The Who - The Who By Numbers (1975) + Bonus Live Tracks

(U.K 1962 - Present)

The Who By Numbers was released in October, 1975. By this time a non-concept album by The Who was a concept in itself and on this album the ten new songs were linked thematically by Pete Townsend's growing concern with age and disillusionment. Several tracks - notably "However Much I Booze", ""In A Hand Or A Face" and "How Many Friends" - were explicitly connected with Pete's anxiety in this direction, and John Entwistle's sole contribution "Success Story" ran along similar lines. Elsewhere, "Slip Kid" was a neat, latter-day teen anthem, "Squeeze Box" was a jaunty, semi-humorous song (with Pete on accordion) chosen as a single and "Blue, Red and Grey", virtually a solo track by Pete, movingly recounts disenchantment with the rock 'n' roll lifestyle so enjoyed by Keith Moon and many of his peers.

In Johnny Black's book 'Eyewitness: The Who", he writes about Townsend's initial demos for the album: At his studio in Goring-on-Thames, Berkshire, Townsend begins demoing songs that will become the album 'The Who By Numbers'.

Pete Townsend: "They were written with me stoned out of my brain in my living room, crying my eyes out. All the songs were different, some more aggressive than others, but they were all somehow negative in direction. I felt detached from my own work and from the whole project...I felt empty".

During 27-30 May, recording sessions for the album took place at Shepperton Studios Sound Stage, London.

Pete Townsend: "I forced the band into a corner with that material. When I first played the demos, Keith burst into tears. He came and put his arms around me. I suppose he was thinking, 'Poor Pete', but that was the kind of material I was dishing up. The band recoiled from the stuff".

Keith & John

Clad in a sleeve designed by John Entwistle and incorporating a join-up-the-dots caricature picture of The Who on the front, the record was also noticeable for a complete lack of synthesizer parts that had been such a notable feature of the group's two previous albums.

Instead Nicky Hopkins added a generous amount of gentle piano. Instrumentally The Who showed no signs of flagging: Roger's vocals - particularly on "Dreaming From The Waist" and "Imagine A Man" - were both melodic and inspiring, while Keith's usual bombastic drumming belied the physical deterioration brought about by his alcoholic tendencies. "Dreaming From The Waist" included some popping bass lines that are among the finest John Entwistle has ever recorded and which would be further spotlighted in The Who's upcoming live performances.

Pete

While the standard of composition reached just short of that attained on 'Who's Next', 'The Who By Numbers' opened the doors to an overt autobiographical style that served to emphasise Pete Townsend's honest approach to his work. By expressing his anxieties through the music of The Who, he acknowledged the fact that the group are - and always will be - a band of the people whose problems could be shared with those people.

According to the old adage, a problem shared is a problem halved and thus the tour that followed the release of 'The Who By Numbers' saw the group return to the kind of form they displayed in pre-Quadrophenia days.

'The Who By Numbers' was the first album (aside from Roger Daltrey's 'Ride A Rock Horse') to appear on the Polydor label, and was thus the first public indication of the severance of The Who's long-standing relationship with manager Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp and their jointly owned Track Records. The litigation between The Who and their former managers was settled out of court shortly after the release of this album and the two former film directors who had played such a crucial role in The Who's career went their own way from this point onwards.

Roger

They had, by this time, fallen out with each other over financial matters and when Lambert issued a badly phrased press release that to some extent brought the squabbling out in the open, the split became irreversible. For the remainder of the decade Stamp involved himself in film work and quietly enjoyed his fortune, while Lambert spiraled downhill, squandering his fortune on drink and drugs.

"Kit bought a palace in Venice on the Grand Canal and tried to cultivate high society friends there," says Chris Welch who has written a biography of Lambert. "He was eventually forced to leave Venice. He set fire to the palace and he ended up owing money all over town. He was an alcoholic and he was hooked on heroin and was forced to undergo treatment for this in a Swiss clinic. Back in London he was busted for cocaine after being shopped to the police by a pusher that he owed money to. He always felt very bitter that he didn't receive the credit he deserved for his work with Pete Townsend on Tommy".

Various people, including Pete Townsend, offered Kit Lambert a helping hand as his condition worsened but to no avail. Lambert died aged forty-five in April, 1981, after falling down the stairs at his mother's house in Fulham.

That night, by all accounts, he had been involved in a drunken brawl at a night club in Kensington and had returned home injured from the beating he received. It was a sad and ignominious end for a man whose creative guidance and exploitive vision had done so much to promote the career of the group he loved.

In September, 1975, The Who regrouped to rehearse for a lengthy series of tours that would take in Britain, Europe and, in three separate visits, the United States. Fresh from his trip to America on soothing Meher Baba business, a refreshed and spiritually rejuvenated Pete Townsend walked into the first rehearsal smiling, a fact noted by Keith Moon as both unusual yet indicative of happier times to come.

Though only two new songs from 'The Who By Numbers' - "Squeeze Box" and "Dreaming From The Waist" appeared in their sets, The Who displayed an almost boyish enthusiasm for their older material.

At the end of the tour Variety, the US entertainment industry magazine, reported that the twenty dates had grossed just over 3 million dollars of which The Who netted 1.59 million dollars.
[extract from 'The Illustrated Biography-The Who' by Chris Charlesworth, Omnibus Press, 1982]

Chart Success

'The Who By Numbers' album was certified gold in the U.S on the 10th December, 1975. On January, 6th 1976.

"Squeeze Box" entered the US Top 40 singles chart on 3rd January, 1976 and the UK singles charts on 24th January. It finally peaked at No. 16 in the US Charts on 14th February and No. 10 on the UK charts on the 28th February.

In 'Eyewitness: The Who' Pete Townsend commented: I wrote this song called Squeeze Box. I went out and bought an accordion and learned to play it in about 10 minutes, so it's a devastatingly simple song.

John Entwistle added: That was just a kind of fun thing. We all knew it was about tits. I thought Joe Walsh's song "I Like Big Tits" was more to the point.

If you are interested in hearing recordings from there Variety tour, take a look at my 'The Who - Boris The Spider: Live in Ludwigshafen, 7-11-1975 (Bootleg)' post from 2018 (link is still active) 

The Album Cover

Clad in a sleeve designed by John Entwistle , the front cover incorporated a join-up-the-dots picture of The Who.   In the book Eyewitness: The Who by Johnny Black, Entwistle states:

The cover drawing only took me hour, but the dots took about three hours. I took it down to the studio while we were mixing and got the worst artist in the room to fill it in. Discovered I'd left two inside legs out.

We were talking it in turns to do the covers. It was Pete's turn before me and he did the Quadrophenia cover, which cost about the same as a small house back then, about $16,000. My cover cost $32.

Dots Joined

This post contains FLACs ripped from my vinyl which I purchased from Brash Suttons in Geelong back in 1976. I know this because I distinctly remember it being in their $1.99 clearance bin, along with some other popular titles, including Eric Clapton's 'E.C was Here' and Dragon's  'Scented Gardens For The Blind' & 'Universal Radio' (which are now highly collectable).   

Like most people, I was tempted to join the numbered dots on the front cover, however something at the back of my brain told me to resist and I'm now glad that I did. You never find this album with a virgin cover and suspect my copy is worth big $$.   

I've always liked this album and still play it occasionally.  Squeeze Box is my favourite track - it is such a catchy tune with great 'suggestive' lyrics.

As usual full album artwork is included for both vinyl and CD. I have also chosen to include bonus live renditions of "Squeeze Box" and "Dreaming From The Waist" which were recorded at the Swansea Football Ground on June 12, 1976.  

Track List

01 Slip Kid

02 However Much I Booze

03 Squeeze Box

04 Dreaming From The Waist

05 Imagine A Man

06 Success Story

07 They Are All In Love

08 Blue Red And Grey

09 How Many Friends

10 In A Hand Or A Face

11 Squeeze Box (Bonus Live)

12 Dreaming From The Waist (Bonus Live)

Roger Daltrey – lead vocals

Pete Townshend – guitar, keyboards, banjo, accordion, ukulele, backing vocals, lead vocals on "However Much I Booze" and "Blue, Red And Grey"

John Entwistle – bass, French horn, trumpet, backing vocals, 2nd lead vocal on "Success Story" 

Keith Moon – drums

* Nicky Hopkins – piano

The Who by Numbers Link (272Mb)

Double Post: Various Artists - Immortal Rock (1977) & Immortal Rock Vol.2 (1979)

 (Compilation - 60's / 70's)

Various Artists - Immortal Rock (1977)

The late 60's and early 70's was an era when rock came of age. This album features a collection of all time rock classics emphasising the strong influence of British and European musicians.

From Hendrix to Status Quo...the Who's Who of Rock's golden era are featured on this highly sort after compilation.
I have always considered this compilation (and it's follow up Vol.2 release) to be the best rock sampler albums to be released on Vinyl, representing the pinnacles of 60 and 70's rock. The only 'legendary' band not represented here are the Beatles, but then how many compilations have you seen with a Beatles track - none? Featured singles are:

 

The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown - Fire

Written by: Arthur Brown/Vincent Crane

Release Date: June, 1968

Highest Chart Position: #1 UK

Album Track: The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown

B-Side Single:  Rest Cure

During live performances and in the black and white promotional television clip, Brown performed the song wearing a burning helmet. The helmet was improvised with a leather skull cap onto which was bolted a metal dish that held lighter fluid or petrol. As the cap was not insulated, the heat from the burning fuel quickly conducted through the fixing bolt to the top of Brown's head, causing him considerable pain. The song is an example of the psychedelic rock of the period, though its lack of guitars or bass guitar distinguished it from many of its contemporaries. The lead instrument in this case was Vincent Crane's Hammond organ, augmented by an orchestral section featuring prominent brass. 

Pinball Wizard - The Who

Written by: Pete Townshend

Release Date: March, 1969

Highest Chart Position: #4 UK

Album Track: Tommy

B-Side Single:  Dogs part Two

In the first week of March 1969, Track released the first sampler from Tommy, a riveting new Townshend song entitled 'Pinball Wizard'. The song had actually been written for Nik Cohn, a journalist who was both a pinball fanatic and a close friend of Pete, Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp. It was by far The Who's best single release since 'I Can See For Miles' eighteen months earlier. "Pinball Wizard" opened with what is perhaps the best guitar part that Pete Townsend has ever written; following a slow, tension-filled build up through a series of unusual, rather melancholy chords, the rhythmic balance is secured with some furious strumming on acoustic guitar down an eight note sequence, each change enhanced by the deep cannon of John's bass guitar.

If there was any doubt that Pete Townsend is the finest rhythm guitarist in the whole of rock, 'Pinball Wizard' sets the record straight. The B-Side incidentally, was Keith Moon's jokey 'Dogs Part II', a throw away track with composition credited to 'Moon, Towser and Jason'. Towser was Pete's pet spaniel and Jason was John's favourite deerhound.

Thunderclap Newman - Something In The Air

Written by: Speedy Keen

Release Date: May, 1969

Highest Chart Position: #1 UK

Album Track: Hollywood Dream

B-Side Single: Wilhelmina

In 1969, Pete Townshend, The Who's guitarist, was the catalyst behind the formation of the band. The concept was to create a band to perform songs written by drummer and singer Speedy Keen, who had written "Armenia City in the Sky", the first track on The Who Sell Out. Townshend recruited jazz pianist Andy "Thunderclap" Newman (a friend from art college), and 15-year-old Glaswegian guitarist Jimmy McCulloch, who subsequently played lead guitar in Paul McCartney and Wings. Keen played the drums and sang the lead.

Jimi Hendrix – Hey Joe

Written by: Billy Roberts

Release Date: Dec, 1966 in UK

Highest Chart Position: #6 UK

Album Track: Are You Experienced?

B-Side: Stone Free (U.K), 51st Anniversary (US)

The lyrics tell of a man who is on the run and planning to head to Mexico after shooting his unfaithful wife. 

Listed at No. 201 on Rolling Stone magazine's The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2010.

"Hey Joe" was the last song Hendrix performed at the Woodstock festival in 1969 and as such, it was also the final song of the whole festival. The song was performed after the crowd, comprising the 80,000 who had not yet left the festival, cheered for an encore

Derek And The Dominos - Layla

Written by: Eric Clapton/Jim Gordon

Release Date: March, 1971

Highest Chart Position: #7 UK

Album Track: Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs

B-Side Single: Bell Bottom Blues

Clapton originally wrote "Layla" as a ballad, with lyrics describing his unrequited love for Boyd, but the song became a "rocker" when, according to Clapton, Allman composed the song's signature riff. The song's length (7:04) proved prohibitive for radio airplay. As a result, a shortened version of the song, consisting of the first 2:43 of Part I, was released as a single in March 1971 by Atco Records in the United States. This version peaked at number 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

Rod Stewart - Maggie May

Written by: Rod Stewart/Mark Quittenton

Release Date: July, 1971

Highest Chart Position: #1 UK/US

Album Track: Every Picture Tells A Story

B-Side Single: Reason To Believe

Maggie May expresses the ambivalence and contradictory emotions of a boy involved in a relationship with an older woman and was written from Stewart's own experience. The song was released as the B-side of the single "Reason to Believe", but soon radio stations began playing the B-side and "Maggie May" became the more popular side. The song was Stewart's first substantial hit as a solo performer and launched his solo career. 

Eric Burdon And The Animals - Sky Pilot

Written by: Burdon/Briggs/Welder/Jenkins/McCulloch

Release Date: Jan, 1968 

Highest Chart Position: #14 US

Album Track: The Twain Shall Meet

B-Side Single: Sky Pilot Pt. 2

The sprawling single “Sky Pilot,” released at the dawn of that war-torn year, proved to be a game changer, one of rock’s first cinematic songs. At more than seven minutes, the number annexed both sides of the 45 record, its many sonic effects captured in true stereo. Even at that length, Eric Burdon’s song was a hit single, reaching No. 14 in the U.S. and remaining an FM radio staple over the decades. While the song’s subtle anti-war message surely concerned the Vietnam War, its shadowing invoked the two world wars.

The song is a balladic slice of life story about a chaplain who blesses a body of troops just before they set out on an overnight raid or patrol, and then retires to await their return.

Cream - White Room

Written by: Jack Bruce/Pete Brown

Release Date: Sept, 1968

Highest Chart Position: #6 US

Album Track: Wheels Of Fire

B-Side Single: Those Were Thee Days

Cream recorded White Room for the studio half of their 1968 double album Wheels of Fire. In September, a shorter US single edit (without the third verse) was released for AM radio stations, although album-oriented FM radio stations played the full album version. The subsequent UK single release in January 1969 used the full-length album version of the track.

Jack Bruce sang and played bass on the song, Eric Clapton overdubbed guitar parts, Ginger Baker played drums and timpani, and Felix Pappalardi – the group's producer – contributed violas. Clapton played his guitar through a wah-wah pedal to achieve a "talking-effect".

Focus - Hocus Pocus

Written by: Thijs Van Leer/Jan Akkerman

Release Date: July, 1971

Highest Chart Position: #9 US/Dutch

Album Track: Moving Waves

B-Side Single: Janis

An edited version was released as a single (with "Janis" as the B-side) on the Imperial, Polydor and Blue Horizon labels in Europe in 1971, but failed to chart outside of the Netherlands. A faster re-recording of the song (titled "Hocus Pocus 2" or "Hocus Pocus II" in some markets) was released in Europe in 1972. When performing live, Focus would play "Hocus Pocus" even faster. Supposedly the song was a bit of a joke by its authors, but if so, it was a very successful million-selling joke. 

Status Quo - Rain

Written by: Rick Parfitt

Release Date: Feb, 1976

Highest Chart Position: #7 UK

Album Track: Blue For You

B-Side Single: You Lost The Love

"Rain" was intended for Blue for You predecessor On the Level – but, at the time of the recording sessions, Parfitt had not completed the song and so it was held over. It in fact followed guitarist Francis Rossi's new introduction to speed; "That's why songs like 'Rain' were so edgy and fast," he explained.

John Mayall - Moving On

Written by: John Mayall

Release Date: 1973

Highest Chart Position: #116 US

Album Track: Moving On

B-Side Single: Keep Our Country Green

The single was lifted from "Moving On", a live album recorded at the Whiskey AGoGo, Los Angeles on the 10th of July 1972 with the aid of Wally Heider's Mobile Recording Truck. For this album, he reshuffled personnel, choosing Mitchell, Solomon, Larry Taylor, Victor Gaskin, Hartley, Robinson, Watts, flautist Charles Owen and baritone and tenor saxophonist Fred Jackson. The album and single, Moving On, was released in January, 1973.

Golden Earring - Radar Love

Written by: G.Kooyman/H.Hay

Release Date: Aug, 1973

Highest Chart Position: #10 US

Album Track: Moontan

B-Side Single: The Song Is Over

Radar Love is written from the point of view of a truck driver who says he has some sort of psychic connection with his girlfriend — "radar love". He senses that she urgently wants him to be with her, and it makes him reckless. His recklessness causes him to have a fatal accident, but even in the afterlife the song's narrator and his lover still have radar love.

Nazereth - Love Hurts

Written by: Boudleaux Bryant

Release Date: Nov, 1974

Highest Chart Position: #8 US

Album Track: Hair Of The Dog

B-Side Single: Down

Performed as a power ballad, the Nazareth version is the most popular version of the song and the only rendition of "Love Hurts" to become a hit single in the United States, reaching No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1976. Jim Capaladi released a 'more up beat' version of Love Hurts in early 1975 and at one stage both versions were on the same charts at the same time - I personally preferred Nazareth's version.  The album version runs 3:52, with a guitar solo by Manny Charlton that is not on the 3:03 single. The lyrics of the song were changed for Nazareth's 1975 recording, where the original line "love is like a stove/it burns you when it's hot" was changed to "love is like a flame/it burns you when it's hot".

Oh, by the way, did you know that Nazareth got their name from the first line of the Band's "The Weight" - "I pulled into Nazareth..."

Eric Clapton - I Shot The Sheriff

Written by: Bob Marley

Release Date: 1974

Highest Chart Position: #1 US

Album Track: 46 Ocean Boulevard

B-Side Single: Give Me Strength

With respect to the song title, Marley has explained his intention as "I wanted to say 'I shot the police' but the government would have made a fuss, so I said 'I shot the sheriff' instead… but it's the same idea: justice. Clapton kept the underlying reggae beat from Marley's original, but made it more of a rock song, with prominent organ and guitar. In America, reggae was big around this time - in 1972, "I Can See Clearly Now" by Johnny Nash became the first song of that genre to hit #1 in the States. For listeners craving just a touch of reggae with their rock, Clapton's "I Shot The Sheriff" hit the sweet spot.

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Various Artists - Immortal Rock Vol.2  (1979)

 In the tradition of the first Immortal Rock album (Polystar 2475 517) this collection features further examples of all time rock classics from the 60's and 70's. 

From Chuck Berry to Roger Daltrey....the Who's Who (no punn intended)  of Rock's Golden era are featured on this 2nd compilation.

Singles featured on this compilation are:

Jimi Hendrix - All Along The Watchtower 

Written by: Bob Dylan

Release Date: Sept, 1968 

Highest Chart Position: #20

Album Track: Electric Ladyland

B-Side Single: Long Hot Summer Night

Hendrix had been working on and off with the members of the band Traffic as he recorded Electric Ladyland. Traffic guitarist Dave Mason caught Hendrix at a party and the two discussed Bob Dylan's newest album, John Wesley Harding, containing "All Along The Watchtower." Hendrix, long fascinated with Dylan, decided to cover the song on the album. On the resulting track, Mason plays rhythm on a 12-string acoustic guitar.

Rare Bird - Sympathy

Written by: Rare Bird

Release Date: Feb 1970

Highest Chart Position: #27 UK

Album Track: Rare Bird

B-Side Single: Devil's High Concern

"Sympathy" is a song by the English progressive rock band Rare Bird. It became the band's only UK chart entry when it peaked at number 27 in the UK Singles Chart in 1970. The song reached No. 1 in Italy and in France, selling 500,000 copies in France and over one million globally.

Hollies - He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

Written by: Bob Russell/Bobby Scott

Release Date: Sept, 1969

Highest Chart Position: #3 UK

Album Track: Non-album Single

B-Side Single: 'Cos You Like to Love Me

The Hollies' recorded the song in June 1969 at the Abbey Road Studios, with Allan Clarke on lead vocals. Elton John, who was still called 'Reg' at the time and was working as a session musician at the time, played piano on the song. He got paid 12 pounds for his trouble. 

In the Guardian newspaper of February 24, 2006, Hollies guitarist Tony Hicks said: "In the 1960s when we were short of songs I used to hang around publishers in Denmark Street. One afternoon, I'd been there ages and wanted to get going but this bloke said: 'Well there's one more song. It's probably not for you.' He played me the demo by the writers [Bobby Scott and Bob Russell]. It sounded like a 45rpm record played at 33rpm, the singer was slurring, like he was drunk. But it had something about it. There were frowns when I took it to the band but we speeded it up and added an orchestra. The only things left recognizable were the lyrics.

Rod Stewart - Mandolin Wind

Written by: Rod Stewart

Release Date: June, 1971

Highest Chart Position: #66 Aust 

Album Track: Every Picture Tell's A Story

B-Side Single: (I Know) I'm Losing You

"Mandolin Wind" was first released on Stewart's 1971 album Every Picture Tells a Story and later as the b-side of a single from that album, his version of "(I Know) I'm Losing You.

"Mandolin Wind" has been highly praised by music critics. In his review of Every Picture Tells a Story in Rolling Stone, John Mendelsohn refers to the song as being "nearly as good" as the #1 single off the album, "Maggie May."

The identity of the mandolin player on "Mandolin Wind" is unclear. The liner notes state that "the mandolin was played by the mandolin player in Lindisfarne" but that Rod Stewart had forgotten his name. In 2003, Ray Jackson claimed to be the mandolin player on the album, at least for the song "Maggie May." Jackson is the mandolin player from English folk-rock band Lindisfarne.

Allman Brothers - Ramblin' Man

Written by: Dickey Betts

Release Date: Aug, 1973 in US

Highest Chart Position: #2 US

Album Track: Brothers and Sisters

B-Side: Pony Boy

It was one of the first songs, alongside "Wasted Words", recorded for Brothers and Sisters (1973). They went to the studio to record a demo of the song to send to a friend, which is where the long guitar jam near the finale of the song was created. It is considerably more inspired by country music than other Allman Brothers Band compositions, which made the group reluctant to record it initially.

James Brown - It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World

Written by: James Brown/Betty Jean Newsome

Release Date: April, 1966

Highest Chart Position: #1 US

Album Track: It's A Man's Man's Man's World

B-Side Single: Is It Yes or Is It No?

The song's title is a word play on the 1963 comedy film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Brown's co-writer and onetime girlfriend, Betty Jean Newsome, wrote the lyrics based on her own observations of the relations between the sexes. Newsome claimed in later years that Brown did not write any part of the song, and she argued in court that he sometimes forgot to pay her royalties. Australian musician Renée Geyer recorded a version in 1974. The song was released in November 1974 as the second single from her second studio album, It's a Man's Man's World. The song peaked at number 44 on the Australian Kent Music Report, becoming her first Australian top 50 single.

Roger Daltrey - Walking The Dog

Written by: Rufus Thomas

Release Date: June, 1975

Highest Chart Position: #52 UK

Album Track: Ride A Rock Horse

B-Side Single: Proud

Walking The Dog was recorded during Daltrey's filming commitments for Ken Russell's film Lisztomania. Daltrey’s version of the regularly rendered song basically sticks to the original blueprint, with the exception of a rather hauntingly repetitious tone slipped into the stew. It is quite baffling that the album from which this single was taken from, Ride a Rock Horse drew mixed responses when initially released. No doubt expectations simply ran too high for the Who celeberity, as this is certainly a potent piece of work. Daltrey’s amazing vocals, combined with sympathetic and inspired instrumentation anchor each number. Had Daltrey been an unknown entity and Ride a Rock Horse marked his maiden vinyl voyage, critics would have probably penned rapturous reviews. Those who wrote this album off the first time around should seriously give it another listen, while those just being introduced to Ride a Rock Horse will be suitably impressed.

Bachman Turner Overdrive - You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

Written by: Randy Bachman

Release Date: Sept, 1974

Highest Chart Position: #1 US

Album Track: Not Fragile

B-Side Single: Free Wheelin'

The chorus of the song includes the song's famous stutter, and speaks of a devil woman looking at a man with big brown eyes and saying, "You ain't seen nothin' yet. B-b-b-baby, you just ain't seen na-na-nothin' yet. Here's somethin' that you're never gonna forget. B-b-b-baby, you just ain't seen na-na-nothin' yet.

Randy Bachman insists that the song was performed as a joke for his brother, Gary, who had a stutter, with no intention of sounding like the Who's "My Generation" which featured a stuttered lyric.  They only intended to record it once with the stutter and send the only recording to Gary.

Cream - Sunshine Of Your Love

Written by: Jack Bruce/Pete Brown/Eric Clapton

Release Date: Dec, 1967

Highest Chart Position: 

Album Track: Disraeli Gears

B-Side Single: SWLABR

With elements of hard rock, psychedelia, and pop, this song is one of Cream's best known and most popular songs. Cream bassist and vocalist Jack Bruce based it on a distinctive bass riff he developed after attending a Jimi Hendrix concert. Guitarist Eric Clapton and lyricist Pete Brown later contributed to the song and drummer Ginger Baker plays a distinctive tom-tom drum rhythm.

Jon English - Turn The Page

Written by: Bob Seger

Release Date: 1974

Highest Chart Position: #20 Aust

Album Track: It's All A Game

B-Side Single: Just the Way I Am

Turn The page is about life on the road, and the rigors musicians face when they're touring. It presents the other side of fame which the public doesn't see - the loneliness and aggravation.

Lovin' Spoonful - Summer In The City

Written by: John & Mark Sebastian

Release Date: July, 1966

Highest Chart Position: #1 US

Album Track: Hums of the Lovin' Spoonful

B-Side Single: Butchie's Tune

The Lovin' Spoonful recorded "Summer in the City" in two sessions at Columbia Studios in New York in March 1966. The recording is an early instance in pop music of added sound effects, made up of car horns and a pneumatic drill to mimic city noises. The effects were among the first on a pop song to employ an overlapping crossfade, an effect that had typically only been used on comedy albums. 

Eric Burdon & The Animals - Monterey

Written by: Burdon/Briggs/Welder/Jenkins/McCulloch

Release Date: Dec, 1967

Highest Chart Position: #15 US

Album Track: The Twain Shall Meet

B-Side Single: Ain't That So

The song provides an oral account of the June 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, at which the Animals performed. Burdon namedrops several of the acts who performed at the festival such as The Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, the Who, the Grateful Dead, and Jimi Hendrix. Chart wise, the song reached number 9 in Australia and number 20 in New Zealand. It did not appear as a hit in the UK, where the image of the Monterey festival was not as strong.

Chuck Berry - No Particular Place To Go

Written by: Chuck Berry

Release Date: May, 1964

Highest Chart Position: #3 UK

Album Track: St. Louis To Liverpool

B-Side Single: You Two

The song is a comical four verse story. In the first verse, the narrator is riding in his car as his girlfriend drives, and they kiss. In the second, they start to cuddle, and drive slow. In the third, they decide to park and take a walk, but are unable to release the seat belt. In the last verse, they drive home, defeated by said recalcitrant seat belt.

Slade - Get Down & Get With It

Written by: Bobby Marchan

Release Date: May, 1971

Highest Chart Position:  #16 UK

Album Track: Sladest

B-Side Single: Gospel According To Rasputin

Prior to recording the song in the studio, the band had established "Get Down and Get with It" as a popular number in their live-set, based on Little Richard's version. 

Impressed by the general audience reception of the song, Chandler suggested recording the song as a single. The band entered Olympic Studios in Barnes to record it and Chandler told the band: "Just play it like you do on-stage. Blast it out like it's live, and pretend that there's an audience in there with you." Successfully recorded in a single take, the band included foot-stomping and hand-clapping in the recording to give the song a live feel.

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This post consists of FLACs ripped from my Vinyl copies of these two compilation albums. Quality of these records is excellent although some base enhancements have been made to some tracks.

Full album artwork and label scans are included for vinyl - as far as I can tell, neither of these compilations have been released on CD.

Tracklist - Immortal Rock (1977)

A1   The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown  – Fire

A2   The Who  –  Pinball Wizard

A3   Thunderclap Newman  –  Something In The Air

A4   Jimi Hendrix  –  Hey Joe

A5   Derek And The Dominos  –  Layla

A6   Rod Stewart  –  Maggie May

A7   Eric Burdon And The Animals  –  Sky Pilot

B1   Cream –  White Room

B2   Focus –  Hocus Pocus

B3   Status Quo  –  Rain

B4   John Mayall  –  Moving On

B5   Golden Earring  –  Radar Love

B6   Nazareth – Love Hurts

B7   Eric Clapton  –  I Shot The Sheriff

Immortal Rock Link (327Mb) New Link 18/10/2023

Tracklist - Immortal Rock Vol.2 (1979)

A1 Jimi Hendrix – All Along the Watchtower

A2 Rare Bird –   Sympathy

A3 The Hollies – He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother

A4 Rod Stewart – Mandolin Wind

A5 The Allman Brothers Band –   Ramblin' Man

A6 James Brown – It's A Man's Man's Man's World

A7 Roger Daltrey – Walking The Dog

B1 Bachman-Turner Overdrive –   You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

B2 Cream – Sunshine Of Your Love

B3 Jon English – Turn The Page

B4 The Lovin' Spoonful – Summer In The City

B5 Eric Burdon & The Animals –  Monterey

B6 Chuck Berry – No Particular Place To Go

B7 Slade – Get Down & Get With It

Immortal Rock Vol.2 Link (307Mb) New Link 18/10/2023

Double Post: The Who - Tommy (1969) and The Original Soundtrack Recording (1975)

 (U.K 1962 - Present)

The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th century and have sold over 100 million records worldwide.

The Who developed from an earlier group, the Detours, and established themselves as part of the pop art and mod movements, featuring auto-destructive art by destroying guitars and drums on stage. Their first single as the Who, "I Can't Explain", reached the UK top ten, and was followed by a string of hit singles including "My Generation", "Substitute" and "Happy Jack". In 1967, they performed at the Monterey Pop Festival and released "I Can See for Miles", their only US top ten single. The group's fourth album, the 1969 rock opera Tommy, included the single "Pinball Wizard" and was a critical and commercial success.

Live appearances at Woodstock in August 1969, and the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970, along with the concert album Live at Leeds in 1970, established their reputation as a respected rock act. The success put pressure on lead songwriter Townshend, and the follow-up to Tommy, Lifehouse, was abandoned. Songs from the project made up the 1971 Who's Next, which included the hit "Won't Get Fooled Again". The group released the concept album Quadrophenia in 1973 as a celebration of their mod roots, and oversaw the film adaptation of Tommy in 1975. They continued to tour to large audiences before semi-retiring from live performances at the end of 1976. The release of Who Are You in 1978 was overshadowed by Moon's death shortly after.

 

Tommy - The Who Album

The most spectacular year in The Who's career began in uncharacteristic placidity. It was 1969. Apart from an appearance in court by Roger Daltrey for minor motoring offences and a controversial decision to turn down the opportunity to appear on Tom Jone's British TV show, The Who remained ensconced in the recording studio throughout January and February putting the finishing touches on their next album Tommy.

It was an exhausting experience for the group. "When we did Tommy", said Roger Daltrey, "Pete used to come in some days with just half a demo. We used to talk for hours, literally. We probably did as much talking as we did recording. We spent weeks sorting out arrangements for the music."

Keith Moon echoed Roger's feelings. "Pete had been working on Tommy for at least two years, writing songs and fitting them together just like a jigsaw. But when we went into the studio it was still in bits and pieces. Pete would say 'Well, what do you think about this bit?' and John or someone would come up with an idea, and then gradually it became a group effort."

In the first week of march Track released the first sampler from Tommy, a riveting new Townshend song entitled 'Pinball Wizard'. The song had actually been written for Nik Cohn, a journalist who was both a pinball fanatic and a close friend of Pete, Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp. It was by far The Who's best single release since 'I Can See For Miles' eighteen months earlier.

"Pinball Wizard" opened with what is perhaps the best guitar part that Pete Townsend has ever written; following a slow, tension-filled build up through a series of unusual, rather melancholy chords, the rhythmic balance is secured with some furious strumming on acoustic guitar down an eight note sequence, each change enhanced by the deep cannon of John's bass guitar.

Roger's singing had improved beyond recognition, while Keith's usual manic drum work added significantly to the pace of the song. If there was any doubt that Pete Townsend is the finest rhythm guitarist in the whole of rock, 'Pinball Wizard' sets the record straight. The B-Side incidentally, was Keith Moon's jokey 'Dogs Part II', a throw away track with composition credited to 'Moon, Towser and Jason'. Towser was Pete's pet spaniel and Jason was John's favourite deerhound.

Brilliant though 'Pinball Wizard' was, it only managed fourth place on the British charts and in America - despite the group's high profile over the past year - it peaked at No. 19.

The next stage in the growth of Tommy was the development of a stage act that would run parallel with the album's release, and extensive rehearsals took place during March and April perfecting a Who show to end all Who shows. The Who had always been the most visual performers of the sixties: now the had an opportunity to develop this side of their collective personality to perfection. After a month The Who were capable of performing the entire Tommy opera non-stop, a full ninety minutes of uninterrupted electrically charged rock music, all delivered with astonishing confidence and vitality.

By the end of these rehearsals The Who were unquestionably the most exciting live rock band of all time. None of their likely rivals could approach the experience and mastery of The Who in this department and now, at last, they had a wealth of good, new material to perform at the same time.

Needless to say they seized on the opportunity, especially Roger whose new curly haired, ultra-sexy image would shortly become the accepted stereotype for every lead singer in rock. As the Who's on-stage spokesman, Roger became Tommy and thanks to Roger, Tommy, in his fringed suede jacket and tight jeans , became a far more attractive character than the deaf, dumb and blind boy of Pete's imagination.

Pete's sartorial leanings veered in the opposite direction: he opted to wear a plain white boiler -suit and Dr. Martins shoes on stage. The boiler-suit was eminently practical: Its loose fit enabled Pete's gymnastics to go on unimpeded and his baggy knees hid the rubber pads that protected the Townshend patellae from serious injury. John's tailor had made up a number of fancy leather outfits for the solid bassist, including the famous skeleton suit, and Keith henceforth adopted the athletic all-white look that belied the truth of his deteriorating physical condition.

This splendid new-look Who, drilled to perfection, was unveiled before the British press at Ronnie Scott's Club in Soho shortly after 1pm on 2 may, a few weeks before the Tommy album was released. An eager crowd settled down to curried chicken, rice and white wine in anticipation of a brief Who performance on the tiny stage which normally played host to the giants of modern jazz. With its low ceiling and close-up vantage points, the club was ideally intimate for The Who to present their spectacular new show.

"They seemed to play quietly at first but after the first number - the overture - the volume increased until it became almost intolerable in there", says Chris Welch, who covered the event for Melody Maker. "Nobody walked away though. The music was too good. They played non-stop for an hour and a half and at the end everyone stood and cheered which is unusual for a press reception. The press didn't normally show much enthusiasm at these gatherings.

"The Who were desperate to gain respectability and, of course, they did just that. I was sitting right in front of Keith Moon's huge drum kit and when I got home to bed much later that night I had a vivid dream of Keith playing his drum's. He was absolutely brilliant that day but it was so loud that there was a ringing in my ears for two whole days afterwards."

Like many others present Welch went back to his paper - then the country's most influential and widely read music weekly - and wrote an ecstatic review. "I can still remember Roger throwing the mike around on its lead and almost hitting the ceiling each time. I had to duck when it came towards my table but miraculously he never hit anybody or anything.

"That same week Kit Lambert brought the first copy of the Tommy album into the editor's office and offered Melody Maker an exclusive if he put it on the front page.

Jack Hutton, the editor, was very cool about it in his usual Scottish was so Kit walked out with the album still tucked under his arm, threatening to go to the New Musical Express. Jack got up and chased him down the corridor...and Kit got his exclusive. I wrote a 'Who triumph' story for the front page."

The press euphoria was not universal however. New Musical Express, for one, accused The Who of being 'sick' and 'pretentious' and a few other misguided publications jumped on the anti-Who bandwagon by criticising Pete Townshend's taste in cashing in on Tommy's disabilities. Most hailed the double album as the first-ever rock opera (which it wasn't) and saw its release as a quasi-cultural event much like the arrival of The Beatles' 'Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band'. As an album, Tommy slipped between two stools: the serious press took the opera line too far, while much of the music press accused The Who of losing the spirit of their music through ostentatious marketing.

If there were faults on Tommy they boiled down to the album's excessive length and its vague story-line. Much of The Who's finest ever music - "Pinball Wizard", "See Me Feel Me", "Underture", "Amazing Journey" and "I'm Free" - is contained on those two sides, but this standard was not maintained throughout.

The inclusion of two songs by John Entwistle confused the flow of the music and at least half a dozen of Townshend's songs were simply not up to his usual high standard. Had it been a single album, Tommy would rank as The Who's best ever piece of work, yet those two albums still contain instrumental sections where Keith Moon's drumming is revealed as some of the finest rock percussion ever recorded. Roger's singing too, improved by leaps and bounds on Tommy and the album remains not just an important landmark in The Who's career, but in the whole of rock.

Tommy of course, was a gargantuan commercial success but the music was not what sold the album. The package - a blue triple fold out sleeve complete with twelve-page lyric book including seven pages of paintings all drawn and designed by Mike McInnerney - was chock-full of mystique, obscure spiritual references and over blown psychedelia designed to appeal to the young pseudo-intelligentsia of the day. Townshend even credited Makher Baba as his avatar. Such was the impact that it became a matter of honor for anyone who considered themselves even remotely modern to possess at least one copy of the album [extracts from The Who: Illustrated Biography by Chris Charlesworth, 1982]

Tommy - The Film

The decision to make a film of Tommy was made in principle in 1970, after the success of their album and live shows when Pete Townshend's rock opera was both fresh and topical. The practical details, however, were not so simple. Although the delays were accompanied by a natural lowering of enthusiasm by all concerned, the path was finally open to proceed on the next stage of the saga of the deaf, dumb and blind boy; in 1973.

Tommy had originally been offered to an enthusiastic Universal Pictures, the sister company of MCA Records who had lately acquired The Who's US recording contract by taking over American Decca.

Universal agreed to back the film but delayed in releasing the necessary funds after finding Kit Lambert's script and ideas unacceptable. This delay - almost two years - turned out to be the final straw in Lambert's waning relationship with The Who.

Independent producers and directors were contracted throughout 1973 and eventually, Robert Stigwood agreed to help The Who make the picture. The sandy-haired, Australian impresario had prospered mightily since the early days when he acted as The Who's agent and formed the Reaction label to assist in their dispute with Shel Talmy: by 1974 he was well on the way to becoming one of the wealthiest moguls in the music industry through his interests in management, records, stage-shows, and films. With Stigwoods's help, Ken Russell was persuaded to direct the film and Columbia Pictures agreed to back the project on a mutual basis with Stigwood himself.

After lengthy discussions with Townshend, Russell produced a new script, which satisfied the financial interests, and Stigwood adopted the traditional producer role for casting. A host of stars were rounded up, including all of The Who, Ann-Margret (see below hugging Daltrey), Oliver Reed, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Jack Nicholson and Tina Turner and it was decided that there should be no dialogue; instead Pete would re-record the score, adding in it where necessary, and all the characters would sing their respective parts.

Above: Ken Russell

Before and after the Who's French Quadrophenia tour Pete Townshend toiled away in his home recording studio and at Ramport re-recording Tommy with The Who and selected outside musicians. Elton John brought his own band along to record his version of "Pinball Wizard", and Eric Clapton, Ron Wood, Kenny Jones, Chris Stainton and Mick Ralphs were among those involved in the sessions. With the soundtrack completed, the cast descended on Portsmouth and Southsea, the location selected for Tommy's rebirth. The cost of the operation, much of it coming from Robert Stigwood, was $3,500,000 and shooting began on 22nd April.

Significantly retooled from the 1969 double-album by The Who, Tommy became a quasi-spiritual parable about a boy (Barry Winch) rendered hysterically deaf, dumb, and blind after witnessing the murder of his father (Robert Powell) at the hands of his mother's lover (Oliver Reed).

While shared guilt tears at the fibers of the marriage of Nora (Ann-Margret) and Frank (Reed) - Nora, in particular, grapples with remorse over what she has done - the now grown Tommy (Daltrey) retreats further and further into himself, inhabiting a vivid inner world which serves to shield him from the trauma of well-intentioned cure attempts and instances of parental neglect and familial abuse. As a result of his experiences, Tommy develops a near-supernatural talent for pinball and is hailed as a pop culture prodigy.

For Nora, instant wealth and fame serve to superficially cushion the pain of the responsibility she feels for Tommy's afflictions, but when her actions bring about his “accidental” fall through a plate-glass mirror, the miraculous restoration of his senses changes the course of her life. Tommy instantly becomes a worldwide spiritual messiah, but finds the world of redemption by way of material acquisition to be just another form of spiritual prison.

In March of 1975, at the end of John Entwistle's Ox tour, The Who reunited briefly for the ceremonies that surrounded the British and American premiere of the Tommy film and the simultaneous release of the soundtrack album. Surrealistic, imaginative, inept, unforgettable, cowardly, brilliant, elusive and pointless - these were all adjectives chosen to describe Ken Russell's reading of Pete Townshend's magnum opus.

The Who featuring their Dollar Bill Outfits

The Who themselves, especially Roger Daltrey, were obviously pleased with the result but nothing could shake the truth that Tommy's greatest moments always lay in The Who's own stage performances when it was first released. Press conferences with the stars, with Roger taking pride of place alongside Ann-Margret and Robert Stigwood, were held in majestic fashion in New York and Los Angeles, while the parties that followed each premiere were amongst the most glittering show/rock business occasions of the year. Roger Daltrey appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, now a star in his own right with or without The Who.

Elton John - Pinball Wizard

"Tommy is so much a part of my life that I don't know what the fuck it means," wrote Roger in a short essay included in The Who's authorised account of their first ten years together. "It's like being married. For the first six months you can answer questions on marriage very well, but after ten years.....you know what I mean? You're so surrounded by it all and it's so much a part of you that you don't know what it means any more at all". [extracts from The Who: Illustrated Biography by Chris Charlesworth, 1982]

As much as I enjoy concept albums, rock music rarely makes the leap to the silver screen gracefully: The Wall, The Song Remains The Same, 200 Motels, Give My Regards To Broad Street, True Stories. Quadrophenia made more sense as a movie, I thought, but it wasn’t a musical. Tommy at least deserves credit for being a remarkably ambitious adaptation of the original, one that sought to match art with art.

Given the fact that people still talk about this film, maybe Russell was an inspired choice after all. Plus, it couldn’t have been easy to corral so many personalities and egos (Pete Townshend, Ann-Margaret, Oliver Reed, Jack Nicholson, Elton John, Tina Turner and dear old Moonie among them) while working with a lead actor (Daltrey) who had no real acting experience. Come to think of it, only a maverick like Russell would have taken the job in the first place.

This post consists of both Tommy double albums, ripped to FLAC and include full album artwork and label scans. The only short coming of my copy of the Who's Tommy album is the missing 12-page lyric booklet. As a bonus, I have decided to include the B-Side of their Pinball Wizard singe called "Dogs Pt II" which was written and sung by Keith Moon (a real rarity indeed)

Original Who Album

A1 Overture 3:50

A2 It's A Boy 2:07

A3 1921 3:14

A4 Amazing Journey 3:25

A5 Sparks 3:45

A6 Eyesight For The Blind (The Hawker) 2:15

B1 Christmas 5:30

B2 Cousin Kevin 4:03

B3 The Acid Queen 3:31

B4 Underture 9:55

C1 Do You Think It's Alright? 0:24

C2 Fiddle About 1:26

C3 Pinball Wizard 3:00

C4 There's A Doctor 0:25

C5 Go To The Mirror! 3:50

C6 Tommy Can You Hear Me? 1:35

C7 Smash The Mirror 1:20

C8 Sensation 2:32

D1 Miracle Cure 0:10

D2 Sally Simpson 4:10

D3 I'm Free 2:40

D4 Welcome 4:30

D5 Tommy's Holiday Camp 0:57

D6 We're Not Gonna Take It 6:45

BONUS   Dogs Pt II (B-Side Single)   3:06

The Who Tommy (520Mb)

The Who are:

Roger Daltrey: Vocals, Percussion

Pete Townshend: Guitar

John Entwistle: Bass, Vocals

Keith Moon: Drums

Original Soundtrack Recording

01. Prologue/1945

02. Captain Walker/It’s A Boy

03. Bernie’s Holiday Camp

04. 1951/What About The Boy?

05. Amazing Journey

06. Christmas

07. Eyesight To The Blind

08. Acid Queen

09. Do You Think It’s Alright

10. Cousin Kevin

11. Do You Think It’s Alright

12. Fiddle About

13. Do You Think It’s Alright

14. Sparks

15. Extra, Extra, Extra

16. Pinball Wizard

17. Champagne

18. There’s A Doctor

19. Go To The Mirror

20. Tommy Can You Hear Me

21. Smash The Mirror

22. I’m Free

23. Mother And Son

24. Sensation

25. Miracle Cure

26. Sally Simpson

27. Welcome

28. T.V. Studio

29. Tommy’s Holiday Camp

30. We’re Not Gonna Take It

31. Listening To You/See Me, Feel Me

Tommy The Original Soundtrack (516Mb) New Link 17/10/2023

The Players

Roger Daltrey (Tommy), John Entwistle (himself), Ann-Margaret (The Mother), Keith Moon (Uncle Ernie), Robert Powell (Captain Walker), Oliver Reed (The Lover), Pete Townshend (himself, musical director) with Eric Clapton (The Preacher), Elton John (The Pinball Wizard), Paul Nicholas (Cousin Kevin), Jack Nicholson (The Doctor), Tina Turner (The Acid Queen).