Producers include: The Who, Shel Talmy, Kit Lambert. Compilation producer: Jon Astley. Includes liner notes by Chris Charlesworth. Formed in London, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle recruited Keith Moon as drummer. Their violence matched an anti-social attitude (Townshend's pyrotechnic guitar demolition was especially noteworthy), and the Who were shunned by major labels. "I Can't Explain," released on Brunswick in January 1965, was written by Townshend, and modeled on the Kinks. "My Generation" depicted a frustrated, amphetamine-charged adolescent and was the title track of the Who's debut album. Popularity in the USA flourished only after their appearance at 1967's Monterey Pop Festival. TOMMY (1969), an extravagant rock opera, spawned a major hit, "Pinball Wizard" and became a film directed by Ken Russell. LIVE AT LEEDS (1970) is often cited as the best ever live rock recording. WHO'S NEXT (1971) contained "Won't Get Fooled Again," a UK Top 10 hit. QUADROPHENIA (1973), an homage to mod culture, became a successful film. WHO ARE YOU's 1978 release was overshadowed when Keith Moon died following an overdose of medication to alleviate alcoholism. His eccentric behaviour and virtuoso drumming had been integral to the Who. The group resumed recording in 1979 with former Small Faces/Faces drummer Kenny Jones. IT'S HARD (1982) contained "You Better You Bet," which restored them to the Top 10. A farewell tour took place in 1982-83 and the band reunited for Live Aid. An astonishing live band and one of the finest groups of their generation, they are also one of the most influential. |
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LIVE AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL 1970Order from: |
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Disc: 1
Disc: 2
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The music on LIVE AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL 1970 was originally recorded for the soundtrack to a concert film of the same name. The Who: Roger Daltrey (vocals, harmonica); Pete Townshend (guitar, vocals); John Entwistle (bass, vocals); Keith Moon (drums, vocals). Recorded live at The Isle Of Wight Festival, England on August 29, 1970. Includes liner notes by Michael Heatley and Ted Tuksa. This 2-CD set documents the Who's performance at a music festival that has achieved an almost mythological status over the years. Whether the event deserves its reputation as Woodstock 2 or not, this staggeringly powerful set captures one of the most important rock groups of the '60s and '70s at the height of its powers. A monstrous, roaring, behemoth of a band, the Who wielded electricity like a lumberjack wields an axe, creating a mountain of distorted wailing and thrashing as thrilling as it was overwhelming. One listen to these discs will quickly confirm that Pete Townshend and company were clearly the founding fathers of grunge-rock. Early tunes like "Substitute," "I Can't Explain" and "My Generation" all receive muscular reworkings here. The bulk of the set is taken up by a performance of the rock opera TOMMY, which, in this raw, biting incarnation, stands head and shoulders above the studio version. There are also versions of two songs, "Water" and "Naked Eye," from Townshend's never-finished LIFEHOUSE project. |
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20TH CENTURY MASTERS: THE BEST OF THE WHOOrder from: |
1. My
Generation |
Full title: 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection. The Who: Roger Daltrey (vocals); Pete Townshend (guitar); John Entwistle (bass); Keith Moon (drums). Producers: Shel Talmy, Kit Lambert, Glyn Johns, Jon Astley, The Who. Recorded between October 26, 1965 and July 11, 1978. Includes liner notes by Joseph Laredo. All tracks have been digitally remastered. This is part of MCA's 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection series. |
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The Complete
Guide To The Music Of The Who |
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Pete Townshend:
A Minstrel's Dilemma |
